Joan D. Chittister is an internationally known writer and lecturer, and the executive director of Benetvision, a resource and research center for contemporary spirituality. She is the past president of the Conference of American Benedictine Prioresses and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. She is the author of "In the Heart of the Temple," "Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope," and "Wisdom Distilled from the Daily." She lives in Erie, Pennsylvania.

The Friendship of Women explores the sacred dimension of friendship through the lens of faith, tradition, scripture, and the social sciences. It reveals the often-overlooked voices and experiences of women in the Bible such women as Lydia, Prisca, Deborah, and Phoebe; Esther, Martha, Veronica, and Elizabeth; Ruth, Anne, Miriam, and Mary Magdalene.