Louise Omer was a Pentecostal preacher and faithful wife. But when her marriage crumbled, so did her beliefs.
Haunted by questions about what it means to be female in a religion that worships a male god, she leaves behind her church and home to go on a pilgrimage to discover whether there is a place in modern religion for holy women. And can a woman be holy?
With $500 in her pocket and the conviction that she was following a divine path, Omer began a pilgrimage that has taken her to Mexican basilicas, Swedish cathedrals, Bulgarian mountains and Moroccan mosques. As she reflects on her own past and changing beliefs, she meets women who have asked similar questions.
Holy Woman combines travel writing, feminist theology and confessional memoir to interrogate modern religion and give a raw and personal exploration of spiritual life under patriarchy.
While I read a lot of fiction for work, my reading sweet spot really is within the genres of history, spirituality and travel. Give me a memoir where an intelligent woman embarks on a journey of soul searching, both internally and geographically, and I’m in reading heaven. Holy Woman is a brilliant example of this.
In Holy Woman, Omer calls on “all genders to consider the consequences of worshipping a male god.” The book opens with the end of Omer’s marriage and, ultimately, everything she thought she was: “Before we had the Talk, I was a wife, a Pentecostal, a preacher. But these roles weren’t as solid as I thought.” What follows is a deep dive into her own soul, her beliefs, her identity and her life. As Omer writes, “A journey into the unknown begins with a single step into the dark. But I never would have begun if I’d known how much I’d burn.”
Omer’s journey is difficult, but I’m so glad she undertook it because the result is this book. I learnt a lot; I was reminded of much, and I was certainly inspired. Omer provides a Holy Woman reading list at the back of the book, and I now plan on making my way through her recommendations.
Beautifully written, searingly honest and profoundly wise, Holy Woman is a search for meaning – a personal feminist reckoning with spirituality and self in the tradition of Eat Pray Love and Wild.
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