ABSTRACT
This essay argues that feminism and religion are not incompatible. The intersection of feminism and religion mirrors the diverse ways in which religious folk themselves interpret scripture, perform devotional rituals, inhabit religious institutions, and transform their societies. The first section addresses some key debates and methodologies. The next section examines how religious feminists have acknowledged certain problematic elements in their faith traditions, on the one hand, and how feminist scholars have studied the interplay among religion, power, and Western feminism, on the other hand. The third section discusses the provincialization of secular feminism on the part of historians, feminist theologians, and anthropologists of religion. The penultimate section sheds light on the centering of goddesses and female role models and focuses on the writings of Delores S. Williams and Vasudha Narayanan. The final section examines how feminist theologians appropriate religious authority through scriptural hermeneutics and women’s leadership in religious communities.
