Description
Book SynopsisA groundbreaking, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary analysis of women's experiences in World Christianity Women in World Christianity: Building and Sustaining a Global Movement is the first textbook to focus on women's experiences in the founding, spread, and continuation of the Christian faith. Integrating historical, theological, and social scientific approaches to World Christianity, this innovative volume centers women's perspectives to illustrate their key role in Christianity becoming a world religion, including how they sustain the faith in the present and their expanding role in the future. Women in World Christianity features findings from the Women in World Christianity Project, a groundbreaking study that produced the first quantitative dataset on gender in every Christian denomination in every country of the world. Throughout the text, special emphasis is placed on women in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the period of Christianity's shift from the global North to the global South. Easily accessible chapters organized by continent, tradition, and select topics introduce students to the wide variety of Christian belief and practice around the world. The book also discusses issues specifically relevant to women in the church: gender-based violence, ecology, theological education, peacebuilding and more. This textbook: Provides a balanced view of women's involvement in Christianity as a world religion and how they sustain the faith todayIntroduces students to female theologians around the world whose scholarship is generally overlooked in Western theological educationDiscusses women's essential contributions to Christian mission, leadership, education, relief work, healthcare, and other social services of the churchComplements the growing body of literature about Christian women from different continental, regional, national, and ecclesiastical perspectivesExplores the contributions of contemporary Christian women of all major denominations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and OceaniaHelps students become more aware of the unique challenges women face worldwide, and what they are doing to overcome themWomen in World Christianity: Building and Sustaining a Global Movement is an excellent primary textbook for introductory courses on World Christianity, History of Christianity, World Religions, Gender in Religion, as well as undergraduate and graduate courses specifically focused on women in World Christianity.
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments x
List of Tables xii
List of Figures xv
Introduction: Why Women in World Christianity? 1
Gender and Quantitative Research on World Christianity 2
Women in the World Today 4
Is World Christianity a Women’s Movement? 6
Contents of This Book 7
Part I Women in World Christianity by Continent 11
1 Women in World Christianity 13
World Christianity, 1900–2050 14
World Christianity by Major Tradition, Family, and Denomination 19
Dynamics of Religious Change 24
Women in Christian History 26
Women in Social Scientific Research 28
Women in Theology 31
Conclusion 32
2 Women in African Christianity 35
Christianity in Africa, 1900–2050 37
Women in African Christianity: Past and Present 42
African Women in Theology 49
Conclusion 50
3 Women in Asian Christianity 54
Christianity in Asia, 1900–2050 56
Women in Asian Christianity: Past and Present 62
Asian Women in Theology 70
Conclusion 71
4 Women in European Christianity 76
Christianity in Europe, 1900–2050 78
Women in European Christianity: Past and Present 84
European Women in Theology 91
Conclusion 92
5 Women in Latin American and Caribbean Christianity 97
Christianity in Latin America and the Caribbean, 1900–2050 98
Women in Latin American and Caribbean Christianity: Past and Present 105
Latin American and Caribbean Women in Theology 112
Conclusion 113
6 Women in North American Christianity 117
Christianity in North America, 1900–2050 118
Women in North American Christianity: Past and Present 124
North American Women in Theology 132
Conclusion 134
7 Women in Oceanic Christianity 138
Christianity in Oceania, 1900–2050 139
Women in Oceanic Christianity: Past and Present 145
Oceanic Women in Theology 150
Conclusion 152
Part II Women in World Christianity by Tradition and Movement 157
8 Women in Catholicism 159
Catholics, 1900–2050 160
Women in Catholic History 164
Vignettes: Catholic Women Worldwide 166
Conclusion 176
9 Women in Orthodox Christianity 181
Orthodox, 1900–2050 182
Women in Orthodox History 187
Vignettes: Orthodox Women Worldwide 191
Conclusion 194
10 Women in Protestant Christianity 197
Protestants, 1900–2050 198
Women in Protestant History 202
Vignettes: Protestant Women Worldwide 205
Conclusion 211
11 Women in Independent Christianity 215
Independents, 1900–2050 216
Women in Independent Christian History 220
Vignettes: Independent Women Worldwide 223
Conclusion 228
12 Women in Pentecostal/Charismatic Christianity 231
Pentecostals/Charismatics, 1900–2050 232
Women in Pentecostal/Charismatic History 237
Vignettes: Pentecostal/Charismatic Women Worldwide 239
Conclusion 245
13 Women in Evangelicalism 248
Evangelicals, 1900–2050 249
Women in Evangelical History 254
Vignettes: Evangelical Women Worldwide 256
Conclusion 259
Part III Women in World Christianity by Select Topics 263
14 Christianity and Gender-based Violence 265
Gender-based Violence and Discrimination Worldwide 266
Christianity and Gender-based Violence 268
Christian Responses to Gender-based Violence 272
Conclusion 279
15 Christian Women and Ecology 284
Global Ecological Challenges 285
Gendered Impacts of Ecological Challenges 286
Christian Responses to Ecological Challenges 287
Conclusion 295
16 Christian Women and Theological Education 300
Historical Vignette: Women and Theological Education in the United States 301
Women and Theological Education Worldwide Today 302
Conclusion 311
17 Christian Women and Peacebuilding 316
What is Peacebuilding? 317
Christianity and Peace 319
Vignettes: Christian Women in Peacebuilding 320
Conclusion 326
Conclusion 330
Further Research 332
Appendices 334
Glossary 345
Index 352
