Influential classic Christian feminist books, primarily (though not exclusively) from second-wave Christian feminism’s early period (1970s through 1980s)
Compiled by Nancy A. Hardesty, Professor of Religion, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
Bilezikian, Gilbert. Beyond Sex Roles. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1985.
Bristow, John Temple. What Paul Really Said about Women. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988.
Bushnell, Katherine. God’s Word to Women. Privately published, 1912, 1923. Reprint available from God’s Word to Women Publishers, P.O. Box 315, Mossville, IL 61552.
Crawford, Janet, and Michale Kinnamon, eds. In God’s Image: Reflections on Identity, Human Wholeness, and the Authority of Scripture. New York: Friendship Press, 1983.
Daly, Mary. Beyond God the Father. Boston: Beacon Press, 1973.
Daly, Mary. Women in Church History.
Finger, Reta Halteman, and Kari Sandhaas, eds. The Wisdom of Daughters: Two Decades of the Voice of Christian Feminism. Philadelphia: Innisfree Press, 2001.
Fiorenza, Elisabeth Schussler. Bread Not Stone: The Challenge of Feminist Biblical Interpretation. Boston: Beacon Press, 1984.
Fiorenza, Elisabeth Schussler. In Memory of Her: Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins. New York: Crossroad, 1983.
Gundry, Patricia. Heirs Together: Mutual Submission in Marriage. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1980.
Gundry, Patricia. Woman Be Free! Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1977.
Hagen, June Steffensen, ed., Rattling Those Dry Bones: Women Changing the Church. San Diego: LuraMedia, 1995.
Hardesty, Nancy. Inclusive Language in the Church. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1986.
Hardesty, Nancy. Women Called to Witness: Evangelical Feminism in the Nineteenth Century. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1984. 2d ed. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 19
Hassey, Janette. No Time for Silence: Evangelical Women in Public Ministry Around the Turn of the Century. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.
Hearn, Ginny. Our Struggle to Serve: The Stories of 15 Evangelical Women. Waco, TX: Word Books, 1978.
Jewett, Paul. MAN as Male and Female. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1975.
Jewett, Paul. The Ordination of Women. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1980.
Johnson, Elizabeth A. She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse. New York: Crossroad, 1992.
Kalven, Janet, and Mary I. Buckley, eds. Women’s Spirit Bonding. New York: Pilgrim Press, 1984.
Mercadante, Linda. From Hierarchy to Equality: A Comparison of Past and Present Interpretations of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 in Relation to the Changing Status of Women in Society. Vancouver, B.C.: G-M-H Books, Regent College, 1978.
Mickelson, Berkeley, and Alvera Mickelson. “Does Male Dominance Tarnish Our Translations?” Christianity Today, October 5, 1979, pp 23-27.
Mollenkott, Virginia Ramey. The Divine Feminine: The Biblical Imagery of God as Female. New York: Crossroad, 1983.
Mollenkott, Virginia Ramey. Godding: Human Responsibility and the Bible. New York: Crossroad, 1987.
Mollenkott, Virginia Ramey. Speech, Silence, Action! Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1980.
Mollenkott, Virginia Ramey. Women, Men, and the Bible. Nashville: Abingdon, 1977. Rev. ed. New York: Crossroad, 1988.
Moltmann-Wendel, Elisabeth. The Women around Jesus. New York: Crossroad, 1982.
Morton, Nell. The Journey Is Home. Boston: Beacon Press, 1985.
Otwell, John. H. And Sarah Laughed. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1977.
Penn-Lewis, Jessie. The Magna Charta of Women. Bournemouth, UK: The Overcomer Book Room, 1919. Reprint ed., Minneapolis: Bethany Fellowship, 1975.
Ruether, Rosemary. Disputed Questions: On Being a Christian. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1982.
Ruether, Rosemary. New Woman, New Earth: Sexist Ideologies and Human Liberation. New York: Seabury Press, 1975.
Ruether, Rosemary. Religion and Sexism. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1974.
Ruether, Rosemary. Sexism and God-Talk: Toward a Feminist Theology. Boston: Beacon Press, 1983.
Ruether, Rosemary. Womanguides:Readings Toward a Feminist Theology. Boston: Beacon Press, 1985.
Ruether, Rosemary. Women-Church: Theology and Practice. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985.
Ruether, Rosemary, and Rosemary Skinner Keller, Women & Religion in America: A Documentary History. Published in three volumes. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1981, 1983, 1986.
Russell, Letty, ed., Feminist Interpretation of the Bible. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1985.
Russell, Letty, ed., Human Liberation in a Feminist Perspective — A Theology. Philadelphia: Westminister Press, 1974.
Russell, Letty, ed., The Liberating Word. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975.
Sayers, Dorothy L. Are Women Human? Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1971.
Scanzoni, Letha Dawson, and Nancy A. Hardesty. All We’re Meant to Be: Biblical Feminism for Today. Waco, TX: Word Books, 1974. 2d ed., Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1986. 3d rev. ed. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992.
Scanzoni, Letha Dawson, and Virginia Ramey Mollenkott. Is the Homosexual My Neighbor? San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1978. Rev. ed.
Scholer, David. “Feminist Hermeneutics and Evangelical Interpretation.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 30 (December 1987): 407-20.
Solle, Dorothee. The Strength of the Weak: Toward a Christian Feminist Identity. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1984.
Spencer, Aida Besancom. Beyond the Curse. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1985.
Swartley, Willard M. Slavery, Sabbath, War, and Women. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1983.
Tennis, Diane. Is God the Only Reliable Father? Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1985.
Thistlethwaite, Susan Brooks. Sex, Race, and God: Christian Feminism in Black and White. New York: Crossroad, 1984.
Trible, Phyllis. God and the Rhetoric of Sexuality. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1978.
Trible, Phyllis. Texts of Terror: Literary-Feminist Readings of Biblical Narratives. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984.
Wahlberg, Rachel. Jesus According to a Woman. New York: Paulist Press, 1975.
Weems, Renita. Just a Sister Away: A Womanist Version of Women’s Relationships in the Bible. San Diego: LuraMedia, 1988.
Weidman, Judith L., ed. Christian Feminist: Visions of a New Humanity. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1984,
Wilson-Kastner, Patricia. Faith, Feminism, and the Christ. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983.
This is great – is there another list for more contemporary books?
Hi Kizzy! Thank you so much for your comment. Having a more contemporary list of feminist books and resources is a super idea! Thank you for the question/suggestion… stay tuned I’ll work to make such a list in the coming weeks!
Katie Deaver
Web Content Manager