The Girl Who Baptized Herself

How a Lost Scripture About a Saint Named Thecla Reveals the Power of Knowing Our Worth

De: Meggan Watterson

Narrado por: Meggan Watterson

This riveting exploration of a nearly lost first-century scripture tells the story of a courageous saint named Thecla and offers us a road map to knowing our worth.

“Meggan Watterson writes with a prophet’s vision and a mystic’s heart.”—Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive Global

A teenage girl named Thecla is sitting at her bedroom window listening to a man share stories nearby. Her mother and fiancé order her to stop. But Thecla, trapped in a world that expects her to marry and have children, refuses. This man, Paul, is talking about a world she wants to believe in: an inner world of freedom to define her own life. And he’s talking about a kind of love she hasn’t known before—a love that asks her to be true to who she is within.

For Meggan Watterson, a Harvard-trained feminist theologian, Thecla’s story in The Acts of Paul and Thecla has everything to do with power. Thecla’s refusal to be controlled, as well as the authority she reclaims by baptizing herself, reads like a lost gospel for finding our own source of power within—a power that allows us to know who we are and to make choices based on that knowing. This hidden scripture suggests that Christianity before the fourth century was about defying the patriarchy, not deifying it. But early church fathers excluded The Acts of Paul and Thecla, along with other sacred texts such as The Gospel of Mary, from the New Testament.

Watterson synthesizes scripture, memoir, and politics to illuminate a story that has been left out of the canon for far too long, one that follows a girl freeing herself from a life predicated on the expectations of others—a path that made her feel unworthy. Thecla’s story offers us a path to take back the power we often give to others and live based on the truth of who we are.

*Includes a downloadable PDF of additional resources from the book

Outstanding and Moving

This book is amazing and inspiring for any man or woman who has been brave enough to walk their own spiritual path or anyone who may be interested in learning different Christian perspective’s that are more equitable than the patriarchal perspective that has left our world off balance for centuries. Thank god for Meggan and her work that revives these important special stories and helps to rebalance the divine energies which humans have sent out of balance due to fear. 🙏

renewal

this is a wonderful author and teacher, learned so much h, a voice we all should hear

Profound!

Incredible story! I am so grateful that this story has been found and is being told.

Empowering

This is an inspiring and impactful book! The narrator is passionate and a provides clarity on a moving story

Brilliant!!!

I love the way Meggan’s words bring me deeper into my heart, into my soul, into my truth!

This is The Second Coming... of a Christ Movement

I am a "follower" or self-proclaimed student of Meggan Watterson's writings about "lost" scriptures from the 1st century which reveal the power of women in ministry and the Divine intention for them to be equals to their male counterparts. The Acts of Paul and Thecla and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene are two of those lost scriptures (found at Nag Hamadi) that Meggan has so brilliantly brought to life for the modern seeker of Christ's True message.
Performed by the Author, this book in Audible form is like a revival meeting for anyone who wanted to follow in Christ's footsteps but have been excluded or silenced because of some external standard for who they "should" be, what they "should" think, how they "should" act, or how they "should" worship.

Jesus said: "When you give birth to the One within you, that One will save you. If you do not have that One within you, that One will kill you" The Gospel of Thomas 70:1 The New, New Testament (Capitalization of the word One my own interpretation).
#FeministChristianity#MaryMagdalene#SecondComing#ChristConsciousness#EyeoftheHeart

I love how she intertwines 2 stories into one.

I enjoy her books so much! How I wished this was available as a child, my spirituality could have been so much more.

This will be a book I cling to as I navigate a weary world.

Once again, Meggan’s teachings have lead me back to my own heart. She put to words what I have always known as truth. A deep bow of gratitude for her work and offerings.

The Matriarchy is returning

The Girl Who Baptized Herself by Meggan Watterson is a radiant and empowering book that brings to life the nearly forgotten story of Thecla, a young woman who claimed her own spiritual authority. With lyrical prose and profound scholarship, Watterson blends theology, memoir, and feminist vision to show how Thecla’s defiance of patriarchal control still speaks to us today. The book is both a historical reclamation and a spiritual guide, inviting readers to embrace their own worth and sovereignty. Watterson’s writing glows with passion, depth, and clarity, offering a call to radical self-love and authenticity. This is an inspiring, must-read work that resonates far beyond the realm of religious history.

Powerful

Loved it. I learned so much. It’s perfectly timed with the kind of wisdom and info women need today