The second recording: Magdalene and the other Mary

 

March 8, 2023

As the hymnal committees continued to search and evaluate materials for the new hymnal, more voices  emerged.  We needed to record again.  Church Publishing sponsored  a second Lady Chapel Singer recording to highlighted the richness and diversity of women's voices. The album entitled  " Magdalene and the Other Mary," includes songs of Holy Women  named and unnamed. 

Innovation and equality for gender equity is the theme for the 2023 International Women's Day. On this day I thank Church Publishing and the Episcopal Church leadership for funding innovative recording technology that made it possible to use the best equipment and engineering available to make an professional recording of "Songs of Holy Women. "  Future postings will highlight the breadth of this exciting collection, but now I am focusing on the words of Julian of Norwich, "Mothering God."

Dame Julian of Norwich (1343-c.1416) an English anchoress and mystic, whose visions, or “Shewings,” were compiled in Revelations of Divine Love, the earliest surviving English language book written by a woman. (Julian of Norwich: A theologian for our time The Anglican Journal, May 7, 2020, Matt Puddister, publisher). In her time,  writing a book that would survive was difficult, involving new technology, but Julian persisted.  She wrote down the visions she received from God in a book called Shewings. These visions convinced her that God is both our Divine Father and Mother. In the selection "Mothering God," Sharon Marion Hershey and Ana Hernandez offer a musical setting of Julian's words.  It is a wonderful song to sing on International Women's Day.

"Mothering God"  by Sharon Marion Hersheyis track 9 on Magdalen and the Other Mary."

It is #71 in Voices Found

Voices Found #72 is a simpler congregational setting by Ana Hernandez

The manuscript of Julian's book Revelations of Divine Love housed in  The British Library Medieval collection