When God Had a Wife
The Fall and Rise of the Sacred Feminine in the Judeo-Christian Tradition
Lynn Picknett author Clive Prince author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Inner Traditions Bear and Company
Published:9th Jan '20
Should be back in stock very soon
This book explores the tradition of goddess worship in early Judaism and how When God Had a Wife seeks to restore the feminine aspect of faith.
In When God Had a Wife, authors Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince delve into the rich tradition of goddess worship in early Judaism, challenging the commonly held belief that the ancient Israelites exclusively venerated Yahweh. They present compelling historical and archaeological evidence that suggests a more complex religious landscape, where both male and female deities were honored. Notably, they highlight the discovery of a Hebrew temple from the 20th century dedicated to Yahweh and the warrior goddess Anat, illustrating the duality of worship that once existed.
The narrative further explores the Hebrew pantheon, shedding light on figures such as Asherah, the goddess of fertility and childbirth, who was regarded as Yahweh’s wife. Through their investigation, Picknett and Prince reveal the gradual suppression of these feminine aspects of spirituality, particularly following the reforms of King Josiah and the prophetic voice of Jeremiah. This shift led to the vilification of goddess worship and a reconfiguration of religious history that marginalized women's roles and contributions.
Moreover, the authors examine how both Jesus and his rival, Simon Magus, endeavored to restore the ancient goddess-worshipping traditions of the Israelites. They argue that both figures revered the women in their lives, exemplified by Mary Magdalene and Helen, who played significant roles as priestesses. Yet, as history unfolded, the Church's narrative sought to erase the feminine influence, perpetuating a cycle of marginalization that has echoed through the ages. When God Had a Wife ultimately seeks to reclaim the Sacred Feminine within both Judaism and Christianity, advocating for a recognition of the divine feminine that has been long suppressed.
“A book that blows the lid off one of the most ancient cover-ups in the world--the existence of a feminine deity every bit as important as the masculine Yahweh. This is a book that all should read--it is powerful, thought-provoking, and wonderfully contentious. The scholarship of the writers is evident on every page. So read on and be prepared to be astounded and diverted. Your world may never look the same again.” * John Matthews, coauthor of Temples of the Grail and The Lost Book of the Grail *
“Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince are two of the most important history writers of modern times. They build a compelling case for the veneration of the goddess alongside the religion of Yahweh among the ancient Israelites and how its persistence lingered through to the age of Jesus. A page-turning read from start to finish.” * Andrew Collins, author of The Cygnus Key and Göbekli Tepe *
“Picknett and Prince, long known for profoundly unsettling religious and historical revelations, have excelled themselves with this story of the little-known Israelite goddesses--their rise, fall, and, unexpectedly, their rise again. But now we are also faced with another deeply uncomfortable cover-up--that of the priestesses who celebrated the goddess even from within Christ’s own circle. A major book and a gripping read.” * Graham Phillips, author of The Virgin Mary Conspiracy *
“What I like about this book is the referencing to external scholarship and the clarity of presentation. The finding of an 8th-century-BCE inscription at Kuntillet Ajrud, read as ‘Yahwe (God) and his Ashera,’ supports the authors’ contention that God had a consort.” * Robert Feather, author of The Secret Initiation of Jesus at Qumran *
“Picknett and Prince have put together a tour de force of argument and research in three of the seven chapters for anyone pursuing the truth about the divine feminine in the Judeo-Christian tradition. I would judge When God Had a Wife to be landmark study of the history of religion.” * Scott S. Smith, author of Extraordinary People: Real Life Lessons on What it Takes to Achieve Succes *
"This book is chock full of great history, amazing research, great messages, and intriguing writing. All devotees of religion in modern times ought to read it because of its exemplary research, revelation of ugly, uncomfortable truths we ALL need to accept, and its celebration of the once, present, and future goddesses who history and the patriarchy could not silence , and never will." * Saoirse, PaganPages.org *
"When God had a Wife is a well-researched book, depending almost entirely for its arguments (if not all of its conclusions) on the scholarship of academics." * Jay Vickers, Fortean Times Magazine *
"The emergence of the church as a patriarchal authoritarian and political institution in the fourth century played a critical role, but the orthodox view of Jesus has in my view been overturned by the Gnostic Gospels, from which a new and more balanced picture emerges. I believe that we are now ready as a culture for a fully fledged sacred feminine that embraces all of its aspects. When God Had a Wife is an important contribution to this process." * David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer Journal *
ISBN: 9781591433705
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 20mm
Weight: 544g
336 pages