Labyrinths – intricate structures of interconnecting passages through which it is difficult to find one’s way – have become popular focal points in the spiritual quests of people from many religious and non-religious persuasions. Labyrinths made of hedges outdoors or painted or etched on floors of churches can be found in more than 80 different countries […]
I recently attended a convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont with the theme “love heals.” The convention highlighted the work of Magdalene and Thistle Farms, located in Tennessee, and its amazing founding director, the Rev. Becca Stevens. According to its website, “Thistle Farms is a powerful global community of women healing from prostitution, trafficking and […]
One year ago, I posted my first blog on WisdomWordsPPF.org! I thought I would provide a review of the topics and topic areas, to give new visitors a feel for what I have been covering and to help sporadic visitors to get caught up. (Note that there are overlaps in the following selections.) Posts on […]
Philippi in northern Greece is an important city for the history of Christianity and a fascinating archaeological site. Here we will highlight a few features that raise important issues for modern contemplation, since Christianity has had such vast influence on the West. I will illustrate these points using photos of mine taken on site during […]
The Bible: a vitally important text in Western history. Contrary to some popular misperceptions: not one book but many; not written in King James English but in at least three ancient languages; and not originally written but rather passed down orally for generations. It should go without saying, then, that translating a collection of ancient […]
Current research reveals that some early Christians revered God in female form. Let’s take a look at the evidence, which starts with an overview of the context out of which Christianity emerged. Christianity emerged in the Graeco-Roman era when people worshipped many gods and goddesses – Zeus, Athena, Dionysos, Apollo, the Great Mother, Sylvanus; this […]
“Past” is a site for articles relating to women in antiquity, early church history and New Testament archaeology. Posts are based on scholarly research and include resources in the field, such as peer-reviewed articles and books. Examining issues from a scholarly feminist perspective supports social justice in our current situation. I am available in the […]
My profile for Westar Institute (home of the Jesus Seminar) Review, Ally Kateusz, Mary and Early Christian Women: Hidden Leadership (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019), in The Fourth R, Westar Institute, in progress Article: “Titus and Other Jesus Missionaries on Crete: Encountering the Legacy of the Goddess,” The Independent Scholar, Vol. 10 (December 2023) 64-78. Article: […]
Over the past few years, we have alerted readers to organizations, initiatives and stances sponsored or promoted by the right-wing element in our political discourse that might sound good at first glance but which are in fact misleading and even dangerous (Project Blitz and right-wing attempts to legislate specific types of Bible classes in public […]
Earlier, we warned readers about the innocent-sounding radical right-wing organization, Moms for Liberty. A number of states held elections on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, and the results in many contests are revealing (and, for many of us, a very hopeful sign). Moms for Liberty raised up and supported a number of candidates in both state […]