Transforming the Faiths of Our Fathers: Women Who Changed American Religion [Hardcover]

Ann Braude (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2004 | ISBN-10: 1403964602 | ISBN-13: 978-1403964601 | Edition: First Edition

Pundits on both the right and the left often portray religion and feminism as inherently incompatible, as opposing forces in American culture. Transforming the Faiths of Our Fathers seeks to dispel that notion by asking sixteen well-known religious figures to tell the story of how they became involved in the women's movement. Their work-much of it ongoing-has helped transform the way religion is practiced in this country. They have worked for the ordination of women, for inclusive language and liturgy, for new interpretations of scripture, theology, and religious law, and for an end to religious teachings that contributed to destructive gender stereotypes. Authors include Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Evangelical, and goddess feminists. The personal stories of the fascinating contributors include watershed events in American religion and society over the last forty years. Each one of the women in Transforming the Faiths of Our Fathers has made history and seen it made, and gives her own version of what she has witnessed and experienced. They demonstrate the roots of their feminist activism in religious commitments, and the significance of struggles within religious arenas for expanding women's possibilities in society and culture.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Far from being a dry anthology of essays about the movers and shakers of religious feminism in the late 20th century, this book dares to let these iconoclastic women speak for themselves, in all their pain, wisdom and glorious humor. Some of the writers' names may sound familiar, particularly to those who have read feminist and womanist theology: the roster includes Rosemary Radford Ruether, Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, Judith Plaskow, Carol Christ and Delores Williams. Other contributors, such as Lois Miriam Wilson, the first female moderator of the United Church of Canada, are not household names, but readers will be fascinated by their experiences. The contributors come from mainline Protestant, evangelical Protestant, Catholic, Islamic, Jewish, Mormon, Buddhist and goddess backgrounds. As the women share their spiritual journeys, they talk about how religion has both limited and empowered them. The book can be revisionist; several essays challenge the idea that womanist theology was created by black and Latina women because "whitefeminist" theology had ignored their needs. (Ruether in particular argues that religious feminism was concerned about racism from the beginning.) Readers will be encouraged by these women's bravery, as well as by the book's implicit reminder of how far women have come in a relatively short time.
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Review

"At last the religious voice of 20th century feminism can be heard. The stereotype of feminism as secular and homogeneous crumbles in the face of these passionate, diverse, and deeply moving stories. In gripping detail, we learn that struggles for women's rights have been part and parcel of virtually every religious tradition. Pain and grief thread through many of the stories, yet together they articulate a spiritual richness that is filled with hope, and many offer concrete stories of transformation on which future generations can build." -- Sara M. Evans, author of Tidal Wave: How Women Changed America at Century's End

Praise for Radical Spirits:
"Continually rewarding."--The New York Times Book Review
"An insightful book and a delightful read."--Journal of American History

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; First Edition edition (June 19, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1403964602
• ISBN-13: 978-1403964601
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #519,913 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feminism finds religion at last, June 12, 2004

By 

Dr. Dana L. Robert (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Transforming the Faiths of Our Fathers: Women Who Changed American Religion (Hardcover)

Thanks go to Ann Braude for her stellar work in breaking down the artificial divide between feminism and religious belief! This book shows that feminists have taken much of their inspiration from religious traditions and from the power of belief in their own lives. This book makes fascinating reading and will help to correct the bias against faith in the historical accounts of feminism.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Diversity of religious feminisms, May 3, 2006

By 

S Horner - See all my reviews

This review is from: Transforming the Faiths of Our Fathers: Women Who Changed American Religion (Hardcover)

I highly recommend this book of personal stories by women who shaped religious feminism. It is an excellent resource for understanding the diversity of religious feminisms--Christian (Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical), Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, and Goddess spirituality.