Spiritualising the sacred: A critique of feminist theology

TY - JOUR

T1 - Spiritualising the sacred

T2 - A critique of feminist theology

AU - Woodhead, Linda

PY - 1997/4

Y1 - 1997/4

N2 - This article submits feminist theology to a two-pronged theological critique. First, the article notes the overwhelmingly critical nature of feminist theology, and suggests that this concentration on critique at the expense of construction is itself a weakness of feminist theology. Further, it argues that the feminist critique tends to construe Christianity in a way which distorts the more complex realities of the faith, placing too much emphasis on the textual nature of Christianity. Second, the article argues that feminist attempts to construct new theologies are flawed because of their dependence upon the contentious notion of ‘women’s experience’ and their consequent failure to engage with the traditional resources of theology. The article concludes with the suggestion that much feminist theology is dependent upon an influential post-Christian strand of religiosity, and that it uncritically appropriates the latter’s unhelpfully individualistic, monistic and idealist stance.

AB - This article submits feminist theology to a two-pronged theological critique. First, the article notes the overwhelmingly critical nature of feminist theology, and suggests that this concentration on critique at the expense of construction is itself a weakness of feminist theology. Further, it argues that the feminist critique tends to construe Christianity in a way which distorts the more complex realities of the faith, placing too much emphasis on the textual nature of Christianity. Second, the article argues that feminist attempts to construct new theologies are flawed because of their dependence upon the contentious notion of ‘women’s experience’ and their consequent failure to engage with the traditional resources of theology. The article concludes with the suggestion that much feminist theology is dependent upon an influential post-Christian strand of religiosity, and that it uncritically appropriates the latter’s unhelpfully individualistic, monistic and idealist stance.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84992839564&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/1468-0025.00037

DO - 10.1111/1468-0025.00037

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84992839564

SN - 0266-7177

VL - 13

SP - 191

EP - 212

JO - Modern Theology

JF - Modern Theology

IS - 2

ER -