A Booklist Top Ten Religion Book of the Year

Description

An old African-American churchgoers' saying rings true for most religious denominations in the United States: "Women are the backbone of the church." For centuries, women have been the majority of members in almost all religious groups. They provide essential financial and social support and work tirelessly in the background of all church-based activities. Yet it is largely men who occupy the high rungs of church hierarchy, and they are the ones who get most of the credit. Ann Braude examines the important role of women in American religious history, focusing on their recent admission to public religious leadership and their fight for equal rights and recognition through the centuries. Both noted and little known women--such as Margaret Winthrop, Jarena Lee, Mary Baker Eddy, Henrietta Szold, Aimee Semple McPherson, and Mary Daly--spring to life in the pages of this thorough, passionate book.

Reviews

"A brisk, informative history of the myriad roles women have played in America's religious history.... In a volume of this sort, objectivity is a virtue, and Braude achieves it.... [Braude's] analysis of the long struggle of women to achieve official sanction and ordination is particularly effective. Clear, fundamental, and comprehensive [book]."--Kirkus Reviews

"This book is a standout in its discussion of the role that women have played in American religious life.... Braude explains how and why women have been the spiritual, social, and even financial backbone of religious institutions, yet they have never had the power of their male counterparts.... Black-and-white illustrations and historical engravings pepper the text."--Booklist

"The work is broad in its spectrum and it is quite readable. Braude deals with the religious contributions of women in America from many different groups and voices. This is the strength of the work. Its inclusivity of women from various historical time periods as well as various ethnic groups makes it a rich and valuable survey of American women in religion. Braude provides a panorama of the breadth of women's contributions to the development of religion in America"--Ashland Theological Journal

"Braude looks at women's influence on religious groups from Puritanism to Christian and Muslim feminism and Reformed Judaism. Chapters describing the activities of individual women such as the 19th-century African-American preacher Jarena Lee and Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy highlight the unique position a few women have been afforded by their rise to prominence under the mantle of religion.... This is a good starting point for examining this topic."--School Library Journal

"Excellent... This volume is very inclusive... The text is also very readable. Each chapter begins with a compelling story which draws the reader in. The illustrations are marvellous and the selections from primary texts contained in each chapter would be helpful."--Religious Studies in Secondary Schools
Read the complete review at http://www.rsiss.org/bkbraude.html

Product Details

144 pages; 65 halftones; 7-1/2 x 9-1/4; ISBN13: 978-0-19-510676-3ISBN10: 0-19-510676-8

About the Author(s)