This book is about the devotional subcultures which women have always created. Its authors draw their evidence and inspiration from the Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic and Christian traditions of Asia, in particular.
Here we find women as healers, goddesses, saints, gurus, nuns and heretics. One thing these remarkable women all share is their defiance of orthodoxy and fundamentalist interpretations oppressive of women. Instead they have created religious alternatives which appeal profoundly to huge numbers of women. Not that these alternatives, as the authors who have written this book show, are accepted by the mainly male religious establishment. Indeed women's rejection of patriarchal interpretations of religion and their creative revisioning of religion in their daily spiritual practice can be a very dangerous activity.
In addition to fascinating glimpses of little known aspects of the feminine within the great religions, this book is also a reflection of the newly emerging spirituality of women in Asia as they experience and respond to the political and social injustices they confront.
Industry Reviews
Gendering the Spirit is a significant contribution to the nascent field of women and religion...Not only does the book provide an extraordinary overview of women's spirituality, past and present; but it also introduces the reader to an often hidden world of love, compassion and, most important today, resistance. * Anna Suvorova, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences *
With a wealth of depth and originality, the collection overall makes for an excellent read. * Ayesha Jalal, Economic and Political Weekly *
By emphasizing the frameworks through which "religion" is understood, Ahmed's structuring of the volume highlights unacknowledged assumptions in Northern academic discourse as it addresses women, gender and spirituality. This engaging collection significantly expands this discourse. Readers will be tantalized for further work on (post)coloniality, gender and religion, and explorations into how power infuses analyses of religion, culture and gdner, as well as normative projects that proceed from such work. * Donna Maeda, Journal of the American Academy of Religion *
A real treasure trove... It provides superb resources for researchers and students interested in gender and religion, in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity in Southeast Asia, and in theories about the feminine and masculine drawn from religion, psychology, mythology and symbolism...All in all, this is an excellent publication which deserves to be widely known and read. * Feminist Theology Journal *
This volume is not another feminist critique of fundamentalism but takes us beyond religion into feminine spirituality from the point of view of various cultures - Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Buddhist. The book is a formidable step forward in crosscultural reflection on spirituality and feminism. * Jan Nederveen Pieterse, University of Illinois *
This remarkable collection of essays is a much-needed addition to the burgeoning literature on women's spirituality...enthusiastically recommended for both scholars and students in religious studies, cultural studies, and women's studies. * Journal of Asian Studies *
Gendering the Spirit is a tour de force in women's studies - uncovering the elements of the longue duree (long duration), the subterranean, the half hidden, the half realised forces softly at work - incisive, tackling the big question and placing the stories of women who made a difference within it. * Latika Padgaonkar, The Pioneer *
A very timely and welcome addition to the growing literature on women and religions....all told, Gendering the Spirit is one book that is highly and enthusiastically recommended. * Shahla Haerie, Boston University *
