Despite real progress, women continue to be silenced, wounded, and relegated to the sidelines in our churches. But we can learn to do better. Exploring the history and culture of sexism in our contemporary evangelical world, Heather Matthews offers simple, practical steps for how Christians can actively fight sexism in its many forms.

The aim of this book is to suggest an interdisciplinary perspective on the complex relations of gender, religion and politics in light of paradigmatic shifts in theories of modernity and the growing body of studies on gender and religion.

"Pat McCormick and Russ Conners build on the insights of "fundamental" Christian ethics and apply them in making concrete judgments about a number of very specific contemporary moral problems relating to the economy, war and violence, medicine, sexuality and the environment." "Facing Ethical Issues is must reading for anyone wishing to make sense of our increasingly complex world."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Can a person be Christian and Feminist at the same time? In these extended essays, authors explore the various intersections of feminism, feminist theory and practice, and Christian tradition as it is lived out in the lives of Christian academics.

This book is a collection of ten essays, all focused on the realities of conducting feminist work within Christian universities and colleges, as well as churches. The purpose of this collection emerges from the contributors’ lives at the intersection of feminist ideas and the Christian contexts in which they work. The book’s focus is on the ways in which feminism continues to meet resistance from Christian institutions and communities. Within these contexts, the authors describe the ongoing challenges they face as feminists with their students, their colleagues, their pastors, their fellow congregants, their peers, and their own families. Scholars, clergy, students, and readers interested in understanding feminism more deeply, and interested in the intersection of religion, feminism, and scholarly life will find this collection invaluable. Readers will find insights into the everyday feminist work of academics, the development of more inclusive student-life climates, feminist learning in college classrooms, and the obstacles to creating more inclusive Christian churches. These essays are honest, heartfelt, and helpful in envisioning more liberating paradigms and practices for feminist Christians who continue to negotiate current realities in integrating feminism with faith in many contexts.

The field of feminist studies grew from the U.S. women’s movements of the 1960s and 1970s and has continued to be deeply connected to ongoing movements for social justice. As educational institutions are increasingly seeing public scholarship and community engagement as relevant and fruitful complements to traditional academic work, feminist scholars have much to offer in demonstrating different ways to inform and interact with various communities. In Public Feminisms: From Academy to Community edited by Carrie N. Baker and Aviva Dove-Viebahn, a diverse range of feminist scholar-activists write about the dynamic and varied methods they use to reach beyond the traditional academic classroom and scholarly journals to share their work with the public. Part one explores how feminist scholars engage broader audiences through art, media, and public programming, including essays on a public discussion series teaching intersectional feminist analysis of popular films, and a podcast from Latina scholars discussing issues of reproductive justice, social justice, motherhood, sexuality, race, and gender. Part two focuses on activism and public education, including essays on “Take Back the Night,” and archiving the women’s march protests. Part three turns to public writing and scholarship, including an essay on elevating the perspectives and voices of underrepresented creatives in the film and television industry. Part four explores feminist pedagogies for community engagement and for teaching public feminisms. Accessible and engaging to a broad range of readers, the essays in this volume are a rich resource for scholars and students interested in infusing their academic knowledge into the public sphere. With this timely book, the editors offer an opportunity to reflect on the meaning and importance of community engagement and highlight some of the important public-facing work feminist scholars are doing today. Faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students, as well as administrators hoping to increase their schools’ connections to the community, will find this volume indispensable.

This volume fulfills the need for an accessible academic book that addresses the gender issues that women face as Christian disciples, whether in formal leadership roles or engaging leadership in informal means, and considers these issues in the context of world Christianity. In an era in which mission is “from everywhere, to everywhere,” when local churches strive to be missional, and when Christians are engaged in intercultural ministry, this book invites a scholar-practitioner conversation, engaging multiple disciplines and perspectives to explore the role of women in the mission of God. An interdisciplinary and intercultural conversation about women will enrich the church’s ongoing effort to be faithful to God’s call to women (and men) to participate in God’s work in the world.

The editors of this volume highlight the fact that although the Church often stands up for other public issues such as human rights, democratic political rights, economic justice, etc., sexual and gender-based violence do not receive the attention they deserve. There are no theological or cultural arguments that can justify such a position. Sexual and gender-based violence are a scourge that defies our Christian understanding of human dignity ? and challenges the Church in all its formations to respond. ÿAlthough most of the case studies are from Zimbabwe, they challenge us regardless of which country we are living in ? or the tradition of our specific denomination.ÿ In the context of Southern Africa, where the HIV and AIDS burden is among the highest in the world, sexual and gender-based violence are a major contributor to the spread of the disease. This will only change if the Church challenges this practice as part of its educational and public work ? in theological institutions, in congregations, but also in its pastoral work within families.ÿ

A fundamental and well-illustrated reference collection for anyone interested in the role of women in North American religious life.