In the past two posts, I have looked into the Biblical and historical background of my novels. In January I looked at Leaving Bethany and last month, Return to Caesarea. Now it is the turn of the final book in the Leaving Bethany Trilogy, Advance from Antioch. The story picks up one year afterContinue reading “The Historical and Biblical Background to Advance from Antioch”
Tag Archives: god
The Historical and Biblical Background to Return to Caesarea
Last month I launched a blog series on the Biblical and historical basis of my novels starting with Leaving Bethany. My focus now shifts to the second novel, Return to Caesarea. It is a story where my protagonist, Martha of Bethany fights against potential murderers and her own prejudices. It is five years after theContinue reading “The Historical and Biblical Background to Return to Caesarea”
God the Midwife
I was thinking what to write for my Christmas post and wondered about the things less said. Have you ever wondered about the time between Mary and Joseph arriving at the inn or stable, on the (supposed) donkey and the appearance of the shepherds? This is the actual moment of Jesus’ birth. It always raisesContinue reading “God the Midwife”
Celebrating Women Pioneers of the Early Church
The Desert Mothers The conversion of Emperor Constantine in 312 AD elevated Christianity to a state religion and brought an end to three centuries of state persecution. The church moved from the margins of society into the centre. It was at this time when Christians began to feel at home in the world that someContinue reading “Celebrating Women Pioneers of the Early Church”
The Lives and Times of New Testament Women
Part 3 – Women’s Spiritual and Everyday Lives Welcome to the third and final part of my series on the lives of women in New Testament times. If you have not done so, check out the first two. Part 1 Women in a Patriarchal Society Part 2 Marriage, Sexuality and Children This time we areContinue reading “The Lives and Times of New Testament Women”
The Lives and Times of Women in the New Testament- Part 2
Marriage, Sexuality and Childbirth Welcome to part 2 of my series on the lives and times of women in the New Testament. In part 1, I examined women in a patriarchal society, and this time we will look at women’s everyday lives in terms of marriage, sexuality and children. Life was tough and disease wasContinue reading “The Lives and Times of Women in the New Testament- Part 2”
Jesus’ female disciples
What springs to your mind when you hear of Jesus’ disciples? If you are like me, you grew up with the image of Jesus surrounded by the twelve disciples, all men, following him along the dusty roads from village to village. But is this image correct or was there more to it? Before we lookContinue reading “Jesus’ female disciples”
Elizabeth and Mary
Active Participants in the Christmas Story Elizabeth is a name that’s come down my family line. One grandmother was called Elizabeth and the other, like me, had it as a middle name. I even chose it as my daughter’s name. Despite all that, and even knowing that Elizabeth is a character in the Bible, andContinue reading “Elizabeth and Mary”
Leaving Bethany 