More than a generation after the rise of women's history alongside
the feminist movement, it is still difficult, observes Catherine
Brekus, to locate women in histories of American religion. Mary
Dyer, a Quaker who was hanged for heresy; Lizzie Robinson, a former
slave and laundress who sold Bibles door to door; Sally Priesand, a
Reform rabbi; Estela Ruiz, who saw a vision of the Virgin Mary--how
do these women's stories change our understanding of American
religious history and American women's history?
In this provocative collection of twelve essays, contributors
explore how considering the religious history of American women can
transform our dominant historical narratives. Covering a variety of
topics--including Mormonism, the women's rights movement, Judaism,
witchcraft trials, the civil rights movement, Catholicism, everyday
religious life, Puritanism, African American women's activism, and
the Enlightenment--the volume enhances our understanding of both
religious history and women's history. Taken together, these essays
sound the call for a new, more inclusive history.
Contributors:
Ann Braude, Harvard Divinity School
Catherine A. Brekus, University of Chicago Divinity School
Anthea D. Butler, University of Rochester
Emily Clark, Tulane University
Kathleen Sprows Cummings, University of Notre Dame
Amy Koehlinger, Florida State University
Janet Moore Lindman, Rowan University
Susanna Morrill, Lewis and Clark College
Kristy Nabhan-Warren, Augustana College
Pamela S. Nadell, American University
Elizabeth Reis, University of Oregon
Marilyn J. Westerkamp, University of California, Santa Cruz