From Publishers Weekly
One of the authoritative voices in the revolution of feminist theology belongs to Ruether, professor at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. In this picture of spiritual feminism as "a return to the original religion of humanity before patriarchy," she develops the historical framework of Women-Church, a movement composed of bases of feminist culture and celebrational communities that have some autonomy from institutional churches. The Women-Church movement is multidenominational, although its roots are Catholic. Ruether, noting a crisis situation of religion, particularly Christianity, views emerging feminist spirituality as a reclamation of biblical tradition, and a reformation that women can actively engage in today. Innovation and alternative liturgies and rites of passage are included as models which Women-Church implements in local communities.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Ruether's book takes its title from Women-Church, a recent movement among religious feminists. She argues that the church is a community in exodus from oppression toward liberation and identifies Women-Church as "a community or redemption from patriarchy." Her effort to develop a theological foundation for a diverse group of feminists, some of whom wish to revive pre-biblical goddess religions, results in a syncretism that bears almost no resemblance to biblical or historic Christianity, even though certain terminology has been appropriated. A large poriton of the book is devoted to rites and liturgies drawn partially from biblical sources but also from Near East pagan traditions and observances of nature and life cycles, further reinforcing the departure from biblical Christianity. For feminist collections. Cynthia Widmer, Williamstown, Mass.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
