Sexism and God-Talk (Paperback)

by Rosemary R. Ruether (Author)
Key Phrases: feminist wicca, eschatological feminism, carnal femaleness, New Testament, The Consciousness of Evil, The New Earth (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Sexism and God-Talk is one of those rare books that hits the right topic at the right time--and that has endured. Its thesis is summarized by Rosemary Radford Ruether herself (the Georgia Harkness Professor of Theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary) in her opening chapter and is worth quoting: "The uniqueness of feminist theology lies not in its use of the criterion of experience but rather in its use of women's experience, which has been almost entirely shut out of theological reflection in the past. The use of women's experience in feminist theology, therefore, explodes as a critical force, exposing classical theology . . . as based on male experience rather than on universal human experience." The book presents a revisioning of theological topics from a feminist perspective, including the use of male and female images of the divine in worship; the relationship between images of women, the body, and nature in Greek, Hebrew, and Christian thinking; and a new, woman-centered look at images of both Christ and Mary.

Clearly written, forceful without being overly dogmatic, this classic study remains what theologian Harvey Cox said of it upon its first release: "one of the most important theological books of this or any other season." --Doug Thorpe

Product Description
"By the time Ruether finishes, systematic theology has undergone a radical critique from which it emerges transformed rather than simply modified or totally rejected. She has constructed a full-fledged feminist theology—the first within a Christian context." -The New York Times Book Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 289 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (April 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080701205X
• ISBN-13: 978-0807012055
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #175,833 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Deepening Understanding, November 28, 2002

By	Elizabeth (United States) - See all my reviews

I think that this book is a very helpful introduction to feminist theology for someone who is already somewhat familiar with historical-critical analysis in religion and somewhat familiar with feminism. This book brings together the two traditions and presents a great framework from which to begin to explore feminist theology. This is probably not a good introduction for someone starting completely from scratch. There are less academic books, such as Introducing Feminist Theology by Anne M. Clifford which are easier to understand and navigate for the true beginner.
My favorite part of the book was the opening narrative written by Ruether (in the tradition of midrash) that imagines scenes from the Bible in a fresh and exciting light. It was inspiring, gave me goose bumps and helped me remember why I think that Christianity can be such an exciting and liberating spiritual path to follow.
The rest of the book systematically deals with topics that arise in "re-understanding" the Bible and Christianity in a way that honors and listens to women's voices which have, generally, been systematically excluded from the Christian tradition.
I didn't give it five stars because, like some of the other reviewers, I would have liked to see more evidence for some of her positions.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still Worth Reading 20 Years Later, February 19, 2002

By A Customer

"Sexism and God-Talk" is based on lectures given by the author in the 1970's. The book was originally published in 1983, but it has much to say to Christians in 2002.

I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5, because I think that Ruether's comments about male puberty rites and the origins of mysogyny were weak and needed some documentation. There were a few other points in the book which I felt needed more documentation.

Nevertheless, "Sexism and God-Talk" is an excellent introduction to Christian feminist theology. Ruether is one of the few American writers to have defined Christian feminism in mainstream Western culture. She explains how being female came to be associated with evil in Western theological thought, and how, ironically, "Romantic feminism", which proposed that women were actually more spiritual than men, still was harmful to women.

Ruether insists that it is possible to be both Christian and feminist and that there is salvation within Christianity for all. She warns against reducing feminism to the hatred of men. Nothing is solved by that.

One need not agree with all of Ruether's political positions, such as her belief that democratic socialism is the best form of governance or her views on the situation in Palestine and Israel in order to appreciate her work.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Framework for Feminist Theology, August 9, 2000

By	Helga Doermer (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada) - See all my reviews

Ruether's book provides an accessible introduction to feminist theology. Her chapter headings supply the reader with familiar cues from a more traditional theological framework. For someone new to feminist theology, this is a good starting point.