Hello, Christians Who Still Don’t Get Feminism

Recently, I sat down with Josh deKeijzer at HelloChristian.com for an interview about feminism and Christianity. Josh took the opportunity to ask me some of the main questions that Christians who remain skeptical or outright hostile to feminism still have. As much as I can’t believe that there are still people who think feminism is some kind of malevolent movement, I understand that stereotypes and misunderstandings abound.

Here’s one part of our conversation:

Wasn’t feminism born in a very anti-Christian environment?
There is a historical answer to this question and there is one that has to with definition. And in both cases the answer to your question is “no”. As for the definition of feminism, it is a movement that advocates for the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. Feminism does two things: it criticizes inequality and injustice and it advocates for the full equality of women. There is a critical piece as well as an advocacy piece. Ultimately feminism is not just about gender but the way gender intersects with race, class, and sexuality. It’s rather important to note this, since there’s a lot of misunderstanding about what feminism is. Now, there is also a historical answer. Feminism is talked about in three waves. During the first wave of feminism in the 19th century, in which women fought for the right to vote, many leaders in the suffrage movement were Christian women.

So, you don’t need to subvert Christianity in order to be a feminist?
I don’t think so, but feminism is a multi-vocal movement. Just like there are different ways of being Christian, there are different ways of being a feminist. Some feminists in fact do think that Christianity is hopelessly patriarchal and entirely the root of all women’s problems. They see it as an irretrievably patriarchal religion that they do not want to associate with. Mary Daly is a good example. I love her work in many ways; I even think there is room for the radical voice. But just as Christians who reject feminism are wrong, so feminists who reject Christianity are mistaken. I’m in the middle because I think both feminism and Christianity have something to offer.

Where do feminism and Christianity connect and agree?
There are two important themes that emerge in the Biblical text. One is that we are made in the image of God and the second is that we are justified by grace. While feminism might use a different language it addresses the same themes when it talks about protecting women’s access to education, equity and fairness in the workplace, political participation. Both of these themes to me are based on the idea that each human is valuable in the eyes of God.

For the full interview, click here.

To get my book, Feminism and Christianity: Questions and Answers in the Third Wave, chat up your local independent bookseller or click here.