Baptizing Yourself: Meggan Watterson on Thecla, Love, and Spiritual Authority

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In part two of our conversation with feminist theologian and bestselling author Meggan Watterson, we explore the radical story of Thecla from the Acts of Paul and Thecla. Refusing the roles assigned to her by society, Thecla claims her own spiritual authority by baptizing herself in the arena designed for her death.

Tied to our exploration of Thecla is a conversation about love as the deepest spiritual power: not love as sentiment or romance, but love as force that arises from within and cannot be controlled by institutions or empires. Drawing on the Gospel of Mary and traditions of mysticism, Meggan describes the “spiritual eye of the heart” and the dangerous freedom it offers.

Toward the end, conversation turns to our own moment, especially the ongoing reckoning around Jeffrey Epstein and the voices of survivors. What does spiritual courage look like in a world where systems of power still protect abuse? And how might the ancient story of Thecla speak to that struggle today?

Episode Highlights

[01:41] Love from Within

• Meggan reflects on love as a spiritual power rather than just an emotion or relationship. The conversation explores love as the “eye of the heart,” the force that connects worlds, grounds mysticism, and teaches that real love is ultimately sourced within rather than found in another person.

[10:51] Thecla’s Self-Baptism

• This section centers on The Girl Who Baptized Herself and the story of Thecla as a model of embodiment, self-worth, and spiritual authority. Meggan and the hosts discuss how Thecla refuses patriarchal power, baptizes herself, inspires other women to rise up, and reveals a suppressed lineage of female spiritual leadership.

[26:51] Feminine Power and Collective Reckoning

• The conversation widens from Thecla’s story into the present, including the erasure of the feminine in Christianity and the need for spiritual and cultural reckoning. Meggan connects Thecla’s witness to survivor truth-telling, systemic abuse, righteous anger, and the search for a more collective, love-centered transformation.

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