In Search Of

S3 Bonus Episode Back to the Desert: Mary of Egypt with Amy Frykholm

“As Christianity moved to an empire-based movement, women lost a lot of power. So it makes sense that they would have gone into the desert, looking for ways to pursue their path in Christianity in ways that allowed them greater freedom.”

Welcome to In Search Of, a podcast where we go in search of voices and perspectives that inform and expand a life of faith. This special bonus episode is a lecture from Amy on Desert Women and, in particular, Mary of Egypt–the patron saint of this podcast. Amy tells us Mary’s story and gives some context as to what it was like being a desert mother amongst the desert fathers. How were women’s experiences similar to or different from men? What motifs and archetypes shape our understanding of them? All this and more on this episode of In Search Of.  A transcript of this episode can be found here.

For further searching, check out these links:

  • Get Amy’s book Wild Woman here
  • Listen to season one of In Search Of for more of Amy’s desert search. 

And check out this related content from the Christian Century:

Is there something that you are in search of? Email us.

Amy Frykholm

The Century contributing editor is the author of five books, including Wild Woman: A Footnote, the Desert, and my Quest for an Elusive Saint.

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