Ancient Women Writers of Faith

Doctor of Ministry graduates minister to the church in many unconventional ways. They may preach, teach, or administrate at churches, but they also may work as counselors, writers, professors, and more. Today, I talk with my own DMin cohort-mate Susy Flory, who was already a NYT bestselling author before she began her seminary work. Unsurprisingly, Susy focused her research on writers—specifically, women authors from ancient times. For more insight into her dissertation, see my previous post (referenced in our conversation). Find Susy on her own Substack account, her website, and in the bookstores. She inspired a recent project, titled Jesus Was, as a collaboration with her master’s degree colleagues. I was delighted to endorse the book and then to talk with Susy about it. Susy provided the following list of resources related to her dissertation topic:Bruce, F. F. “Women in the Church: A Biblical Survey.” Christian Brethren Review Journal 33 (1982): 7–14. Flory, Susy. “The First Named Writer in History: Enheduanna (2334–2279 BC).” Priscilla Papers 8, no. 3 (2024): 3–7. You can read it at the link above (free).Haines-Eitzen, Kim. Guardians of Letters: Literacy, Power, and the Transmitters of Early Christian Literature. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.Moss, Candida R. God’s Ghostwriters: Enslaved Christians and the Making of the Bible. First edition. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2024.Schniedewind, William M. Who Really Wrote the Bible: The Story of the Scribes. 1st ed. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2024.The Estuary with Kelley Mathews is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Estuary with Kelley Mathews at kelleymathews.substack.com/subscribe