ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book investigates the relationship between religion, cities and gender. Historically, religion has been a major factor in shaping civilisation, music, art, architecture and town planning, and the wider countryside and environment. Religious land use, development and building stock requirements are seldom recorded or surveyed by the planners, so they are rendered invisible. There has always been an uneasy relationship between religion and feminism because of the perceived patriarchal and misogynist nature of the Church and its apparent endorsement of women’s oppression within society. Religious buildings, ranging from Baptist churches to local mosques soon opened their doors to victims of all faiths and none, and acted as collection points for donations of food, clothing and other necessities. It is estimated that Christian churches alone in the UK provide over £3 billion of social work each year.
