Appointment Of Ambassador For Religious Freedom Signals Important Movement Towards Gender Equality For Canadian Author

MANNING, AB, June 30, 2011 (Press-News.org) This month marked an important step forward in ensuring equality of engagement in women in matters of religion. The appointment of the first Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, the Rev. Suzan Johnson cook, by Hilary Clinton signalled a commitment to recognize the roles played by women of faith. It's a development that author Beverly Lein thinks is a long time in coming, and it's a theme she's chosen to address in her latest novel.

In Mary: Woman of Sorrows, Alberta writer Lein used the stories of Mary, mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene to examine the deeper issues of gender equality in the Bible. Delving into the King James Version of the Bible, Lein discovered that many of the obstacles faced by biblical women transcend time and are as applicable today as they were centuries ago.

"Women have long been left out of the picture when it comes to religion. They're continually presented in a subordinate position to women, and oftentimes their experiences are discounted altogether," says Lein. "There's no doubt that these women played a much greater role than we've been led to believe, and I wanted to use this opportunity to bring women to the forefront. Historical fiction gives me the freedom to be able to explore these issues further and help make it relevant for a modern audience."

Beverly Lein is the author of two additional novels and one non-fiction book. Her latest release is available from Inkwater Press http://bit.ly/lGr7aZ and visit her website at http://www.beverlylein.wordpress.com

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