Book SummaryWhen God Was a Woman, by Merlin Stone

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of When God Was a Woman

In ancient civilizations, worship was often directed towards a divine feminine entity, embodied through distinct myths, symbols, and rituals.

Merlin Stone's "When God Was a Woman" challenges conventional views by revealing the widespread adoration of a maternal deity, known as the Great Goddess, who was honored by numerous ancient societies. The deity revered as the foundational source of the universe and every living being was central to religious ceremonies and traditions for millennia, particularly throughout the Stone Age and the beginning of documented history. Stone's comprehensive analysis of history, mythology, and archaeology uncovers the significant influence of ancient belief systems that were methodically supplanted by societies governed by men.

Throughout the ancient Near East, the veneration of goddess figures was a widespread tradition that endured for thousands of years.

The author meticulously describes how a multitude of ancient societies across thousands of years held the Goddess in high esteem and worship. Devotional rituals focused on a goddess figure began in the Upper Paleolithic Age approximately 25,000 years ago and extended through the Neolithic era starting in 7000 BC, enduring until the Roman period, only to be eventually overthrown by the rise of patriarchal religious forces around 500 AD. Stone constructs a persuasive portrayal of this ancient belief system, despite the deliberate destruction of historical artifacts and the tendency of later scholarship to favor male-centric perspectives, by examining the surviving archaeological artifacts, the traces of myths and folklore, and the study of different societies.

During the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, a vast array of epithets and designations were employed to honor the Goddess as the supreme deity.

Stone underscores the significance of the Goddess, who was held in high esteem as the principal deity during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic eras in the Near and Middle East, an era that coincided with major advancements in agriculture, construction, and the organization of communities. In these cultures, the ultimate creator, revered as the Supreme Deity, was acknowledged for establishing the cosmos, providing sustenance, and laying the groundwork for legal and societal structures. In numerous localities, each characterized by distinct linguistic variations, a goddess of great reverence and omnipotence was worshipped, albeit under a multitude of names and appellations. Stone emphasizes the widespread adoration of the Great Goddess, which is apparent from her numerous names in various regions, including Innin, Inanna, Nana, Nut, Anat, Anahita, Istar, Isis, Au Set, Ishara, Asherah, Ashtart, Attoret, Attar, and Hathor.

Context

• The Chalcolithic period, or Copper Age, followed the Neolithic and is marked by the use of copper tools, which represented a technological advancement over stone tools.
• During the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, societies were transitioning from nomadic lifestyles to settled agricultural communities. This shift often led to the development of complex religious systems where deities associated with fertility and the earth, like the Goddess, became central figures.
• Many ancient cultures had myths where a goddess was central to the creation of the universe. These myths often depicted the goddess as a mother figure who birthed the world and its elements, symbolizing fertility and the origin of life.
• The various names of the...

When God Was a Woman Summary The worship of the Goddess significantly influences women's societal status, including their inheritance rights through the maternal lineage and the liberty to express their sexuality.

Stone argues that in societies that revered the Goddess, women held a more prominent social status and had access to a wider array of legal entitlements. Maternal ancestry often served as the basis for tracing and establishing one's lineage and societal standing. Stone suggests that within the societal structure, where the veneration of the Divine Ancestress was fundamentally embedded, women enjoyed more financial independence, had more control over legal matters, and held higher positions in community and government roles.

In societies that venerated goddesses, women enjoyed elevated status and legal entitlements, with inheritance often passing through the maternal line.

In a culture where the divine was revered as a feminine force, women held roles of respect and authority, roles that subsequently diminished with the rise of patriarchal ideologies. Stone suggests that the high status and legal rights of women in these societies were closely linked to their reverence for the Goddess. In societies that honored the Goddess, women's independence and sway were considerably enhanced because property and status were passed down through the maternal bloodline.

Women held...

When God Was a Woman Summary The ascendancy of northern cultures that revered male gods resulted in a diminished reverence for the Goddess.

Stone's examination follows the expansion and influence of northern patriarchal communities, identifying them as the primary force behind the diminishing reverence for the Goddess. Stone characterizes the invaders, often referred to as Indo-Europeans, as warlike societies that placed a high importance on worshipping a dominant male deity and were distinguished by their aggressiveness. The spread into the Near East and Middle East led to the rise of patriarchal social frameworks and religious customs, overshadowing the earlier cultures that venerated the Goddess, signifying a gradual transformation in societal dynamics.

Indo-European and related northern invaders introduce male deity worship and patriarchal social structures

The infiltration and expansion of northern Indo-Europeans and their relatives across the Near and Middle East marked a significant turning point in the area's history, resulting in the rise of male deity adoration and the creation of patriarchal social structures, a stark departure from the earlier customs that revered the Goddess. Stone describes their rise to power as a gradual process that may have begun in the fourth millennium BCE and continued...

When God Was a Woman Summary The Levite priests sought to consolidate their power by reducing the veneration of the divine feminine.

Stone suggests that the development of the Hebrew religion might have been shaped by interactions with Indo-European groups. She explores the ways in which the foundational customs and ceremonial practices of the Hebrews were influenced by northern cultures, noting parallels in both language and mythology. Additionally, she investigates the actions taken by the Levite priests to eradicate all forms of reverence for the Goddess in Hebrew society, establishing stringent rules and punishments to ensure the dominance of their male deity, Yahweh.

The inception of Hebrew religion and beliefs appears to have been influenced by interactions with northern traditions or those stemming from Indo-European roots.

Stone's thorough analysis of biblical stories, genealogies, and societal practices suggests a greater significance in the relationship between the Hebrew religion and the Indo-European invaders than previously acknowledged. Merlin Stone proposes that the cultural links apparent in the customs and stories common to the descendants of Abraham, the Hittites, and Horites, including the custom where a man marries the widow of his late brother seen across various ancient European and...

When God Was a Woman Summary The consequences of transitioning from matriarchal spirituality to male-dominated religious systems on society, governance, and history.

Stone argues that the shift from female-centric worship to patriarchal religions brought about profound and lasting transformations in global social structures, governance, and the realm of spiritual belief. Stone contends that this shift resulted in a diminished state of freedom, social status, and autonomy for women, ultimately laying the groundwork for patriarchal structures that continue to influence modern society. Stone urges us to explore historical contexts to grasp the roots of present-day gender norms and biases, promoting a rekindled appreciation for and devotion to the divine in its ancient feminine form, challenging enduring societal norms.

The erosion of women's autonomy and freedoms occurred simultaneously with the ascent of male-dominated ideologies.

Stone contends that the rise of patriarchal belief systems and the simultaneous decrease in veneration for the divine feminine resulted in a significant reduction of women's autonomy, social status, and legal rights. The author contends that this regression was not an inevitable development but rather the intentional result of patriarchal systems and ideologies being enforced.

Women subjected to severe...