Carolyn McCulley

I learned a lot about the history of the feminist movement while reading this book. The author gives really good information about this, along with the Biblical response to the feminist world. She then shares testimonies of people at the end of each chapter, that dealt with the issues in that chapter, which were also very good. It was a well balanced book that I highly recommend.

The back cover of this book describes it well: "How can we understand the delicate balance of cultural influence, historical perspective, and biblical authority when it comes to our role as women in the home, workplace, church, and culture? In what ways have the three waves of feminism hindered God's vision for women?"
"Written by a former feminist who now finds herself embracing the distinctions between men and women, 'Radical Womanhood' will equip women from all different perspectives and backgrounds to understand what it means to be a woman."… (meer)

One the whole, this is a great book, and I quite appreciate McCulley's approach to her topic. She offers much practical advice, but does so with a an eye to spiritual considerations. She is sympathetic to the trials that single women face, but doesn't encourage women to engage in self-pity or blame others (men, their churches etc) for being single. Instead, she focuses on how we can do God's will and serve others.

Having said that, there are a few caveats:

1. She keeps quoting Douglas Wilson, who I generally find extremely problematic. The bits she quoted weren't bad, but I would not want someone to read her and then move onto WIlson - who's outlook on women wavers between openly chauvinistic and patronizing.

2. At one point, she openly states that women were created to help men. Wrong. Women were created to glorify God and enjoy him forever.I suspect that this unqualified statement was just a poorly worded and thought out sentence that got missed in the editing process, but it really spoils one chapter.

3. The first 2 caveats are kind of nitpicky, but this last one is actually a pretty glaring hole. When talking about careers, McCulley doesn't seem to think that a woman's career might be an essential part of her calling. As a single woman, I believe that glorifying God in my career is an essentail part of my calling and my life as a Christian. While McCulley encourages women to work dilligently in their careers, she implies that a career is a secondary part of our lives. Just as married women should put their family first, single women should put serving their church, working in charities etc first. Now, there may be some truth to this, but just as men serve God through their vocation, so do women. I wish that MCulley recognized this. Should I be active in my church and hospitable to other Christians? Absolutely. But I also serve God daily in striving for excellence in my career and applying his Word to the daily choices I make.… (meer)

McCulley was a devout feminist before becoming a Christian. After her conversion she began looking at the movement from a Biblical point of view.

She gives a thorough overview on the history of the feminist movement including the fact that there have actually been three waves of feminism throughout history. McCulley then examines the movement through the lens of the Bible. I was particularly struck by her view that sin is the root of the movement. Men were sinning against women and feminism was women's sinful response to the abuses they were experiencing. She makes several other valid points and I think I will have to read it again to absorb them.

I truly learned a great deal from this book and highly recommend it.… (meer)