Christian feminism is a school of Christian theology which uses the viewpoint of a Christian to promote and understand morally, socially, and spiritually the equality of men and women. Christian theologists argue that contributions by women and acknowledging women's value are necessary for a complete understanding of Christianity. Christian feminists are driven by the belief that God does not discriminate on the basis of biologically-determined characteristics such as sex and race, but created all humans to exist in harmony and equality regardless of those factors. On the other hand, Christian egalitarianism is used for those advocating gender equality and equity among Christians but do not wish to associate themselves with the feminist movement.
Christian feminists and scholars believe that interpretations of biblical texts as well as works of some religious figures may push sexist traits or responsibilities that if they are not acknowledged, may continue to perpetuate the patriarchy present in the church. The issues that arise from the patriarchy in the church include the discouraged ordination of women, the lack of equality in a marriage, abortion rights, the lack of recognition for women's spirituality, and pushing a masculine image of God.Concerns also exist over how women are handled in today's culture since they are expected to be subordinate to men, according to how early Christian religious writings are interpreted. Despite that, women are continuing to pursue the goodness that the Christian faith teaches them and an example is Japan's Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Through interpretations of biblical texts and writings of early religious figures, Christian feminists and scholars draw from these sources to argue both sexism present in Christianity and the equality that should be present between men and women. These texts then present the inconsistencies of concepts that emerge between the writings of religious figures and the Bible.
History
Some Christian feminists believe that the principle of egalitarianism was present in the teachings of Jesus and the early Christian movements such as Marianismo, but this is a highly contested view by many feminist scholars who believe that Christianity itself relies heavily on gender roles. These interpretations of Christian origins have been criticized by secular feminists for "anachronistically projecting contemporary ideals back into the first century." In the Middle Ages Julian of Norwich and Hildegard of Bingen explored the idea of a divine power with both masculine and feminine characteristics. Proto-feminist works from the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries addressed objections to women learning, teaching and preaching in a religious context. One such proto-feminist was Anne Hutchinson who was cast out of the Puritan colony of Massachusetts for teaching on the dignity and rights of women.
The first wave of feminism in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries included an increased interest in the place of women in religion. Women who were campaigning for their rights began to question their inferiority both within the church and in other spheres, which had previously been justified by church teachings. Some Christian feminists of this period were Marie Maugeret, Katharine Bushnell, Catherine Booth, Frances Willard.
During the 1960s and the 1970s many evangelical women were influenced by the civil rights movement. Christian Feminists began writing and publishing articles concerning reproductive rights as well as inequality in marriage and in the religious hierarchy. In response to these articles, groups such as the EWC or Evangelical Women's Caucus, and the ESA or Evangelicals for Societal Action were formed in order to create a social movement in the church to address such issues.