"The stories are powerful, sometimes heart-rending, sometimes lyrical, but always deeply personal. And there is some very good philosophizing as part of the bargain." —Merold Westphal How can the seemingly separate lives of philosopher, feminist, and follower of a religious tradition come together in one person's life? How does religious commitment affect philosophy or feminism? How does feminism play out in religious or philosophical commitment? Wrestling with answers to these questions, women who balance philosophy, feminism, and faith write about their lives. The voices gathered here from several different traditions—Catholic, Protestant, Quaker, Jewish, and Muslim—represent diverse ethnicities, races, and ages. The challenging and poignant reflections in Philosophy, Feminism, and Faith show how critical thought can successfully mesh with religious faith and social responsibility.

Feminist Philosophy of Religion: Critical Readings brings together key new writings in this growing field.

"The book's contribution to feminist philosophy of religion is substantial and original.... It brings the continental and Anglo-American traditions into substantive and productive conversation with each other." --Ellen Armour To what extent has the emergence of the study of religion in Western culture been gendered? In this exciting book, Grace Jantzen proposes a new philosophy of religion from a feminist perspective. Hers is a vital and significant contribution which will be essential reading in the study of religion.

Feminist theory and reflections on sexuality and gender rarely make contact with contemporary continental philosophy of religion. Where they all come together, creative and transformative thinking occurs. In Feminism, Sexuality, and the Return of Religion, internationally recognized scholars tackle complicated questions provoked by the often stormy intersection of these powerful forces. The essays in this book break down barriers as they extend the richness of each philosophical tradition. They discuss topics such as queer sexuality and religion, feminism and the gift, feminism and religious reform, and religion and diversity. The contributors are Hélène Cixous, Sarah Coakley, Kelly Brown Douglas, Mark D. Jordan, Catherine Keller, Saba Mahmood, and Gianni Vattimo.

Why do so many women of faith have such a strong aversion to feminism? And why do so many feminists have an ardent mistrust of religion? These questions are at the heart of Helen LaKelly Hunt's illuminating look at the alliance between spiritual conviction and social action. Intelligent and heartfelt, Faith and Feminism offers a perceptive look at the lives of five spirited and spiritual women of history, women who combined their undying faith with feminist beliefs and who made the world a better place by doing so. • St. Teresa of Ávila, a woman whose bravery in confronting her shadows gave her the strength to connect with the world and live a life of divine action. • Lucretia Mott, a Quaker minister, who rose from her quiet upbringing to become a passionate speaker and activist working tirelessly on behalf of justice and peace. • Sojourner Truth, a Christian slave, who spoke out with unwavering courage to claim her God-given rightful place as an African American and a woman. • Emily Dickinson, an extraordinary poet, who touched the world with her ability to capture and transform the experience of suffering. • Dorothy Day, a radical journalist, who lived a life of voluntary poverty as a way of expressing her passion for the Christian faith and care for those in need. A remarkable book that focuses on the idea that spirituality and feminism are really different expressions of the same impulse to make life more whole, Faith and Feminism offers a powerful catalyst for reflecting on our sense of self -- and for living and loving according to our deepest values.

In a world where women’s issues are political issues, feminism and religion are often scripted as opposing sides. But, drawing on the messages of love and social justice from within their religious traditions, women are leading feminist movements that promote positive social change at both the micro and macro levels. Religion is fueling women’s efforts to revolutionize the world! Women Religion Revolution is a provocative collection of essays written by women who understand that being passive is not an option. Each story resonates with passion drawn from the well of faith, along with a drive to forge a connection with other women. The experiences that can shape a woman’s soul are often negative and isolating—sexual assault, domestic violence, eating disorders, addictions—but in seeking healing, in seeking to effect revolutionary change, women often find that the path leads toward other women, toward a connectedness that strengthens us all. This is a very stimulating book. This volume brings together nineteen interesting articles from women from a variety of religious and social traditions. A good book to read and to own as a resource in women's experience of feminism and religion. Rosemary Radford Ruether, Professor of Theology, Claremont Graduate University This is feminist religious thought at its most courageous and creative. The narratives by these authors offer inspiring, revolutionary, spiritual insights about women’s lives, bodies, and violence. Traci C. West, Professor of Ethics and African American Studies, Drew University Theological School The women in this volume are bold in uncovering persistent problems and rethinking new possibilities for thought and action. Their essays are personal, based on the authors’ own experiences as Muslims, Jews, Christians, and Mormons; but they articulate their insights in ways that reverberate in many different contexts. These essays touch on all areas of concern for women: reproduction, sexuality, body image, violence and abuse, poverty and wealth, spiritual power and women’s ordination, the sacred and the Divine. These essays will inspire you. Margaret Toscano, Associate Professor of Comparative Studies, University of Utah

This collection draws together 18 papers on topics in standard areas of traditional analytical philosophy, written from a feminist perspective. It brings out traditional philosophy by challenging it in a constructive, socially critical way that is essential for philosophy's fundamental goal of pursuing truth that matters.

In this collection, women who balance philosophy, feminism & faith write about their lives.

Mary Astell: Reason, Gender, Faith includes essays from diverse disciplinary perspectives to consider the full range of Astell's political, theological, philosophical, and poetic writings. The volume does not eschew the more traditional scholarly interest in Astell's concerns about gender; rather, it reveals how Astell's works require attention not only for their role in the development of early modern feminism, but also for their interventions on subjects ranging from political authority to educational theory, from individual agency to divine service, and from Cartesian ethics to Lockean epistemology. Given the vast breadth of her writings, her active role within early modern political and theological debates, and the sophisticated complexity of her prose, Astell has few parallels among her contemporaries. Mary Astell: Reason, Gender, Faith bestows upon Astell the attention which she deserves not merely as a proto-feminist, but as a major figure of the early modern period.

With contributions from some of the most prominent voices writing on gender, law and religion today, this book illuminates some of the conflicts at the intersection of feminism, theology and law. Among the themes discussed are the cross-over between religious and secular values and assumptions in the search for a just jurisprudence for women, the application of theological insights from religious traditions to legal issues at the core of feminist work, feminist legal readings of scriptural texts on women's rights and the place that religious law has assigned to women in ecclesiastic life. The book is essential reading for legal and religious academics and students working in the area of gender and law or law and religion.