Daughters of the Desert: Stories of Remarkable Women from Christian, Jewish and Muslim Traditions

Eighteen intriguing stories that give voice to often-overlooked figures from the holy writings of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Women'though seldom educated'played key roles in the development of these three great faiths, but their lives and contributions are rarely honored. The men who recorded and copied the sacred Scriptures and other important texts included very little about how women passed on their experiences of God through storytelling, song, and ritual. With the help of imagination and careful research, Daughters of the Desert introduces readers to the lives and loves, personalities and dreams of women who are only hinted at in the Scriptures, but whose faith and strength were vital to the growth of their beliefs, including Sarah, Hagar, Huldah, Esther, Salome, Mary Magdalene, Lydia, Khadija, and Fatima. Taking as starting points passages from the Hebrew and Christian Bibles and the Qur'an, this diverse collection of short stories allows readers to hear the voices of our common female ancestors loud and clear. Ideal for anyone who has ever wondered what life was like for our spiritual foremothers, these stories bring life and breath to the past. What the Scriptures have often only outlined in passing is here fully imagined'from thrilling events that decided the fate of thousands to everyday moments of friendship and love. For complete bios of the authors, please visit our website, www.skylightpaths.com.Betsy Wharton is the author of 'Daughters of the Desert: Stories of Remarkable Women from Christian, Jewish and Muslim Traditions', published 2005 under ISBN 9781594731068 and ISBN 1594731063.