Introduction
If you’re just starting to learn about why we need feminism today, welcome aboard! We’re so glad to have you join our little cult. Wait, don’t go! I’m kidding. I promise. Someone just once told me that feminists were a crazed cult of feminazis and I decided to make a joke about it because humor definitely fixes the problem with that statement. Anyway, if you’re new here, you might benefit from reading my Crash Course in Feminism before learning about these amazing Christian feminist books.
When I first started calling myself a feminist, I found it really difficult to find books that tackled topics like Purity Culture or sexism in Christianity…that was until I discovered I could be a Christian feminist! If you think those two words are opposites, I’m about to blow your mind. Jesus believed in equality and freedom from oppression. I would include a specific verse, but everything He said dealt with this in some way, so it would be impossible to include every example of Jesus being a feminist, but I’ll include one just for fun. He talked to Samaritan women (John 4:1-26) and treated His female disciples with the same respect as his male followers (there are also more recent arguments being made that Jesus did in fact have female apostles, as well). In conclusion, it’s okay to be a Christian feminist and, honestly, should be completely agreed upon, but I digress.
I chose books for this list by whether or not I had read and learned something from them, whether or not I want to read them, and whether or not they have 4+ stars on GoodReads. Each book had to be in at least one category to be selected and most were in at least two. If I haven’t read a certain book, I will let you know when I’m talking about it so you know to take my thoughts on it with a grain of salt. Also, they’re not in any specific order. So with that being said, let’s get started!
1. Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey
I read this book, I don’t even know how many years ago, but it’s the reason why I began calling myself a Christian feminist. Upon reading Jesus Feminist, I realized that the word, feminist, wasn’t actually a bad word. I haven’t stopped obsessing over feminism and religion since reading this book. It has been a while, but I think it’s a great starting place for anyone coming from an Evangelical or Conservative background. Bessey breaks down verses that are famous for condemning women piece by piece in a way that’s easy to understand and follow.
2. Shameless: A Sexual Reformation by Nadia Bolz-Weber
I read Shameless in about two days earlier this month. I listened to the audiobook and it can also be absolutely hilarious at times. Bolz-Weber has a way with words that is wholly captivating and always moving. If you’re not a fan of Evangelical Purity Culture, this would be a great book to get a better understanding of why it’s not the solution. She talks about everything from purity to sex before marriage to abortion. I don’t think I agreed with everything but it is well worth the read. I, honestly, feel like Bolz-Weber taught me things about myself that I had never been able to find the words for until listening to her talk about it. This is a must-read for every Christian feminist.
3. Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Where should I start? This book is a life-changer. Doyle takes you on a journey from her childhood to her current life. I was underlining paragraphs on almost every single page because it is so poetic. This book is not only a beneficial read from the women’s rights and Christianity standpoint, but also for LGBTQ+ rights, racism, Evangelicalism, and mental health and Christianity view point. It will change the way you think about God and yourself, for sure. These things are especially important for those of us, Christian feminists, who love intersectionality.
4. Inspired by Rachel Held Evans
This book is not as much about feminism as it is a book that gave me the ability to heal from church-related and religious trauma. Evans uses the Jewish concept of Midrash, a term for the retelling of biblical stories to make them more modern or relatable, to help the reader connect with the Bible, personally. For me, it opened up an entirely different way of interpreting and relating to the bible. It felt like these “characters” from the bible that I had heard about since birth were being resurrected in my mind.
A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans might be more related to Feminism and Christianity, but I haven’t read it so I’m not sure. However, I have still heard really good things about it (as with all of her writing).
5. Song in a Weary Throat: Memoir of an American Pilgrimage by Pauli Murray
This is one book I haven’t read, but I am obsessed with Pauli Murray. She was a queer, black lawyer, activist, author, poet, and priest way before her time (in the 1940s). She practically invented intersectional feminism before feminism was widely supported, but is not given hardly any of the credit. For that reason alone, I decided to include her book. Since this book is a memoir, it’s also about race, slavery, religion, and feminism all together (as far as I can tell) because these things all had a major affect on her life. Plus, why would I only include white authors in this list? That wouldn’t be a very accurate representation of Christian feminism.
6. Scripture, Ethics, & the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships by Karen R. Keen
Since we’re talking about things that aren’t directly about Christian feminism, let’s talk about queer people (because they are an important part of feminism). Keen addresses homosexuality in a way that even conservatives will applause. She’s honest, up-front, and addresses arguments for all sides of Christian thought about LGBTQ+ rights (according to the bible); The reason why I’m including this in the list isn’t because it’s just an awesome book I think you should read. It’s also because the Christian feminist (whether purposeful or not) tends to leave the non-binary, trans, and queer women/people in female bodies behind instead of making enough space in the circle for all women. It’s always nice to have a reminder that queer people are loved in Jesus’ name.
7. Fierce, Free, & Full of Fire by Jen Hatmaker
I just started reading Fierce, Free, & Full of Fire this week and it is similar to Untamed in that it’s gonna blow your mind when you read it. Hatmaker has a way of writing that invites you in immediately. I even read the introduction, for goodness sake. That’s gotta say something. Another thing Hatmaker does really well is that she explains the need for feminism in a way that’s much more palatable to everyone than most women who are tired of the patriarchy (it might be a good read for your mom or grandmother today). This isn’t to say that her ideas are out-dated. Nope, they are exactly what the intersectional Christian feminist is expressing. She just has a different way with words. All that said, you should DEFINITELY read it.
8. Mujerista Theology: A Theology for the Twenty-First Century by Ada María Isasi-Díaz
This is another one I haven’t read, yet. I still wanted to include it, though, because liberation theology goes hand in hand with Christian feminism and for a lot of straight, cis, white women it can be easy for them to overlook. If you couldn’t tell by the Spanish in the title, this version of liberation theology is specifically for Latin women. Whether or not you identify as Latinx, I’d still recommend reading this book (and others meant for identities different than your own). It will only help you broaden your horizons and grow as someone who loves unconditionally.
9. Womanist Midrash by Wilda C. Gafney
Evans, first, introduced me to this book in Inspired and I’ve continued to hear about it again and again since then. It is an exploration of the women in the Hebrew scriptures and nearly every review leaves five stars. Dr. Gafney writes some of the best feminist biblical scholarship in this book and you absolutely have got to read it if you’re a Christian feminist! All I need to do is get my hands on a copy.
10. Texts of Terror: Literary-Feminist Readings of Biblical Narratives by Phyllis Trible
Along with Womanist Midrash, this is another book in the Christian feminist hall of fame. Trible discusses four infamous biblical stories about women (AKA the texts of terror). Most Christians don’t enjoy looking at these passages for too long because they aren’t pretty. Reading about them is like looking into the sun, it hurts but you need the sun to stay alive. It genuinely hurts to look at these stories for too long, but these women in the texts of terror are vital to our understanding of Christianity even though no one talks about them.
11. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
You might be wondering why I’ve included a fictional dystopian novel in this list, but I think it’s important (massive trigger warning for cussing and detailed descriptions of sexual assault, rape, suicide, and religious abuse in this book). One thing that is really cool about The Handmaid’s Tale is that every single event, name, or ritual is based on something that has already happened. It’s just once you combine them, they seem a million times worse. Atwood tells the story of a young woman living in Gilead who is routinely raped on a monthly basis for the purpose of reproduction. At the same time, she is also being indoctrinated with propaganda supporting Gilead. Throughout the whole novel, there are references to Christianity, bible verses (that aren’t really bible verses), and most things are named after people or things in the bible. It mostly feels like an extreme Evangelical cult. Even though it’s not explicitly Christian, it’s still a really good read for the Christian feminist. It’s a very well-written story of a woman who only wants to be free, something I think we can all relate to.
12. Resist and Persist: Faith and the Fight for Equality by Erin Wathen
Resist and Persist is a really interesting book for me and any other Christian feminist because Wathen takes the time to explain, define, and expose every single layer of feminism and the reality of how much it is needed. She believes that Christians and other fait communities need to be a major part of pushing women’s rights to the forefront because of her own role in the church as a pastor (even now, some would still say she’s not a real pastor or that she needs to step down). She details how the patriarchy is a part of our everyday lives from the words we use to the clothes we wear. I haven’t read this book, either, but I seriously haven’t seen a single negative review for it. So, I’ve just gotta recommend it!
Conclusion
If there are any books you’ve read that you’d like me to include in this list, feel free to let me know in the comments below! I’d love to give them a read. I sincerely hope these books help you feel a little more at home within the Christian community–especially if it’s burned you before. It can be so hard to dip your toes back into the ocean of religion. So, if you’re feeling that, this is definitely a great place to start as a lot of these books have a less churchy, patriarchal viewpoint. Even more specifically, if that’s you, the first book you should read is Shameless. It will blow your little still-a-theology-nerd-but-not-sure-if-I’m-still-Christian mind right to heaven (or maybe, hell depending on who’s reading this). In truth, though, your mind will be blown no matter which book you read, first. I only recommend the best.
