When God Was a Woman
HarperCollins · Paperback · May 4, 1978
The landmark exploration of the ancient worship of the Great Goddess and the eventual supression of women's rites.
We earn from qualifying purchases.
- Who it’s for
- A culturally literate look at women, history, and the larger story around them.
- Themes
- Goddess worship, Matriarchy vs patriarchy, Gender roles
- Pacing
- Reflective
Nearest books
Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved.
The Great Cosmic MotherMonica Sjoo, Barbara Mor71% matchShares Goddess Spirituality and Women's Studies
The Book of LilithBarbara Black Koltuv57% matchShares Goddess Spirituality
Wild PowerSjanie Hugo Wurlitzer, Alexandra Pope55% match
Goddesses in Everywoman: Thirtieth Anniversary EditionJean Shinoda Bolen61% matchShares Goddess Spirituality and Women's Studies
When Women Ruled the WorldKara Cooney, Blackstone Audio, Inc.53% match
EveCat Bohannon55% match
Not All Dead White MenDonna Zuckerberg53% match
For younger readers: She Speaks, Tales of Ancient Egypt, Merlin's Harp
Start with three books, and this one can be the first.
Members get a new edition every morning: a route out from their books to essays, research and talks, with the reason for each.
Start with this bookAbout this book
The landmark exploration of the ancient worship of the Great Goddess and the eventual supression of women's rites. In the beginning, God was a woman... How did the shift from matriarchy to patriarchy come about? In fascinating detail, Merlin Stone tells us the story of the Goddess who reigned supreme in the Near and Middle East.
Continue reading
Under her reign, societal roles differed markedly from those in patriarchal Judeo-Christian cultures: women bought and sold property, traded in the marketplace, and inherited title and land from their mothers. Documenting the wholesale rewriting of myth and religious dogmas, Merlin Stone describes an ancient conspiracy in which the Goddess was reimagined as a wanton, depraved figure, a characterization confirmed and perpetuated by one of modern culture's best-known legends—that of the fall of Adam and Eve. Insightful and thought-provoking, this is essential reading for anyone interested in the origin of current gender roles and in rediscovering women's power.
Goddess Lens
A culturally literate look at women, history, and the larger story around them.
Come here for
- goddess-centered history
- rigorous, layered argument
Expect
- accessible entry point
- sustained, explanatory read
Where it sits
| Goddess Spirituality | 73% |
|---|---|
| Women's Studies | 29% |
| Ancient Religion | 22% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- World History
- Social History
- Comparative Religion
- History of Religion
Show all 8 publisher categories
- Spirituality
- Faith
- Ancient Religion
- Feminist Theory & Criticism
- Authors
- Merlin Stone
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- May 4, 1978
- Format
- Paperback
- Theme
- Goddess worship · Matriarchy vs patriarchy · Gender roles
- Reading lane
- World History