Embracing the Old Witch in the Woods: Liberating Feminine Wisdom from Christian Patriarchy

Untangle from patriarchal Christian attitudes toward women, and tap into the deep well of feminine wisdom.

Christian patriarchy teaches that women are dangerous, manipulative, and untrustworthy. Whether painting women as the archetypal old witch in the woods or the biblical temptress, toxic religion vilifies their wisdom and uses fear to maintain male power. And these harmful stereotypes aren't just historical; they persist in modern religious, societal, and political rhetoric, where confident women are called ""nasty"" or ""radical.""

But there's something they don't want you to know about that old witch in the woods: She deeply trusts her sacred gifts and hard-earned wisdom. Embracing the Old Witch in the Woods is an invitation to reconnect with feminine wisdom that has been dismissed, maligned, and even persecuted over the centuries. When women lean into this wisdom, they learn how to trust their intuition, draw on their creativity, and lead with empathy.

Christian patriarchy separates us from ourselves, each other, and our Creator as well as from the traditions, practices, and stories that should have been passed down through generations. Angela J. Herrington draws on more than a decade of experience as a faith deconstruction coach and seminary-trained online pastor to offer practical strategies and practices for readers to rediscover and tap into deep ancestral knowledge that once defined and empowered women.

Embracing the Old Witch in the Woods is a road map for readers to challenge limiting beliefs, confront systemic injustices, and reclaim their inherent worth and wisdom. When we reclaim feminine wisdom, we liberate ourselves, our communities, and our souls, gaining strength and resilience through our connection to ourselves and to each other.

Angela J. Herrington is a faith deconstruction coach and seminary-trained online pastor who has spent more than a decade helping people break free from toxic religious culture. She is host of the Deconstructing Faith Summit, a Lark's Song Certified Life Coach, a dynamic conference speaker, and author of Deconstructing Your Faith without Losing Yourself. Her work has been featured in The New Republic, Religion News Service, Hope for Women magazine and Authority Magazine. She lives with her husband and five children in Marion, Indiana, when they are not traveling the US in their RV.