Table of Contents

Part One: Reclaiming Women's Stories and Journeys discusses the types of women that have been remembered in the Christian tradition and examines the scarcity of women's writings and the possibilities of women's oral tradition within the Bible and other early sources. Part Two: Stories, Sites, and Maps includes introductions to the sites, maps, information about or by women or female images of God, and selections from the Bible or an early Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Coptic, Syriac, or Arabic text.

About the Author

Martha Ann Kirk, C.C.V.I., Th.D., is a professor of religious studies at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. She led several study tours to the Holy Land and was a research scholar at Tantur Ecumenical Institute, Jerusalem. Kirk has written entries for Worship Music published by the Liturgical Press and is the author of "Liturgical Drama," published in the Collegeville Catholic Reference Library on CD-ROM and The New Dictionary of Sacramental Worship by the Liturgical Press.

Reviews

Whether tucked in one’s bag on a dig or pilgrimage, or read as a collection of stories about women in the Middle East, this creative resource is very useful for those seeking women’s place and insight in the sacred dramas. A thorough index and suggestions for prayer made this more than a good guide—indeed, a good companion.WATERwheel

Kirk’s study is an informative catalogue that makes available the profile of countless women who lived in biblical times. Her approach is novel, and her material is a real treasure and contribution to biblical literature, especially for those interested in gender and women’s studies.Catholic Books Review

With maps, woodcut-style graphics, footnotes and an extensive bibliography, Women of Bible Lands: A Pilgrimage to Compassion and Wisdom is a pilgrimage well worth taking.Today’s Catholic

A fascinating book, this is a pilgrimage to sites in the Mediterranean world that are mentioned in the Bible and other early literature - but through the experiences of Jewish, Christian and Muslim women. Readers will find here a devotional, a taste of the history of early women of faith, and a useful tool for Bible study.St. Placid Priory

Kirk has collected these tidbits like an archaeologist collects potsherds, putting them together in a way that reveals ancient times and modern places. . . . Like every good guidebook, there are also helpful maps. Clip art adds to the creative character of this exceptionally informative book. It is highly recommended.The Bible Today

[Kirk] reflects on the task of reclaiming women's stories and journeys.New Testament Abstracts

"Most of the stories of women in the Middle East, as elsewhere, are written by men, but Kirk manages to peer past this - and past denominational lines and political boundaries - to discern a feminine perspective and provide stories that are instructive and inspiring. Avoiding 'big questions' of might and power that daily whirl in this region, Kirk's reflections upon visiting the shrines and holy places in Israel and the surrounding areas are on the things that matter in God's eyes, inviting readers - men as well as women - to explore sacred stories in their own lives.Dr. Gilberto Hinojosa, Professor of History, University of the Incarnate Word

With her new book, Martha Ann Kirk shows herself to be a wonderfully imaginative and resourceful guide to the lives of women in Bible lands. Kirk maps these lives, both past and present, in ways that enable the reader to see all the richness, diversity, and faith of these women. Our own life journeys, whether in Bible lands or on interior pilgrimages, will become the richer for this map and for the many women companions Kirk reveals to us.Teresa Berger, Professor, Divinity School, Duke University