Janie Rezner's guest on “Women's Voices” on KZYX on June 20 will be Marguerite Rigoglioso, PhD, author of the groundbreaking book, “The Cult of Divine Birth in Ancient Greece and Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity.”

The show can be heard beginning at 7 p.m. at www.kzyx.org.

 

Rigoglioso teaches on women and religion at Dominican University of California, the California Institute of integral Studies and the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology.

She was interviewed in the documentary shown at the recent Mendocino Film Festival, “The Vanishing of the Bees,” about the relationship between bees and and the goddesses of antiquity.

 

Greek religion is filled with strange sexual artifacts – stories of mortal women's couplings with gods; beliefs in the impregnating power of snakes and deities; the unusual birth stories of Pythagoras, Plato and Alexander; and more.

In this provocative study, Rigoglioso suggests such details are remnants of an early Greek cult of divine birth, not unlike that of Egypt.

Scouring myth, legend and history from a female-oriented perspective, she argues that many in the highest echelons of Greek civilization believed nonordinary conception (parthenogenesis) was the only means possible of bringing forth individuals who could serve as true leaders or avatars, and that special cadres of virgin priestesses were dedicated to this practice.

Her book adds a unique perspective to our understanding of antiquity, and has significant implications for the study of Christianity and other religions in which divine birth claims are central.

The book's stunning insights provide fascinating reading for those interested in female-inclusive approaches to ancient religion.

 

Rigoglioso's other subjects of study which will be discussed are reconnecting with the Pleiades, our starry virgin mothers; reclaiming Mary's mystery of virgin birth, and women's sacred use of psychotropic substances in antiquity.

There will be time for call-ins; call 707-937-5103.