When God Was a Woman

Merlin Stone (born Marilyn Jacobson in 1931) was an American author, artist, and academic whose interdisciplinary background uniquely positioned her to challenge conventional understandings of ancient religious history.

Stone’s educational journey began at the University of Buffalo in New York, where she enrolled in 1949. After marrying in 1950, she continued her studies while raising children, ultimately earning a bachelor’s degree in art with a minor in journalism and a teaching certificate in 1958. Following her undergraduate education, Stone worked as both an educator and a practicing artist from 1958 to 1967. She taught at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery School from 1957 to 1966 and at the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1962 and 1966. During this period, she maintained an active sculpture practice, exhibiting widely and completing numerous commissioned works. Stone later earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the California College of Arts and Crafts (now California College of the Arts) in Oakland in 1968.

Stone’s transition from artist to religious historian emerged through her study of ancient art forms. Her professional background as a sculptor provided her with technical knowledge about artistic production methods, material properties, and cultural