Religion

Gender and Christianity in Modern Europe

Beyond the Feminization Thesis Patrick Pasture & Jan Art (eds)

case studies upon the use of concepts like feminization and masculinization in relation to christianity

Since the 1970s the feminization thesis has become a powerful trope in the rewriting of the social history of Christendom. However, this ‘thesis’ has triggered some vehement debates, given that men have continued to dominate the churches, and the churches themselves have reacted to the association of religion and femininity, often formulated by their critics, by explicitly focusing their appeal to men. In this book the authors critically reflect upon the use of concepts like feminization and masculinization in relation to Christianity. By presenting case studies that adopt different gendered approaches with regard to Christian, mainly Catholic discourses and practices, the authors capture multiple ‘feminizations’ and ‘masculinizations’ in Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries. In particular, it becomes clear that the idea that Christianity took on ‘charicteristically feminine’ values and practices cannot withstand the conclusion that what is considered ‘manly’ or ‘feminine’ depends on time, place, and context, and on the reasons why gendered metaphors are used.

patrick pasture is associate professor in history at the University of Leuven, where he co-ordinates the research unit Modernity & Society 1800–2000 (MoSa). His research focuses on European labour history and the social history of Christianity in Europe and North America. jan art retired as professor of history at the University of Ghent in 2010. He has published widely on 19th and 20th century cultural and religious history, social science methodology in history, and psychohistory. contributors Angela Berlis (University of Berne), Thomas Buerman (University of Gent), Marjet Derks (Radboud University Nijmegen), Hugh McLeod (University of Birmingham), Marit Monteiro (Radboud University Nijmegen), Michael E. O’Sullivan (Marist College Poughkeepsie, NY), Patrick Pasture (University of Leuven), Bernhard Schneider (University of Trier), Marieke Smulders (Radboud University Nijmegen), Tine Van Osselaer (Fund for Scientific ResearchFlanders). € 39,50 / £35.00 isbn 978 90 5867 912 3 06/2012 17 x 23,8 cm Paperback 256 p. nur 704 kadoc-Studies on Religion, Culture and Society 10 English

Also published in the series kadoc–Studies on Religion, Culture and Society Christian Masculinity. Men and Religion in Northern Europe in the 19th and 20th Centuries Yvonne Maria Werner (ed) € 39,50 / £35.00, isbn 978 90 5867 873 7, June 2011, English