Sexism and God-Talk: Toward a Feminist Theology - Softcover

Ruether, Rosemary Radford

Softcover

ISBN 10: 080701205X ISBN 13: 9780807012055

Publisher: Beacon Press, 1993

Synopsis

How did a religion whose founding proponents advocated a shocking disregard of earthly ties come to extol the virtues of the "traditional" family? In this richly textured history of the relationship between Christianity and the family Rosemary Radford Ruether traces the development of these centerpieces of modern life to reveal the misconceptions at the heart of the "family values" debate.

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Review

Sexism and God-Talk is one of those rare books that hit the right topic at the right time--and that has endured. Its thesis is summarised by 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-centred 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

Review

"Provocative ... [Ruether's] impressive scholarship, interweaving social history with religious history, puts the family in a fascinating historical context." - Marilyn Gardner, The Christian Science Monitor

"Though a new reading of history, [Ruether] leads us to the question, Is there a new way of reading family, sex, and procreation theologically that can support a more just and sustainable vision of family, home, and work?"
--Rosemary Keller, editor of In Our Own Voices: Four Centuries of American Women's Religious Writing

"Well-researched, insightfully honest and engaging. . . . The appeal of Ruether's book is wide. [Christianity and the Making of the Modern Family] forces the reader to assess his or her own understanding of family and family systems. Ruether's book is long overdue."
--Nancy Hawkins, America

"A highly readable and important political stab at timely theological and cultural questions."
--Sandra Collins, Library Journal

About this edition

• Publisher: Beacon Press
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 080701205X
• ISBN 13: 9780807012055
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 312