The Moon Under Her Feet [Paperback]

Clysta Kinstler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1991

Narrative weaving the biblical account of Mary and Jesus, the Egyptian myth of Isis and Osiris, and the Sumerian story of Inanna and Dumuzi to create an exotic tale of a strong, sensual woman.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This feminist retelling of the conception, birth, life and death of Christ as narrated by Mary Magdalene may cause some uproar in Christian circles. Yeshua (Christ) is born to Almah Mari (the Virgin Mary) after her union in Sacred Marriage at the Temple in Jerusalem with an unblemished man who kills himself as a sacrifice for his people. Later Mari Anath becomes Magdalene, or High Priestess of the Goddess, and assumes co-rule with Jehovah, succeeding Almah Mari. Mari Anath follows Yeshua in the years of his ministry, despite objections from some adherents who call her harlot because they oppose the double worship of the Goddess and Jehovah and the equality of sexes that relationship im plies. But days before the crucifixion, when Yeshua sacrifices himself, he and the Magdalene are united in Sacred Marriage in the Temple before the people. Mari Anath gives birth to Yeshua's daughter Anna after she and Judas (who is The Christos's twin brother and betrays him at his behest in order to fulfill the prophesy) flee to Gaul to make a new life. First novelist Kinstler, a professor of philosophy, mines the literature of myth to make this lyrically written interpretation plausible. She provides notes and a bibliography to buttress much of her tale.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Clysta Kinstler teaches philosophy, religion, and women's studies at American River College in Sacramento, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (February 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062504975
• ISBN-13: 978-0062504975
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #973,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A different telling of the Magdalene and Jesus, March 5, 1999

By 

Bonnie Sue Robertson - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Moon Under Her Feet (Paperback)

I cannot begin to express the impact this book has had on me. I was struggling with my Christian upbringing and wanting to embrace the Goddess, when a wonderfu Witch, author Silver RavenWolf suggested this book to me. Thank you Raven. I didn't want to give up "Jesus," but through this book I came to see that Yeshua/Jesus is as much a part of the Goddess/God myths of so many religions. The story of birth, death and rebirth, so much a part of my Wiccan religion, was played out in this book on multiple levels. Witches and Pagans need not turn from Jesus, as he is a much a Messiah for us as for the entire world, past, present and future. I truely believe that the author has tapped into the Cosmic Consciousness and come up with a "true" version of what happened so long ago. If you would but look at the extensive research done, the books of the effort listed, I think you will find that this book explains the importance of the Goddess in life, as well as the God. Mari and Jesus represent both, as they are the Goddess and God, reincarnated from Isis and Osiris, Inanna and Dumuzi. There is such beauty and passion in this book, and such incredible love. A woman's point of view. A world view to embrace for today and forever!!

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bringing Mary Back to Life, January 11, 2000

By 

"hbonner" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Moon Under Her Feet (Paperback)

Clysta Kinstler's classic, Moon Under Her Feet, is a must for all those who have wondered who Mary Magdelene really was, who have noticed correspondences between some elements of the bible and what we know of the pre-Christian Goddess Religions. It is for those, like me, who have studied some religious history, but could not put together the missing pieces. Although the book is classified as fiction, Kinstler is a scholar who has footnoted carefully all information in the book, showing her version of the Christ & Mary story is not just fancy, but strongly possible, perhaps even probable. I am a Christian, but have long felt the missing female side of it, have long wanted a better balance of male and female in my biblical understanding. I wanted to bring the Virgin Mary to life. Clysta Kinstler has done that for me, Dr. Helen Bonner, author of the Laid Daughter, Amazon.com.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book, July 25, 2001

By 

"kellyannw" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Moon Under Her Feet (Paperback)

This is a beautiful book, and I have read it several times already. Not only is the story great, very involving and well written, but the imagery and historical references are accurate and scholarly. As a woman interested in the often under-represented female perspective on historical events, this book fills a need for fully fleshed out mythical perspectives on life. At first I wondered if the alternate take on Christian myth would be sort of like a vegetarian version of a meat dish, interesting but not really enjoyable or necessary. Instead I found myself immersed in a completely plausible reinterpretation of a universal story which pulled me in and then expanded my understanding of myth and mystery. Highly recommended!