SOPHIA--GODDESS OF WISDOM TAKES THE READER ON A JOURNEY FROM PRE-CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY TO THE PRESENT DAY, SEEKING OUT THE PRESENCE OF THE GODDESS -- THE DIVINE FEMININE POWER OF WISDOM. DRAWING MAINLY ON SOURCES FROM THE WESTERN TRADITION, THE MANY FACES OF THE GODDESS ARE REVEALED: SHE IS THE PRIMEVAL BLACK GODDESS OF THE EARTH, THE SAVIOUR GODDESS, THE GNOSTIC SOPHIA THE WORLD-SOUL, THE APOCALYPTIC VIRGIN, THE MOTHER OF GOD. WE SEE HOW THE FOUNDATION MYSTERIES OF THE GODDESS UNDERLIE THE ESOTERIC CURRENTS OF ORTHODOX RELIGIONS, AND TRACE HER HERMETIC PRESENCE IN QABALA AND ALCHEMY THROUGH TO HER EMERGENCE IN THE REALMS OF GODDESS RELIGION, FEMINIST THEOLOGY AND THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT. THIS DEFINITIVE WORK GIVES SOPHIA A VOICE THAT WILL BE WELCOMED BY ALL WHO SEEK TO REAFFIRM THE GODDESS AS THE CENTRAL PIVOT OF CREATION AND AS THE GIVER OF PRACTICAL AND SPIRITUAL WISDOM.