Women of Holy Week: An Easter Journey in Nine Stories

by Paula Gooder, Ally Barrett (Illustrator)

In the style of her bestselling Phoebe, Paula Gooder uses her extensive biblical expertise to retell the events of the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension through the eyes of nine female characters she imagines accompanying Jesus during these momentous days. Accompanied by nine colour illustrations, each story brings to life the tension, drama and shock of the events of Holy Week, banishing any over-familiarity and helping readers enter into the Passion narrative in a deeper, more meaningful way. Originally given as a series of addresses at Southward Cathedral during Holy Week 2021, these nine stories are for all who long to encounter Jesus afresh through the Easter Story.

Genres: Theology, Womens

84 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2021

About the author

Paula Gooder is a speaker and writer on the Bible, particularly on the New Testament. She began her working life, teaching for twelve years in ministerial formation first at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford and then at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham. Following this she spent around eight years as a speaker and writer in biblical studies travelling the country and seeking to communicate the best of biblical scholarship in as accessible a way as possible, after that she spent six years working for the Bible Society as their Theologian in Residence and then for the Birmingham Diocese as their Director of Mission Learning and Development. She is currently the Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Reviews

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really unique volume that can be read quickly but also used in myriad ways:
* as a devotional, one reading each day of Holy Week
* as monologues or readings as part of a public event (this is my preferred, with breakout sessions using the questions in the back)
It’s ideal for women but I like it for the whole Body of Christ to imagine all the places we imagine men but women were also present.
Great food for thought.

[debbie-anne Hogarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great bible study tool, as I journeyed through Lent and Holy week with my church.

[David Campton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paula Gooder has almost become one of my Lent/Holy Week devotional writers of choice, largely because she writes with both a lightness of touch and a depth of understanding of the New Testament text/context. It was particularly interesting here to have her approach stories that she has dealt with elsewhere using a different medium (eg. the Emmaus encounter). This series was followed by the Women of the Nativity last year, which I have previously reviewed. The stories in it are more "stand-alone" than some of those here, and for public reading (as we are doing at our upcoming Holy Week Services) if you aren't going to read all of them, then you may need to adapt them slightly so that the cross-references do not confuse. But they are designed to be read in full, in sequence as a personal or small group resource. I would take (and have taken) slightly different angles on a few of the stories, but that is the joy of speaking out of some of the gaps in the Biblical story... we can all "colour them in" slightly differently (see especially the story of Susannah on the Wednesday)... But these are all certainly good discussion starters and it is especially good to hear this key week in the church year being explored through female eyes.

[Rachel Quinlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thought provoking book. The women in Jesus’ life were often overlooked and underestimated, yet they didn’t desert him, they were there to the very end, and were the first to hear he has risen. Jesus didn’t underestimate them, he valued them.
These stories of nine women, some named in the bible, some not, give some insight into that last week of Jesus’ life. With some their lives are quite well documented in the bible, others there’s a little poetic licence - but all possible.
I really enjoyed the book and the reflective questions.

[Kathy Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely little book and a refreshing way to explore the Easter story again from the perspective of women, both historical and imagined. Simple and accessible. A great introduction to the important work of reframing culture-defining history shaped by the patriarchy.

I enjoyed having the notes at the end with supporting thoughts and references to support the narratives. So much to learn and uncover…

[Suzanne Wilkinson-McKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The feminist in me loved this book. I borrowed it from my (male) vicar after he referenced it in a sermon. It made me question things I’d never even thought about before, like who cooked the Last Supper? All the images we see about the events of Holy Week rarely include Jesus’ female disciples, apart from the empty tomb.
Really well-written and thought-provoking.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories about the women were historical
fiction. So, it contains real women and scenes from the Bible with liberties in the conversations and details of the events. Then each chapter/women had biblical and historical facts and study questions. I would say it was the best Lenten book I’ve done. And definitely does not need to be read only during lent.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I read it in the run up to Holy Week and during Holy Week itself. I found it refreshing and it inspired me to do more research into aspects covered by the book. Very easy to understand and access. Lovely to have a woman’s perspective. Loved the notes as well.

[Hayley Collett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful artwork with incredibly powerful stories that come together throughout the book. Written in a style that is easy to read and draws on Paula's ability to narrate theological themes in a comprehensive way.

[Julie Birkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good insight to nine female disciples of Jesus during Holy Week and Easter.

[Margaret Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really powerful to hear the Easter story from a female perspective with lots of Biblical references.

[Judith Letley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but lovely read, which I will reread next Holy week.

[Helen Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect book for Holy Week.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb book. An imaginative insight into the events of Holy Week from a female perspective.

[eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

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