From Publishers Weekly
Although feminists of many Christian traditions are likely to find this book helpful, its most appreciative audience will likely be liturgical Christians who already follow a similar format in their daily prayers. The book is arranged in roughly the same manner as the Anglican/Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, but with female-friendly twists: The scripture readings, for example, don’t typically come from the Bible because of what the authors call its "male-oriented and militaristic nature." Jensen and Harris-Watkins substitute readings from the Apocrypha and various other sources, including hymns of the early Church (nimbly translated from Syriac, Greek and Hebrew by Jensen). Also, the authors borrow readings from many different faith traditions, which are helpfully introduced in a special table at the end of the book. The book even includes a few craft suggestions for women to make items that are related to the prayer rites. In Anglican fashion, there are prayers for morning, noon and evening, and for specific seasons, occasions and rituals.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Book Description
For nearly two millennia, Christian women have been taught to approach the Divine with the hearts and minds of men, from worshiping God as father to envisioning a holy life as a military campaign. She Who Prays: A Woman's Interfaith Prayer Book offers women a new way to pray, drawing on feminine images of God and using the language and experience of women. With new translations of ancient hymns, and original prayers in the Christian and other faith traditions, She Who Prays will help women speak to God in their own voices. Arranged in roughly the same format as the Book of Common Prayer, She Who Prays contains a seven-day cycle of daily prayer, prayers for special occasions, and a woman-oriented liturgical calendar honoring the lives of women of all faiths. There are also rituals of healing, reconciliation, and new beginnings, as well as a labyrinth prayer. She Who Prays will help women tap into their unique spirituality. Rosemary Radford Reuther, noted feminist theologian and author, calls the book "an indispensable resource for feminist communities engaged in the work of creating liturgy. It encompasses both new creativity and deep roots in historical traditions. A treasure to be used over a lifetime Jane Richardson Jensen, an author, translator, and scholar specializing in early Christian literature, is co-chaplain of Clare's Place, a women's spirituality center in College Station, Texas. Patricia Harris-Watkins, chaplain of Clare's Place, is a scholar specializing in English as a second language. She has taught workshops in dream interpretation and vision quests, and integrates her Native American spirituality with her Christian faith.
About the Author
Jane Richardson Jensen, an author, translator, and scholar specializing in early Christian literature, is co-chaplain of Clare's Place, a women's spirituality center in College Station, Texas. Patricia Harris-Watkins, chaplain of Clare's Place, is a scholar specializing in English as a second language. She has taught workshops in dream interpretation and vision quests, and integrates her Native American spirituality with her Christian faith.
She Who Prays: A Woman's Interfaith Prayer Book FROM THE PUBLISHER
For nearly two millennia, Christian women have learned to pray in the language of other people's souls. From worshiping God as father to envisioning a holy life as a military campaign, they've been taught to approach the Divine with the hearts and minds of men.
She Who Prays: A Woman's Interfaith Prayer Book offers women a new way to pray. It draws on feminine images of God, as well as the language and experience of women, to help women tap into their own rich and unique spirituality. With material from new translations of ancient Christian hymns and prayers, as well as original prayers in the Christian and other faith traditions, She Who Prays will help women speak to God in their own voices.
Arranged in roughly the same format as the Book of Common Prayer, She Who Prays contains a seven-day cycle of daily prayer services, prayers for special occasions, and a woman-oriented liturgical calendar that honors the lives of women of all faiths. The book also contains four rituals marking such themes as healing, reconciliation, and new beginnings, and a prayer to be used while walking a labyrinth. An appendix provides information on world religions and instructions for group services.
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
Harris-Watkins and Jensen are cochaplains of Clare's Place, a women's spirituality center in College Station, TX, and their work is a pioneering mixture of old ideas and new. Essentially, they have attempted to devise a spirituality and religious approach to life that acknowledges and incorporates wide-ranging sources, including monastic Christianity, Native American spirituality, and ancient Egyptian prayers. Sections of the book have domestic names, such as "The China Cabinet" and "The Silver Chest," and include weekly cycles of prayer, collects, and a church calendar. Their innovations may make some readers uncomfortable but should delight many who are interested in women's spirituality. For most collections. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
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