A Time Of Troubles: In Search of the Divine Feminine

Book excerpt: David Alexander, an American professor of Russian, is called to task about an offhand remark he made concerning Tsar Boris Godunov, an historical figure portrayed as a villain and prince-murderer in history, as well as in literature and opera. David's remark precipitates an academic dispute, and his teaching job is on the line. So is his historical research into Russia's Cult of Sophia, which is part of the religious ideal of The Divine Feminine. His research takes him back to the early 1600's, and he and a Soviet archivist colleague chance upon long-concealed letters written by three Orthodox monks. The hunt is on for the long-suppressed mystical papers to which these monks refer. William Jack has an MA and PhD in Slavic Languages and Literature, with a specialization in Russian literature, from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor