Feminist Christian Encounters

Originally published in 2004. Feminist discourses have focused sustained and sometimes devastating critical attention on Christianity over the last fifty years. Today feminisms remain significant but often ambiguous forces in contemporary Christian theology. At a time in which questions about the success and viability of feminisms are increasingly posed, Feminist Christian Encounters makes a unique contribution to the ongoing investigation into the creative relationship between feminisms and Christianity. Angela Pears identifies some of the key theological and methodological mechanisms by which Christian feminist theologies are informed, sustained, and made possible by feminist values and critiques. Pears argues that certain strategies characterize the facilitation of this dialogue in contemporary Christian feminist theologies, enabling theologians to accept the values and critiques of feminisms whilst at the same time proclaim some level of commitment to Christianity. Engaging in a process of deconstruction of the methodologies of key Christian theological thinkers who have made use of feminisms in their theologies, this book reveals the mechanisms of feminist Christian encounter at work.

'Women Encounter God' is one of the first books to explore the commonalities and convergences of women's theologies in the Americas. This critical, comparative analysis of white feminist, womanist, and 'mujerista' theologies focuses on how, by placing their unique theologies in dialogue, the rich contributions of each theology can inform the others. By looking at the key themes of empowerment, embodiment, and relationality, Moody examines how three different types of feminist theologians perceive God. She discusses the works of such representative theologians as white feminists Mary Daly, Rosemary Ruether, Sally McFague, and Carter Heyward; Hispanic/Latina theologians Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz, Yolanda Tarango, and Elsa Tamez; and womanist theologians Delores Williams, Jacquelyn Grant, and Katie Geneva Cannon, as well as feminist theorists Chela Sandoval and Rosemary Tong.

Many women of faith are interested in having deep conversations with their friends and families about issues they face in their personal lives. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of feminist and theologically progressive materials for these women to turn to for counsel or advice. Simultaneously, there are a growing number of theologically trained biblical scholars, theologians, and ministers who are experiencing similar life challenges, but who are generally discouraged from writing about these experiences in ways that would be accessible to the general public. This book bridges the chasm between Christian laywomen and feminist theologians. For the last fifty years, feminist theologians have sought to reimagine Christian theology in ways that speak to the realities and complexities of women's lives. They have also sought to use women's experience as the starting point for theological reflection in the same way that men's lives have shaped the history of Christian theology for the past 2000 years. In this book, feminist Christian scholars of theology and religion use the tools of their trade to examine powerful personal life experiences and to search for new and empowering ways of understanding the power of the sacred as they have experienced it.

Sex, Sin, and Our Selves brings together readings in feminist theological thought and the literature of the acclaimed contemporary writers Michele Roberts and Sara Maitland. Through placing theology in conversation with Roberts's and Maitland's literary engagement with issues of religion and gender, this book explores themes of selfhood, connection, sex, sin, and self-sacrifice. In doing so, it challenges a tendency of feminist theology to seek simple and idealized answers, rather than honor complexity and the need to continue to ask questions. In the encounters in feminist theology and contemporary women's writing, Anna Fisk employs autobiographical narrative, critically understood as "reading these stories beside my own."

Rethinking the Christian faith from a woman's perspective has been an important advancement in modern theology. This book introduces the methods, ideas, and contributions of recent feminist theology to readers encountering the subject for the first time. Natalie Watson explores the historical background of feminist theology, discusses the value of reading Scripture from a feminist perspective, and shows how this approach can offer a critical, creative, and constructive rereading of the Christian tradition. She also sets forth some fresh ideas encouraging people to see feminism not as a threat to the church but as a challenging perspective that actually enhances its life in today's world. An extensive annotated bibliography invites readers to further study, presenting a wealth of books on feminist theology by many well-known authors. Ideal for classroom instruction, discussion groups, and personal study, this volume is an exceptional, user-friendly guide to contemporary feminist thought.

This book explores the development of Christology by major white North American feminist theologians, placing the Christologies of Rosemary Radford Ruether, Carter Heyward, Patricia Wilson-Kastner, and Marjorie Suchocki within the context of their overall theologies. Wondra further examines the meaning and importance of women's experience in feminist theology. This work is self-consciously located at the juncture of contemporary theology and contemporary feminist theory, and uses a conversational method to examine proposals in Christology that are aspects of more comprehensive/systematic feminist constructive theologies. Contents: Preface; Introduction; PART I: THE FEMINIST CHRISTOLOGICAL PROBLEM. Toward an Adequate Feminist Christology: Methodology. PART II: THE RELATION OF WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE TO CHRISTOLOGY. The Construction of Women's Experience in Feminist Theory and Theology; Resistance and Transformation as Religious Experience; The Relation of Women's Experience to Christology. PART III: TOWARD CONTEMPORARY FEMINIST CHRISTOLOGY. The Paradigmatic and Prophetic Christ; The Decisive Representation of Self-Giving Love; The Revelation of God to Us; Christ, Mutuality, and Justice; Wisdom-Logos Christology in Feminist Perspective; The Re-presentation of Renaissance and Transformation; Bibliography; Index.

Contemporary Muslim-Christian Encounters: Developments, Diversity and Dialogues addresses the key issues in the present day global encounter between Christians and Muslims. Divided into two parts, the first examines theoretical issues and concerns which affect dialogue between the two traditions. The second part highlights case studies from around the world. Chapters come from established scholars including Reuven Firestone, Douglas Pratt and Clinton Bennett, emerging scholars, as well as practitioner perspectives. Highlighting the diversity within the field of "Christian-Muslim" encounter, case studies cover examples from the US and globally, and include dialogue in the US post 9/11, Nigerian Muslims and Christians, and Christian responses to Islamophobia in the UK. Covering unique areas and those not explored in detail elsewhere, Contemporary Muslim-Christian Encounters: Developments, Diversity and Dialogues will be of interest to advanced students, researchers, and interfaith professionals.

This anthology will explore the new directions of conversations occurring in relation to feminism and religion, as well as the technological modes being utilized to continue dialogue, expand borders, and create new frontiers in feminism. It is a cross generational project bringing together the voices of foremothers with those of the twenty-first century generation of feminist scholars to discuss the changing direction of feminism and religion, new methods of dialogue, and the benefits for society overall.