My Seeker’s Reading List

Posted on by November 20, 2024

For the past year or so I’ve immersed myself in reading feminist theology and wide-ranging work on the early Christ movement. This was all sparked by travels in southern France in 2023, where I was intrigued by references I encountered to les trois Maries de la mer (the three Marys of the sea) and decided to learn more. At this point, if I could drop everything and go to divinity school, I would! That’s not in the cards right now, but although I don’t quite know where all of this learning and exploration will take me as a writer or as a person, I am profoundly grateful for the journey.

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I. Novels, Poetry, History, and Sacred Texts (I’ve read in full, or am currently reading):

  • The Word of Promise: Complete Audio Bible NKJV
  • The Liars’ Gospel by Naomi Alderman
  • Mary Magdalene: A Visual History by Diane Apostolos-Cappadona 
  • Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan
  • The Great Transformation: The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions by Karen Armstrong
  • The Lost Art of Scripture by Karen Armstrong
  • Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World by Karen Armstrong
  • Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks by Diana Butler Bass
  • Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber
  • The Meaning of Mary Magdalene: Discovering the Woman at the Heart of Christianity by Cynthia Bourgeault
  • An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith by Barbara Taylor Bradford
  • The Jesus Reader: the Teaching and Identity of Jesus Christ by Tom Carty
  • Carry on Warrior: Thoughts on Life Unarmed by Glennon Doyle
  • Untamed by Glennon Doyle
  • Jane Kenyon: The Making of a Poet by Dana Greene
  • Magdalene: Poems by Marie Howe
  • Finding Phoebe: What New Testament Women Were Really Like by Susan Hylen
  • The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
  • The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman’s Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine by Sue Monk Kidd
  • The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
  • When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life’s Sacred Questions by Sue Monk Kidd
  • The Gospel of Mary of Magdala by Karen L. King
  • Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage by Anne Lamott
  • Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
  • Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott
  • Somehow: Thoughts on Love by Anne Lamott
  • Travelling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
  • The Gospel of Mary Magdalene by Jean-Yves Leloup
  • Song of the Magdalene by Donna Jo Napoli
  • 14 Steps to Awaken the Sacred Feminine: Women in the Circle of Mary Magdalene by Joan Norton
  • Beyond Belief The Secret Gospel of Thomas by Eileen Pagels
  • The Gnostic Gospels by Eileen Pagels
  • Why Religion? A Personal Story by Eileen Pagels
  • Holiness and the Feminine Spirit: The Art of Janet Mckenzie by Susan Perry
  • Out of Egypt (Christ the Lord #1) by Anne Rice
  • The Road to Cana (Christ the Lord #2) by Anne Rice
  • Black Liturgies by Cole Arthur Riley
  • The Woman with the Alabaster Jar: Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail by Margaret Starbird
  • The Way of the Rose by Clark Strand and Perdita Finn
  • The New New Testament: A Bible for the 21st Century by Hal Taussig
  • The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín
  • The Gospel in Brief: The Life of Jesus by Leo Tolstoy
  • The Story of Saint Mary Magdalene and the First Easter Egg by Laura Wagner
  • The Divine Feminine Oracle: A 53-Card Deck & Guidebook for Embodying Love by Meggan Watterson
  • The Mary Magdalene Oracle by Meggan Watterson
  • Mary Magdalene Revealed: the First Apostle, Her Feminist Gospel, and the Christianity We Haven’t Tried Yet by Meggan Watterson
  • Reveal: A Sacred Manual for Getting Spiritually Naked by Meggan Watterson
  • Showing Mary: How Women Can Share Prayers, Wisdom, and the Blessings of God by Renita J. Weems
  • Just a Sister Away by Renita J. Weems
  • Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution by Rainn Wilson

II. On My TBR List:

  • A History of God by Karen Armstrong
  • The Case for God by Karen Armstrong
  • The Spiritual Staircase by Karen Armstrong
  • Crossing to Avalon: A Woman’s Midlife Quest for the Sacred Feminine
  • The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr
  • Christianity After Religion by Diana Butler Bass
  • The Friendship of Women: The Hidden Tradition of the Bible, by Joan Chittister
  • The Liturgical Year, by Joan Chittister and Phyllis Tickle
  • Accidental Theologians: Four Women Who Shaped Christianity by Elizabeth A. Dreyer and Joan Chittister
  • The Mystics Would Like a Word: Six Women Who Met God and Found a Spirituality for Today by Shannon K. Evans
  • Phoebe, by Paula Gooder
  • Lydia, by Paula Gooder
  • Who Chose the Gospels?  by C.E. Hill
  • Jung on Christianity by CG Jung
  • Travelling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd
  • Church Girl by Sarita T. Lyons
  • God’s Ghostwriters by Candida Moss
  • Untie the Strong Woman: Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Love for the Wild Soul by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
  • This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley
  • Wild Mercy by Mirabai Starr
  • My Confession and My Religion by Leo Tolstoy
  • The False White Gospel by Jim Wallis
  • The Girl Who Baptized Herself: How a Lost Scripture about a Saint Named Thecla Reveals the Power of Knowing Our Worth by Meggan Watterson
  • Listening for God: A Minister’s Journey through Silence and Doubt by Renita J. Weems
  • What Matters Most by Renita J. Weems

III. Other Resources:

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