Feminism and Christianity: An Essential Guide

By Lynn Japinga

Book Overview

Some have raised the question: Is it possible, at the same time, to be a Christian and a feminist? Japinga asks the question a bit differently: Is it possible not to be? Like the other titles in the Essential Guides series, the purpose of this book is simple: to introduce college and seminary students to the basic questions and issues that arise from a feminist interpretation of Christianity. The author explores the central ideas of Christian feminism, including its critique of patriarchy in Christianity and its recovery of the presence, actions, and ideas of women. What has been troublesome in Christianity for feminists and why? How have Christian feminists dealt with these issues? What resources are there in Christianity for the empowering and encouragement of women? Beginning with an examination of women and the Bible, the book explores biblical texts which define women negatively as well as those which emphasize women's strengths and ability, and then outlines the various feminist approaches to the interpretation of Scripture. It then moves to an overview of women in the history of Christianity and, specifically, of religion in America, presenting both prevailing attitudes about women and the (usually unheard) stories of women. After surveying the main questions a feminist method brings to the study of theology, Japinga then explores certain theological questions--How do we speak of God? Who is Christ? What does it mean to be human? Written from a moderate feminist perspective, this book provides a broad overview of feminist approaches to theological disciplines. It emphasizes consensual scholarship rather than points of controversy. It acquaints students with feminist analysis by way of the central themes common to feminist approaches to several disciplines and introduces readers to this material in ways that lessen the possibility that they will be threatened, intimidated, or angered by it. While the book offers professors an affordable and accessible textbook choice, it is also accessible for lay study groups in congregations.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0687077605
• ISBN13: 9780687077601
• Release Date: December 1999
• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.8" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Feminism & Christianty: An Essential Guide

This is required reading for one of my courses and it is actually an enjoyable read. I tend not to like books related to feminism because they tend to be too "scholarly" ~ filled with research and rheterotic and very strong feminist views. However, I find Feminism & Christianty to be easy to read. It focuses on the basic fact that women are different than men and as such will have different views when it comes to reading scripture and studying and understanding theology based on their cultural experiences as women. You don't necessarily have to be a feminist or a womanist to understand this...you just need to be a woman.

From the back of the book:

Like other titles in the Essential Guides series, the purpose of this book is simple: to introduce college and seminary students to the basic questions and issues in a feminist interpretation of Christianity. The book begins with an examination of women and the Bible, exploring biblical texts that define women negatively as well as those that emphasize women's strength and ability, and then outlining the various feminist approaches to Scripture. From here it moves to an overview of women in the history of Christianity and in American religion, presenting both prevailing attitudes about women and the (usually unheard) stories of women. After surveying the main questions a feminist method brings to the study of theology, the author then explores certain theological questions-How do we speak of God? Who is Christ? What does it mean to be human?-from a feminist perspective. Christian feminist theology is a rapidly expanding field of study from which many creative books have arisen. The intention of this volume is not so much to propose a new feminist theological construction as to interpret the existing feminist proposals for people who are beginning their study of feminism or theology. Both Christians and feminists have asked it it is possible to be at the same time a Christian and a feminist, the author asks the question a bit differently: Is it possible not to be?

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