THE GIRL WHO BAPTIZED HERSELF

Feminist exploration of the ancient text The Acts of Paul and Thecla.

A devotee of the gnostic literature that paralleled early Christianity, Watterson offers a treatment of The Acts of Paul and Thecla. This ancient document recounts the story of Thecla, a young unmarried woman, who encounters the early Christian evangelist Paul. Her desire to follow Paul’s teachings about Jesus causes a family uproar and almost leads to her death. Watterson declares, “Thecla is my personal hero,” and indeed the author is deeply inspired by Thecla’s story. Nevertheless, the reader will find that most of Watterson’s work is centered on her own feelings, experiences, and grievances. The story of Thecla acts merely as a hanger upon which the author places her garments of discontent. Indeed, what Watterson has written is a feminist treatise tied to ancient gnostic ideas about self-awareness. Watterson places a heavy emphasis on the ego (including multiple uses of the unusual term “egoic”), both the distorted egos of women in patriarchal cultures and the egos of men, which cause them to be possessive and abusive. The author’s writing is often very personal and raw, diving into her own struggles and her own anger. “Rage,” she shares, “is my beloved right now,” and the idea of “sacred rage” is a central theme of the book. Watterson uses Thecla’s story as an outlet for expressing her own rage toward patriarchy, status quo, lack of personal freedoms, and so much else. The reader should be aware: This is not a book connected to traditional Christian concepts (not even of the most progressive type), nor is this a work that seriously explores the details of an ancient text.

The story of Thecla deserves a thoughtful study; this is not it.