BIBLIOGRAPHY
Titles Recommended by Sandy Gess, M.Div., MLIS
This annotated Bibliography represents titles which I have found most useful in providing a foundation for designing rituals, integrating feminist process, feminist theology, folk traditions and women's spirituality. It is based on the emerging christian feminist tradition. With few exceptions, most are readily available : either in public libraries or bookstores.Ackerman, Diane. A Natural History of the Senses. Vintage Books,
1990. ~ Believing that rituals are most meaningful when they integrate our
senses, I've included this title because Ackerman is so skillful at describing
the multi-facets of our senses. Strong feminist perspective. Thought-provoking
reflection on the sacred in the everyday.
An Anthology of Sacred Texts By and About Women. Ed., Serinity,Young. New York : Crossroad, 1994. ~ An excellent collection of brief texts which honor and celebrate women from various traditions : Judaism; Christianity; Islam; Ancient Near East, Greece and Rome ; Northern European paganism; Shamanism and Tribal Religions; Hinduism; Buddhism; Confucianism; Taoism; and what the author calls Alternative Religious Movements (Dissenting Christian Movements; Occultism and Esotericism; Neopaganism). Includes excellent introductory essays and commentary. The best world overview I've seen.
Armstrong, Karen. A History of God : the 4000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam . New York : Knopf, 1993. ~ Sometimes we get so involved in rituals that we lose sight of the focus of our worship. This very readible bestseller helps to remind us of that focus. The Introduction and first three chapters are excellent at providing an integrated overview of the emergence of Judaism and Christianity (in particular) from nature-centered religions and worship of the female deities. Terrific book; would be useful for small group as well.
Artress, Lauren. Walking a Sacred Path : Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool. New York : Riverhead Books, 1995. ~ Describes in detail an ancient ritual "tool" which integrates movement with meditation : what the author describes as Body Prayer. A new work by the woman responsible for having the Labyrinth at Grace Cathedral installed.
Bech, Renee & Sydney Barbara Metrick. The Art of Ritual : A Guide to Creating and Performing Your Own Rituals for Growth and Change. Celestial Arts, 1990. ~ I generally do not care for this type of book, but this is the best I've seen of what might be described as secular or "psycho-social" ritual. The authors present a good overview of what rituals do for us psychologically. They draw from works by Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung. The authors have created new and imaginative rituals to inform everyday life.
Broner, E.M. The Telling : the Story of a Group of Jewish Women Who Journey to Spirituality Through Community and Ceremony. New York : Harper Collins, 1993. ~ An extraordinary description of feminist process in the building of a woman's worshipping community through ritual. Includes an early version of The Women's Haggadah. Rituals and feminist interpretation of traditional readings interspersed throughout. Highly recommended for non-Jews and Jews alike.
Broner, E.M. The Women's Haggadah. Harper San Francisco , 1994. ~ This Haggadah grew out of the Seder group which Broner describes in The Telling (see above). This feminist version seems to always be evolving. A wonderful version.
Budapest, Zsuzsanna. The Grandmother of Time : a Woman's Book of Celebrations, Spells,and Sacred Objects for Every Month of the Year. San Francisco : Harper & Row, 1989. ~ A good "religious calendar" of rituals and celebrations throughout the year from the emerging Goddess religion. A helpful overview of seasonal rites. However, I am very selective of what I use of Z Budapest's. This is one of the better ones.
Cady, Susan, Marian Ronan, and Hal Taussig. Wisdom's Feast : Sophia in Study and Celebration . Kansas City : Sheed & Ward, c1989, 1996. ~ This book provides wonderful background material, rituals, and study guides on Sophia as the feminine face-of-God. Gives helpful ways to "practice" what we learned from She Who Is, and to understand more which was at the basis of the Re-Imagining Conference Celebrations.
Castillo, Ana, ed. Goddess of the Americas: Writings on the Virgin of Guadalupe. NY: Riverhead Books, 1996.
Chicago, Judy. The Dinner Party : A Symbol of Our Heritage. Garden City, NY: Anchor Books, 1979. ~ This ground-breaking work is aesthetically rich as well as informative. It's a treasure of women's spiritual heritage. I include it in this bibliography because I have consulted it often to highlight women's traditions. This edition is now out-of-print. The title has been reissued as The Dinner Party : Commemorative Volume (Penguin Books, 1996), which is a slicker, more organized version with the same information, but lacking in vibrant use of text, image and space of the original edition.
The Circle of Life : Rituals From the Human Family Album. Ed., David Cohen. Harper San Francisco, 1990. ~ A best-selling coffee-table-sized book, global in its presentation of common ritual patterns. Primarily photographs with little text, which commemorate rites of passage from birth to death. It is a wonderful overview. At the same time, from a woman's point-of-view, the images are disturbing when you reflect on women's treatment in the rituals portrayed (e.g., female genital mutilation). A book that has a joyful purpose, but for women a dark underside.
Clark, Linda, Marian Ronan and Eleanor Walker. Image-Breaking, Image-Building : A Handbook of Creative Worship With Women of Christian Tradition. New York : Pilgrim Press, 1981. ~ This book grew out of a workshop given at Grailville in the 1980s. It is an important representation of the early development of christian feminist liturgical tradition and feminist ritual. Provides guidelines for process, as well as practical resources for ritual. Still useful material. Hard to find.
The Communion Book. Edited by Carl Seaburg . Boston : Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, 1993. ~ A wonderful collection of traditional and alternative communion services. Many are tied to the seasons (natural and liturgical). Some examples use different elements (e.g., bread and honey). There are also two examples of Children's Communion services. I have used this resource not only specifically for communion, but have gotten ideas useful in group activities to promote community, i.e., communion, i.e., common-union.
A Dictionary of Liturgy and Worship. Ed., J.G. Davies. New York : Macmillan, 1972. ~ A helpful reference book for traditional terms. Ecumenical in scope but more Catholic in representation. Available currently in a new edition : The New Westminister Dictionary of Liturgy and Worship (1986).
Driver, Tom F. The Magic of Ritual : Our Need for Liberating Rites That Transform Our Lives & Our Communities. Harper San Francisco, 1991. ~ I would subtitle this book, "The Benefits of Ritual from a Sociological Standpoint." An easy-to-read book which touches on cross-cultural patterns with heavy doses of criticism for what the author refers to as "moribund Christian ritual." Not a feminist work, but useful in gaining a broad understanding of how ritual impacts not only individual lives but the greater community.
Duck, Ruth. Gender and the Name of God : the Trinitarian Baptismal Formula. Cleveland : Pilgrim Press, 1991. ~ This is a revision of her doctoral dissertation in which she took the traditional Christian rite of Baptism and showed how it could be transformed through language and symbol from a patriarchal rite to an inclusive one. Ruth Duck has been breaking ground for years in the area of liturgical language: now we know the theological basis for it.
Ecumenical Decade 1988-1998 : Churches in Solidarity with Women : Prayers and Poems, Songs and Stories. Geneva : WCC Publications, 1988. ~ One of the best international collections of rites, readings, and songs. Includes a unique Rite of Healing for Wife Battering; Rite of Healing from Rape; Rite of Healing from Abortion. Also includes Carter Heyward's powerful "Blessing the Bread" ritual.
Eliade, Mircea. Patterns in Comparative Religion. Cleveland ; New York : World Publishing, 1963. ~ A standard in describing basic ritual patterns from multi-cultural perspectives. While Mary Daly has criticized Eliade for the simplicity of stereotyping "sacred" as being in the realm of man's activities and "profane" being in the realm of women's, Eliade still provides a way of looking at ritual patterns which is very helpful. I would also recommend his works, The Sacred and Profane and From Primitives to Zen.
Emswiler, Sharon Neufer and Thomas Neufer Emswiler. Women and Worship : a Guide to Nonsexist Hymns, Prayers, and Liturgies. San Francisco : Harper & Row, c1974, 1984. ~ The original version of this was the first published work of its kind that I ever saw. Everything prior to this had been available only as mimeographed copies you might pick up at a conference or workshop. The prayers and liturgies are very easy to integrate into traditional worship services. A helpful bridge to introducing inclusive language into traditional worship.
The Encyclopedia of Jewish Religion. Ed., R.J. Zwi Werblowsky and Geoffry Wigoder. New York : Holt, Rineholt, and Winston, 1966. ~ Excellent one-volume encyclopedia. See : Niddah ; Holy Spirit (Ruah); Shekhinah ; Kindling of Lights ; Kiddush Levanah ; Rosh Hodesh; Women.
The Encyclopedia of Religion. 16 vols. Ed., Mircea Eliade. New York : Macmillan ; London : Collier Macmillan, 1987. ~ A standard work for getting succinct information on cross-cultural religious patterns and traditions. Anything concerning women, however, is often "hidden"; using the Index volume is helpful in those instances. Broad in scope, this work is written from the standpoint of the phenomenology and history of religion, with somewhat of an anthropological bent. If you want to find either "basics" or the obscure, look here.
Equal Rites : Lesbian and Gay Worship, Ceremonies, and Celebrations. Ed., Kittredge Cherry, and Zalmon Sherwood. Louisville, Ky. : Westminster/John Knox Press, 1995. ~ A wonderful collection from various gay and lesbian contributors (primarily MCC). Noteworthy : Coming-out liturgy; Celebration of the Feminine Divine [Baptism liturgy]; AIDS healing services; house blessing; blessing of animals ; Yom haShoah liturgy which includes recognition that homosexuals were victims of the Holocaust; Holy Union / Commitment ceremonies; a Taize-style service. This is not a source just for lesbians and gays, but for us all. It is testimony to the power of contemporary rituals.
Everflowing Streams : Songs for Worship. Ed., Ruth C. Duck and Michael G. Bausch. New York : Pilgrim Press, 1981. ~ Music is such an integral part of our worship experience. For feminists, we may "love the tune, but hate the theology." This is a good collection of well-known hymns that have been reworded to be inclusive as well as original hymns and songs. Hard to find.
The Folklore of World Holidays . Ed., Margaret Read MacDonald. Detroit : Gale Research, 1992. ~ Locating rituals within folk traditions is a helpful way to connect with the familiar, while at the same time gain sensitivity to other cultures. I particularly appreciate Mexican/hispanic traditions (e.g., Dios de los Muertos). The Folklore of World Holidays is a wonderful resource to learn about such traditions, as well as to learn more about the very familiar (e.g., terrrific information on Easter and Christmas and Old Christmas). Good index. This work is organized in calendar fashion. When looking a the Table of Contents you'll see that most world holidays are religious holidays. A wonderful resource.
Frankel, Ellen. The Five Books of Miriam : A Woman's Commentary on the Torah. New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996. ~ The author has taken the Jewish Talmudic tradition and given it a feminist interpretation, using various biblical characters (primarily women) to serve as rabbis / sages commenting on scripture. Particularly delightful is when the author plays "Our Daughters" and "Lilith" against the "Rabbis." Imaginative and provoking, Frankel has given us a creative feminist voice to the tradition of that which has been the province of males. She models for us that questioning and arguing over the meaning of scripture is something in which we can participate. Reads like a good play, while at the same time being informative. Includes a subject index which makes it even more useful. Each commentary provides good discussion starters for small groups. An extraordinary resource.
Froehle, Virginia. Called Into Her Presence : Praying with Feminine Images of God. Notre Dame, Ind : Ave Maria Press, 1992. ~ A good collection of prayer, guided meditation, personal and group rituals. Includes reflection/discussion starters for use in small groups.
Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend. 2 vols. New York : Funk & Wagnalls, 1950. ~ A standard source for succinct information on religious holidays (e.g, Easter), cross-cultural religious rites (e.g., "eating the god"), religious images (e.g., Garden of Eden), or religious characters (e.g., Joseph). Includes information from Christian, Jewish, Islamic traditions as well as from the Old Religion. Also available in 1 volume edition. There's a lot of information in this resource.
Galland, China. Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna. New York: Penguin/Compass Books, 1990.
Gottlieb, Lynn. She Who Dwells Within : a Feminist Vision of a Renewed Judaism. San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 1995. ~ Excellent work to re-introduce the feminine face-of-God from the Jewish tradition : Shekinah. Includes prayers and ceremonies.
An Inclusive Language Lectionary : Readings for Year A. National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Philadelphia : Westminster Press, 1983. [Year B : 1984; Year C : 1985] ~ I include this source just to let people know that it exists. I do not use the lectionary: I find it stifles my creativity. Also, because I believe that sacred texts can not only inform but inspire, I think scripture should be chosen in the context of the dynamic life of the worshipping community. In addition, the common lectionary is dominated by male images. Hypothetically, the lectionary is supposed to facilitate the reading of the Bible in its entirety over a 3-year-cycle (thus Year A, B and C). But it has been demonstrated that the stories of women are summarily excluded. Still, in spite of these criticisms, it is helpful in providing a basis for using inclusive language in worship.
Interpreters' Dictionary of the Bible. 4 vols. Ed., George A. Buttrick. Nashville ; New York : Abingdon Press, 1962. ~ Sometimes in order to break new ground, one needs to demonstrate that it is just another expression of what has been around. The IDB is a succinct source for this information. See for example : Worship in the OT ; Worship in NT Times, Christian; Worship in NT Times, Jewish ; Sacrifices and Offerings, OT.
Kelly, Aidan A., Peter Dresser, and Linda M. Ross. Religious Holidays and Calendars : an Encyclopaedic Handbook. Detroit, MI : Omnigraphics, Inc., 1993. ~ Gives good background information on how religious holidays are established and comprehensive definition of terms in encyclopedic fashion. Includes religious holidays from Bahai, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, and Neo-Pagan traditions. Helpful charts.
Kidd, Sue Monk. Dance of a Dissident Daughter.
Kidd, Sue Monk. The Secret Life of Bees. New York: Penguin Books, 2002.
Kirsch, Jonathan. God Against the Gods: the History of the War Between Monotheism and Polytheism. NY: Viking Compass, 2004.
Kirsch, Jonathan. The Harlot by the Side of the Road: Forbidden Tales of the Bible. NY: Ballantine Books, 1997.
Long, Asphodel. In a Chariot Drawn by Lions: the Search for the Female in Deity: Exploding the Myth That God is Male. London: Women's Press Ltd., 1992.
Man, Myth & Magic : the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Mythology, Religion, and the Unknown. 24 vols. Ed., Richard Cavendish. New York : Marshall Cavendish, 1983. ~ A standard resource available in many public libraries. Succinct information on cross-cultural religion, mythology, and ritual traditions. Often the first place I look for background information. Some interesting articles to consult : Woman ; Ritual ; Rites of Passage ; Earth ; Wheel ; Easter and Holy Week ; Menstruation ; Christmas ; Mary ; Red. In the earlier editions the illustrations may look a bit bizarre, but the information is first-rate.
Mitchell, Rosemary Catalano and Gail Anderson. Birthings and Blessings : Liberating Worship Services for the Inclusive Church. New York : Crossroad, 1991. ~ This work emerged out of the gatherings of a Presbyterian worshipping community. Includes a very good overview of the feminist basis / process. A lot of practical and useful liturgies can be found in this work.
Neu, Diann and Mary Hunt. Women-Church Source Book. Washington, DC : WATERworks Press, 1993. ~ This is the closest thing available for a how-to-do it book to start a WomenChurch. Diann Neu is well-respected for her liturgical gifts and with Mary Hunt has founded an important center for feminist theological expression: WATER (Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual. While much that Neu designs is for specific settings, I always look for anything she designs for ideas. She is very much on the "cutting edge."
The New Testament and Psalms : An Inclusive Version. Ed., Victor Roland Gold, Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr., Sharon H. Ringe, Susan Brooks Thistlewaite, Burton H. Throckmorton, Jr., Barbara A. Withers. New York ; Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1995. ~ The best inclusive text available. Goes beyond even the Inclusive Language Lectionary. Very linguistically and theologically grounded. The General Introduction is excellent and provides essential information for why language should be changed. The translators have also added women's names to those of men (when they are known) as a way of further including women's stories. For example, Matt. 1.6 in the NRSV reads, David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah. This Inclusive Version has changed it to read, David and Bathsheba, the wife of Urah, were the parents of Solomon. Subtle changes that make a big difference. This version of the New Testament and Psalms is the one that I use consistently in public worship.
Procter-Smith, Marjorie. In Her Own Rite : Constructing Feminist Liturgical Tradition. Abingdon Press, 1990. ~ Proctor-Smith is one of my favorite authors on feminist liturgy and ritual. She takes off where Rosemary Radford Reuther leaves off. Good at dealing with God language. Very practical in her advice. Presents feminist alternatives (see her rituals for Baptism and Communion). She lays the groundwork for presenting christian feminist rituals as "valid" religious expressions.
Procter-Smith, Marjorie and Janet R. Walton, Eds. Women at Worship : Interpretations of North American Diversity. John Knox Press, 1993. ~ This anthology is noteworthy because of its inclusion of different cultural voices : African-American, Jewish, pagan, mujerista, womanist, lesbian and Yoruba. See especially the chapters, Women-Church Transforming Liturgy (Diann Neu) ; Feminist Liturgical Principles (Mary Collins); On the Birthing Stool: Mujerista Liturgy (Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz); and Rituals of Resistance in Womanist Worship (Delores Williams).
Re-Imagining : The Ecumenical Decade : Churches in Solidarity with Women, November 4-7, 1993. Minneapolis, MN : Re-Imagining, 1993. ~ Participant's worship booklet for this ground-breaking conference. Includes many Sophia-focused rituals. Available at the GTU Library in the Pamphlet File. Hard to find. Keep an eye out for on anything that comes from the Re-Imagining Community.
Reuther, Rosemary Radford. Women-Church : Theology and Practice of Feminist Liturgical Communities. San Francisco : Harper & Row, 1986. ~ Reuther has been instrumental in articulating the vision of WomenChurch. This book is primary in that regard. Includes numerous liturgies and rites, many of which are descriptive.
Richardson, Jan L. Sacred Journeys : A Woman's Book of Daily Prayer. Nashville : Upper Room Books, 1995. ~ These readings can be adapted for ritual use in many ways. Includes invocations, meditations, litanies and blessings. There are a lot of wonderful things hidden in this work (e.g., The Lord's Prayer from Guatemala : "..And forgive us Lord, for not knowing how to share the bread). Is also a very nice daily devotional to be grounded / centered by.
Ritual in a New Day : an Invitation. Nashville : Abingdon, 1976. ~ The first attempt, as far as I know, for a major denomination to publish a book on rituals that addressed contemporary life-issues (e.g., divorce). Jeanne Audrey Powers was involved in bringing it about. This was a controversial book at the time, and is still useful.
Schaffran, Janet and Pat Kozak. More Than Words : Prayer and Ritual for Inclusive Communities. Oak Park, IL : Meyer-Stone Books, 1986. ~ This is an interesting and helpful collection of rituals, prayers and liturgies. Particularly helpful are the lists of alternative words and names , symbols to use in rituals, and resources to be "culturally inclusive." The authors provide very helpful guidelines for preparing a prayer service/feminist liturgy. This is the first christian feminist work I know of to include a Prayer to the Four Winds from the Native American tradition. Hard to find.
Searching the Scriptures, Vol. 2: A Feminist Commentary. Ed., Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza with the assistance of Shelly Matthews. New York : Crossroad, 1993-1995. ~ Feminist commentaries on the Christian Testament (NT), early Christian and Jewish writings. Powerful example of feminist reading of scripture. Draws out the Sophia tradition in sacred texts. Tremendous scholarship. Expensive but a good investment.
Silent Voices, Sacred Lives : Women's Readings for the Liturgical Year. Compiled and edited by Barbara Bowe . New York : Paulist Press, 1992. ~ A welcome alternative to the Common Lectionary. Includes non-canonical readings which are extensively described. Written from the Catholic perspective, includes a Sanctoral Calendar which highlights women.
Silko, Leslie. Ceremony. New York : Penguin Books, 1986. ~ This is a work of fiction, but draws heavily from Silko's Native American tradition. It is a powerful testimony to the role of ceremony in healing individual lives. Not a "how-to-do" Native American ceremonies. I respect the request by many elders who ask non-Indians not to appropriate their traditions. I also take their suggestion that there is much we can learn spiritually from Native American traditions. This novel really helps to broaden our vision of how rituals and ceremonies can spiritually ground us.
Spretnak, Charlene. Missing Mary: the Queen of Heaven and Her Re-Emergence in the Modern Church. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
Spretnak, Charlene, editor. The Politics of Women's Spirituality.Garden City, NY : Anchor Books, 1982. ~ Includes essays by major voices in the women's spirituality movement. See especially : Contemporary Feminist Rituals (Kay Turner) ; Honor and Ceremony in Women's Rituals (E.M. Broner).
Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. The Woman's Bible. Foreword by Maureen Fitzgerald. Boston : Northeastern University Press, c1895-98, 1993. ~ First published in 1895 by one of the major figures in the Suffrage Movement, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She believed that women must deal with the Bible and biblical interpretation because, when all else fails, it is used to oppress women. Rough commentaries, but this work set the stage for contemporary feminist interpretation.
Starhawk. The Spiral Dance : a Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess. 10th Anniversary Edition. San Francisco : Harper & Row, c1979, 1989.~ Originally raised in the Jewish tradition, Starhawk has been a major contributor to thecontemporary feminist reconstruction of ancient Goddess-centered religions. She also has provided an articulate foundation for the women's spirituality movement that can be incorporated across religious traditions. An important book. Includes : Exercises, Invocations, Chants, Blessings, Spells, and Herbal Charms. This 10th Anniversary edition includes an interesting reflection by Starhawk.
Strassfeld, Michael. The Jewish Holidays, a Guide and Commentary. New York : Harper & Row, 1985. ~ A standard source for understanding Jewish traditions. Includes an almost rabbinic style dialogue in the margins. Contains ritual traditions and innovations. Strassfeld forcefully includes the stories of women at every opportunity. This is a standard.
Swidler, Arlene. Sistercelebrations : Nine Worship Experiences. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1974. ~ One of the first collections of multi-faith feminist ritual and liturgies. Imaginative.
Swidler, Leonard. Biblical Affirmations of Women. Philadelphia : Westminster Press, 1979. ~ The organization of this book is a little awkward, but you will find more positive portrayals of women than you ever knew existed in the Bible. The author wrote the ground-breaking essay "Jesus Was a Feminist." Terrific resource.
Tuleja, Tad. Curious Customs : the Stories Behind 296 Popular American Rituals. New York : Harmony Books, 1987. ~ A helpful way to introduce rituals is to focus on everyday and mundane rituals. This is an enjoyable overview which includes some background information on religious rituals as well (e.g, praying hands, baptism, first communion, Ash Wednesday).
Walker, Barbara G. Women's Rituals : a Sourcebook. San Francisco : Harper & Row, 1990. ~ My favorite resource from an important voice from the women's spirituality movement. I have found her rituals very easy to adapt for various settings.
Warner, Marina. Alone of All Her Sex : The Myth and the Cult of the Virgin Mary. New York : Vintage Books, c1976, 1983. ~ Although this is not a book on rituals, per se, it includes descriptions of rituals used over the centuries in the worship / veneration of the Virgin Mary. There is renewed interest in Mary as not only being representative of a feminine face-of-God, but also an expression of ancient memory of worship of the Queen of Heaven.
Waskow, Arthur. Seasons of Our Joy : A Modern Guide the the Jewish Holidays. Boston : Beacon Press, 1990. ~ This book is further described as "a spiritual path through the year's changing seasons for the first-time or traditional celebrant." Good background information. A wonderful guide, with many details (including recipes).
Weiser, Francis X. Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs. New York : Harcourt Brace, 1958. ~ An essential source for understanding the development of Christian ritual. Provides wonderful information on the pagan roots of christian and folk traditions. Includes rituals, songs and symbols in narrative form. Materials can easily be incorporated into contemporary worship. Some of the primary source material it describes is difficult to find.
Winter, Miriam Therese. Songlines : Hymns, Songs, Rounds and Refrains for Prayer and Praise. New York : Crossroad, 1996. ~ A more extensive collection of Winter's songs. She is unique in blending christian feminist traditions with women's spirituality. The following lyrics for example : Gaia, eleison... Christa, eleison...
Winter, Miriam Therese. WomanPrayer, WomanSong : Resources for Ritual. New York : Crossroad, 1995. ~ This is one of the best, in my opinion, of Miriam Therese Winter's works. It is more succinct than her other works. Provides complete liturgies which incorporate word, movement, and song. Winter is skillful at providing a synthesis of judeo-christian images with patterns in emerging women's spirituality. I always adapt her liturgies, finding them too wordy. This resource includes many of her songs which are new standards for WomenChurches.
Womanspirit Rising : a Feminist Reader in Religion. Edited by Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow. San Francisco : Harper & Row, 1979. ~ Originally published in 1979, this has become a classic. While it is not a book on rituals, it is an important work to consult because of the range of perspectives and voices that are represented. Concerning rituals, it contains: The Dilemna of Celebration (Nelle Morton); Sabbath Prayer for Women (Naomi Janority and Maggie Wenig); Bringing a Daughter Into the Covenant (Judith Plaskow); Jewish Women's Haggadah (Aviva Cantor); Self-Blessing Ritual (Z Budapest).
Women and Religious Ritual. Lesley A. Northrup, editor. Washington, DC : Pastoral Press, 1993. ~ This book is divided into four sections : Women's Ritual Tradition; Women's Ritual Experience; Women's Ritual Expression; and Women's Ritual Evolution. Especially note : Womanist Ritual (Amitiyah Elayne Hyman) and Women Revisioning Religions (Diann Neu). An exciting new collection.
Women in Praise of the Sacred : 43 Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women. Edited, Jane Hirshfield. New York : HarperPerennial, 1994. ~ A helpful anthology to use as readings and catalysts for ritual, meditation, and movement.
The Women's Bible Commentary. Carol A. Newsom and Sharon H. Ringe, editors. London : SPCK ; Louisville, Ky. : Westminster/John Knox Press, 1992. ~ A feminist commentary on all the books of OT & NT, with summary articles on the Apocrypha and Extracanonical Writings. Helpful articles on everyday life for women during biblical times. Commentaries focus only, however, on passages that deal with women. Excellent introductory material.
Women's Uncommon Prayers: Our Lives Revealed, Nurtured, Celebrated. Elizabeth Rankin Geitz, Marjorie A. Burke, Ann Smith, editors. Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse, 2000.
Celebration: the Book of Jewish Festivals. Ed., Naomi Black. New York : Dutton, 1987.
Helfman, Elizabeth S. Celebrating Nature: Rites and Ceremonies Around the World. New York : Seabury Press, 1969.
Liptak, Karen. Coming-of-Age: Traditions and Rituals Around the World. Brookfield, Connecticut, 1993.
Root, Phyllis. Big Mama Makes the World. Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. London: Walker Books, 2002. Rabbi Malka Drucker first called this book to our attention at the White Fire gathering in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2003. Surprisingly (or maybe not) this book is only available for purchase in the UK. If you're willing to pay the postage, it can be ordered online through amazon.uk. To link directly to title.
Sasso, Sandy Eisenberg. Illustrator, Bethanne Anderson. Naamah, Noah's Wife. Woodstock, VT: Skylight Paths, 2002.
Sasso, Sandy Eisenberg. Illustrator, Phoebe Stone. What Is God's Name? Woodstock, VT: Skylight Paths.
Borg, Marcus J. Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus & the Heart of Contemporary Faith. HarperSanFrancisco, 1995.
Spong, John Shelby. Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism: a Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture.
Wink, Walter .Jesus and Nonviolence: A Third Way (Facets) Augsburg
Fortress Publishers, 2003.
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