Customer Reviews

The Feminine Face of God: The Unfolding of the Sacred in Women

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Upon reading this book for the first time I found myself pleasantly surprised. First published in 1991, this book is as germaine to women's spirituality today as it was then. Instead of being a book about Christian women only, Anderson and Hopkins have included a cross section of North American women in their study. Women of many different faiths candidly discuss their personal revelations regarding their spiritual growth and their relationships with the divine.

Interspersed with the women's stories are the experiences of the two authors as they struggled to research and write this book. This sharing of the authors' experiences makes the book accessible to anyone, reminding us that we are all only human - subject to doubts and questions as easily as we are to revelations and joy. Instead of being a dry, preaching, self-help book, the combined experiences of Anderson and Hopkins and their subjects create a story full of laughter, joy, pain, sorrow and, most importantly, a sense that as women we must explore our own spiritual lives in our own ways in order to live at our fullest potential.

I just finished this book last week while on vacation. It made for easy, fascinating reading due to all the personal stories. No matter where you are in your life journey, you will be able to find a story in this book that speaks to you. The authors did an excellent job of interviewing a cross-section of women at various points in their life journeys. I especially appreciated hearing from women of different faith traditions. The book challenges women to seek a new language and experience to express their spiritual longings. Too often we have settled for the male models, and frankly, they don't work very well for us! It was refreshing to be given permission to pursue the tangents I know I have felt in my own spiritual journey, but have not always given credit to their validity. This book is an excellent gift and is appropriate for women in their mid-20s on. It also should appeal to the woman who has never set foot within a "church" setting, as well as one who has. The book has excellent endnotes as well as a selected bibliography to seek out further resources.

I first read this book several years ago when I was about 25. After reading the book, I felt as though I had looked into what the future might hold: Women have a lot in common. We may have different paths and destinations, but our internal struggles are similar. It's tough being the nurturing woman (wife, mother...) while retaining a sense of self. Some women need two lives to be complete; others work very hard to evolve their life with a balance. I'm now shipping this book to several friends - two who are about to be married, one who's contemplating divorce after raising two kids, and another (my mom) who's happily married (2nd marriage) after raising two kids. I wish them all well in their continuous journey.

The authors spent a lot of time researching and interviewing various women that are considered extremely spiritual. The result is a book of many stories of women from different backgrounds and the many paths to took to find their spirituality.

I found the book very inspiring and wanted to read it again as soon as I finished the last page. I recommend this book for every woman out there.

Still worth reading for anyone interested in understanding the complexities and nuances of women's spiritual journeys. A broad range of female spiritual experiences are covered that cross different ages; religious traditions (interpersed with thoughtful reports of how Christian women engage the Feminine Face of God); racial and ethnic backgrounds; marital/family status; and even region of the country (United States). This focus is on the maturing woman's journey--something to which younger women can look forward!

As a woman who is on her own journey into the Feminine Divine this book is a God-send. "Feminine Face", through the words, stories, and experiences of many women, informed me that I was not alone in my great discomfort with the religious practices I have been raised with. By allowing the reader to hear the voices of so many women from various lifestyles, ages, occupations, experiences, religious backgrounds and in varying stages of their journey, this book serves as a guide to the woman who is just starting on the path into her spirituality as well as the woman who is well on her way but may have hit a road block. Because it offers no clear-cut method for discovering the divine, "Feminine Face" encourages each woman to trust her own spirit and be empowered by finding her own way.

This book will continue to be a reference for me and I recommend it for anyone who wants to mature from being a "child of God" to an "adult of God".

The first time I read THE FEMININE FACE OF GOD (a gift from a friend) I browsed around a bit, and saw a reference to the consequences of locking away the fearful experiences of our lives, and the idea that they will come pouring out, like the Furies from Pandora's box - dangerous not because they were freed, but because they had been locked up in the first place.

When I read that, I knew that this was a book that could help shine some light in my life. Years later, and many readings later, I still feel the same way about Anderson & Hopkins' masterpiece. It is as fresh and as timely now as it was then. And my life is richer indeed for having read it and learned from it.

This book has helped me a great deal. I was raised Protestant Christian, but in recent years have felt a disconnect with the church. As a result, my spirituality was stifled-- something I wasn't comfortable with. This book gave me the opportunity to explore my spirituality, and helped me find a path to the Divine that was sorely missing in my life.

I gave this book four stars instead of five because the first chapter (over twenty pages!) dragged on and on-- I almost stopped reading. I suggest either to start at Chapter 2, or to push your way through Chapter 1, because this book is definitely worth the read.

This is a great book---very inspiring, uplifting and affirming. The authors get it right.

My only question is: where is the balance? We need feminine and masculine energies to balance us, especially since we contain both qualities. God does not only have a feminine face and the authors know this, however I would have enjoyed reading about the balance between the two. We need to bring out both in ourselves.

Nice work, authors! Now, write a book about the balance.

The authors spent a lot of time researching and interviewing various women that are considered extremely spiritual. The result is a book of many stories of women from different backgrounds and the many paths to took to find their spirituality.

I found the book very inspiring and wanted to read it again as soon as I finished the last page. I recommend this book for every woman out there.