Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines by Patricia Monaghan

Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines by Patricia Monaghan

Drawn from a variety of sources ranging from classical literature to early ethnographies to contemporary interpretations, the Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines provides a comprehensive introduction to the ways goddess figures have been viewed through the ages. This unique encyclopedia of over thousands of figures of feminine divinity describes the myths and attributes of goddesses and female spiritual powers from around the world.

The two-volume set is organized by culture and religion, exploring the role of women in each culture's religious life and introducing readers to the background of each pantheon, as well as the individual figures who peopled it. Alternative names for important divinities are offered, as are lists of minor goddesses and their attributes. Interest in women's spirituality has grown significantly over the last 30 years, both among those who remain in traditional religions and those who explore spirituality outside those confines. This work speaks to them all.

One of the leaders of the contemporary earth spirituality movement, Patricia Monaghan (1946 - 2012) had spent more than 20 years researching and writing about alternative visions of the earth.  Raised in Alaska, where much of her family still lives, she considered herself blessed to have learned the ecology of the taiga, the subarctic forest, in her youth.  She was a writer and reporter on science and energy-related issues before turning her attention to the impact of mythic structures on our everyday lives. The worldwide vision of the earth as feminine--as a goddess, called Gaia by the Greeks--led her to recognize the connection between ecological damage and the oppression of the feminine in Western society.  Much of her work since that time had explored the question of the role of feminine power in our world, in an inclusive and multicultural way.   An avid traveler, Patricia had researched earth spirituality and goddess worship on three continents, and traveled widely in Europe, especially in Ireland.  She held dual US/Irish citizenship and edited two anthologies of contemporary Irish-American writing. Patricia was member of the resident faculty at DePaul University's School for New Learning in Chicago, where she taught science and literature.  She passed from this world in November 2012 and is survived by her husband, Dr Michael McDermott.