{"product_id":"the-uses-of-darkness-laurie-brands-gagne-9780268043063","title":"The Uses of Darkness: Women's Underworld Journeys, Ancient and Modern","description":"\u003cp\u003eLaurie Brands Gagné believes the image of God as stern Father or Judge has done much damage over the centuries and has engendered a sense of shame and guilt, especially in women. She sees our own civilization as one that is cut off from the natural world and from the precious part of ourselves that is earthy and sensual.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Uses of Darkness: Women's Underworld Journeys, Ancient and Modern\u003c\/em\u003e, Gagné explores women's journeys through the underworld to reclaim the wisdom and sensuality contained in these stories for heirs of the God the Father tradition. She looks at the ancient stories of Inanna, Demeter, and Psyche and the reflections of these archetypal figures in the work of women such as Sylvia Plath, Joan Didion, Mary Gordon, Virginia Woolf, and Etty Hillesum to illustrate that the alternative tradition these journey stories represent has much to offer modern Christians. Gagné successfully demonstrates that only by turning to confront the mystery that has been obscured by the image of God as stern Father or Judge can a woman raised in the Christian tradition acquire a sense of self strong enough to integrate experiences of profound loss. Most importantly, by drawing on the wisdom of the goddess tradition, both men and women are able to effect a more meaningful reappropriation of Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGagné's examination of the dark experience of the underworld in the goddess tradition discovers the elements of all spiritual journeys: self-transcendence followed by self-transformation. Anyone who has struggled with love and loss and whose spirit has been suppressed by the image of God as Judge, yet who will not reject Christianity, will benefit from this work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Laurie Brands Gagné\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 026804306X\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780268043063\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University of Notre Dame Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/31\/2000\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 238\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.70lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.57h x 5.52w x 0.65d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChoice\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/01\/2001 pg. 1808","brand":"Laurie Brands Gagné","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44056717918463,"sku":"9780268043063","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_db064ae9-eb09-48fd-bec0-eca084e91d15.jpg?v=1685042871","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-uses-of-darkness-laurie-brands-gagne-9780268043063","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}