Feminism and Christian Tradition An Annotated Bibliography and Critical Introduction to the Literature

Subjects:

• Religious Studies » Religious Studies (General)
• Sociology » Sociology (General)
• Women's Studies » Women's Studies (General)

Awards:

• Choice Outstanding Academic Book, 1999

Reviews:

• Walsh's exceptionally well compiled bibliography documents the intersection of feminism and Christian religion, drawing from US journals and books 1968-93, with important earlier sources. The introduction demonstrates impressive thoroughness and depth of scholarship.... An important summary of scholarship in feminism, women's studies, spirituality, and religion, highly recommended for undergraduate and graduate collections.
  —Choice
• Walsh has produced not merely a bibliographic record of an emerging field, but a fascinating work that ties together the strands of feminist theology and feminist sociology and sparks insights into the impact of feminisms on Christian traditions in the United States
  —Feminist Collections
• This extensive volume is of interest to libraries, scholars of feminism, and general readers with special interest in the topic.
  —Calvin Theological Journal
• ...a useful volume for scholars and students, as well as those who are relatively new to and curious about the field. Its comprehensiveness makes it a great addition to parish libraries as a way to make accessible a vast quantity of material for those interested in adult education, the role of women in the church, the development of Christian worship, and other subjects which closely touch the hearts and minds of local readers. Overall, Feminism and Christian Tradition is an invitation to discover and rediscover the remarkable growth and development of feminist studies in religion.
  —Anglican Theological Review

• Endorsement From Dean R. Hoge
  Professor of Sociology
  Catholic University of America: Mary-Paula Walsh...has read, evaluated, and categorized 976 books and articles on theology and sociology related to feminism, and she has put it all into this very useful reference work. It is a magisterial product, the result of years of reading and organizing. Its annotations are more like book reviews than traditional annotations, and they will speed the job of anyone wanting to comprehend this field.
• Endorsement From Adair T. Lummis
  Research Faculty Associate
  Center for Social and Religious Research
  Hartford Seminary: Feminism and Christian Tradition is a book that should be put on immediate reserve in university departments of religion and graduate-level seminaries in this and other countries....This incredible volume will prove valuable to students and mature academics well into the next century.
• Endorsement From Beverly W. Harrison
  Carolyn Williams Beaird Professor Emeritus of Christian Ethics
  Union Theological Seminary: An important sociologist of Religion, Walsh has missed little and has also made a unique contribution by highlighting writings that specifically relate not only to the theological and cultural/ritual reconstruction of Christian traditions, but those that have socio-theoretical import and that track impacts and reactions in the sociological, socio-theoretical, and public policy arenas. She has identified important versions of anti-feminist theological response, including those of the Christian Right. No library or Research Center should be without this splendidly conceived and well crafted resource.
• Endorsement From Frances Taylor Gench
  Associate Professor of Biblical Studies
  Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: A work of breathtaking scope! Dr. Mary-Paula Walsh provides an astonishingly comprehensive road-map through the variegated literature that makes up the feminist Christian landscape. This work is essential reading for anyone interested in the feminist movement in American Christianity--its history, theoretical development, trends, issues, sub-disciplines, and principal authors. Irenic in tone and analytically perceptive, Feminism and Christian Tradition opens interdisciplinary windows that will enhance bridge-building conversations among religious feminists of every persuasion. An invaluable resource!

Table of Contents:

• Preface
• The Bibliography: A General Introduction
• Mapping the Literature: 1968-1995
• Introductory and Background Materials
• Feminism and the Development of Feminist Theology
• Topical Literatures in Feminist Theology
• Feminism and Womanist Theology
• The Religious Leadership of Women
• Responses and Recent Developments
• Author Index
• Subject Index
• Title Index