Christian + Feminist

This page is dedicated to the proposition that faith and feminism are not mutually exclusive.

Christ as Holy Wisdom

Articles

Louisa Blair, The Beardless Recluse's Passion and Daring, Compass 14.4 (Sept./Oct. 1996). On Pelagia.
André Castonguay, La femme prêtre...
Catholic Theological Society of America, Tradition and the Ordination of Women (1997). Not a feminist document per se. This resolution, approved at the annual convention of the CTSA, concludes that the rejection of women from presbyteral ordination has not been infallibly taught.
Christians for Biblical Equality, Statement on Men, Women and Biblical Equality (1989). Available in fifteen languages.
Carmelita de Freitas, La mujer latinoamericana en la sociedad y en la Iglesia, Boletín CLAR 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1996): 45-70. (51K text, 1K graphic).
Ruth Fox, Women in the Bible and the Lectionary (1996).
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Sor Juana (1651-1695) was called "the tenth muse". Brief biography.
J.P. Kirsch, Pelagia. From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia. I love these prostitutes-turned-monks.
Elizabeth T. Knuth
- The Beguines (1992).
- Donna Steichen: How Trustworthy Is She? (1995). Investigates the documentation offered by an antifeminist. The result of a flame war on Usenet, so somewhat informal.
- "Male Spirituality": A Feminist Evaluation (1993). Critique of two proposed models.
Thomas L. Long, Julian of Norwich's "Christ as Mother" and Medieval Constructions of Gender (1995).
Laurenti Magesa, Christology, African Women and Ministry (1996). (65K).
NAB Lectionary Watch. Has links to several articles on inclusive language.
Mª Teresa Porcile, Cristología en femenino. If you read Spanish, don't miss this article on feminist Christology, with an excellent background in historical theology. Highly recommended.
Nelia Beth Scovill, The Liberation of Women: Religious Sources. Deals mostly with reproductive issues. (82K text, 4K graphics).
Abby Stoner, Sisters Between: Gender and the Medieval Beguines (1993). (57K).

Books

Sarah Grimké, Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and the Condition of Woman (1837). (207K text, 16K graphics).
Sojourner Truth and Olive Gilbert, Narrative of Sojourner Truth (1878). Includes her famous "Ain't I a Woman?" speech delivered at the Woman's Rights Convention, Akron, Ohio, in 1851.

Reviews

She Who Is, by Elizabeth A. Johnson. Reviewed by Elizabeth T. Knuth.

Bibliographies

Bibliography on Women in Byzantium. (57K text, 36K graphics).
Feminist Theology Online Bibliography. Jewish and Christian, annotated.
Medieval Feminist Index. Search for recent articles, conference papers, and book reviews dealing with women, sexuality, and gender in the period between 450 and 1500. (3K text, 57K graphics).

Directories

Gerald Darring, Theology Library: Women and Justice: Religious Sites. Includes many antifeminist references.
Diotima: Internet Resources for Biblical Studies. Site on women in the ancient world. Directory includes links to their bibliographies on Gnosticism and on Judaism and Christianity in late antiquity.
Alan Humm, Lilith. According to some, the original uppity woman.
Rebecca Unsoeld, Hulda: Feminist Theology. Includes opposing views. Also a parallel page in German.

Know Your Enemies

John Knox, The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women (1558). (135K). "To promote a woman to bear rule, superiority, dominion, or empire above any realm, nation, or city, is repugnant to nature; contumely to God, a thing most contrary to his revealed will and approved ordinance; and finally, it is the subversion of good order, of all equity and justice." His political situation couldn't have anything to do with this, now, could it? Nah...

Historical Sources

Although it would be anachronistic to call our ancestors feminists, still their lives and their thoughts can provide nourishment for the soul.

Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love. Julian (1343-1443) is famous for, among other things, calling God Mother.
The Life of Our Holy Mother Mary of Egypt (4th C.). (45K text, 55K graphic).

Elizabeth T. Knuth's Home Page

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