Gender and Christianity in Modern Europe (Paperback)

Patrick Pasture

ISBN 10: 9058679128 / ISBN 13: 9789058679123

Published by Leuven University Press, Leuven, 2012

About this Item

Paperback. Since the 1970s the feminization thesis has become a powerful trope in the rewriting of the social history of Christendom. However, this 'thesis' has triggered some vehement debates, given that men have continued to dominate the churches, and the churches themselves have reacted to the association of religion and femininity, often formulated by their critics, by explicitly focusing their appeal to men. In this book the authors critically reflect upon the use of concepts like feminization and masculinization in relation to Christianity. By presenting case studies that adopt different gendered approaches with regard to Christian, mainly Catholic discourses and practices, the authors capture multiple 'feminizations' and 'masculinizations' in Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries. In particular, it becomes clear that the idea that Christianity took on 'characteristically feminine' values and practices cannot withstand the conclusion that what is considered 'manly' or 'feminine' depends on time, place, and context, and on the reasons why gendered metaphors are used. Since the 1970s the feminization thesis has become a powerful trope in the rewriting of the social history of Christendom. However, this 'thesis' has triggered some vehement debates, given that men have continued to dominate the churches, and the churches themselves have reacted to the association of religion and femininity, often formulated by. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9789058679123

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Gender and Christianity in Modern Europe (Paperback)
• Publisher: Leuven University Press, Leuven
• Publication Date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9058679128
• ISBN 13: 9789058679123
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Since the 1970s the feminization thesis has become a powerful trope in the rewriting of the social history of Christendom. However, this 'thesis' has triggered some vehement debates, given that men have continued to dominate the churches, and the churches themselves have reacted to the association of religion and femininity, often formulated by their critics, by explicitly focusing their appeal to men.In this book the authors critically reflect upon the use of concepts like feminization and masculinization in relation to Christianity. By presenting case studies that adopt different gendered approaches with regard to Christian, mainly Catholic discourses and practices, the authors capture multiple 'feminizations' and 'masculinizations' in Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries. In particular, it becomes clear that the idea that Christianity took on 'characteristically feminine' values and practices cannot withstand the conclusion that what is considered 'manly' or 'feminine' depends on time, place, and context, and on the reasons why gendered metaphors are used.