Author: Rebecca Jones
ISBN:  978-0-8054-3091-2

The following review was contributed by: Kathryn Atwood: Click Here To View More Of Kathryn's Reviews

In light of the plethora of books detailing the inner workings of global
fundamentalism, Rebecca Jones' book, "Does Christianity Squash Women," is
also worth considering.  Although evidently geared towards Christian women
(each chapter contains open-ended discussion questions), Jones' scholarly,
measured and readable style can be a thought-provoking read for anyone
interested in learning more about how the teachings of Christ apply to
women.

Jones, a Wellesly graduate and former Presbyterian missionary, first looks
at the failures of feminism, then explores the Biblical principles of
womanhood, chronicling the lives of some off-beat Old Testament women who
were (surprisingly) included in the lineage of Christ (a Gentile, two
prostitutes and an adulteress for starters).  She also explores the
respectful manner in which Jesus treated all women, reputable or otherwise:
"it is obvious by the way Jesus treats women that he would not favor the
repressive practices recommended by some to 'keep women in their place.'"

One of the main concerns over Christian fundamentalism (and the source of
its unfavorable comparisons with the burkas of Islamic fundamentalism) is
the concept of "female subjection" in the marriage relationship.  Jones
paints a picture of the "subjective" Christian wife, not as a dumb blond or
passive, wilting wallflower, but as someone who is engaged in a type of
spiritual athleticism: "submission to a sinful human husband . . .  is not
for weaklings.  It takes tremendous strength, as Jesus shows us when He
submits to His Father's will and goes to the cross."

On many levels, this is a successfully well thought-out treatise.  However,
at certain points, specifically in the book's beginning and end, Jones
comes across as more than a bit naive.  First, in her castigation of
feminism, she doesn't allow that the movement - although fraught with
failures which even leading feminists now acknowledge - was absolutely
necessary at the time.   It is obvious that Jones' negative opinion of
feminism stems, at least in part,  from her wonderful experiences with
Christian men, which she chronicles at the book's end to further illustrate
her point. This example is at once a weakness and a strength: it does
support her thesis somewhat to show that, at least in Jones' personal
experiences, Christian men don't oppress women.  Yet for her to therefore
conclude that therefore feminism wasn't and isn't necessary is extremely
naive.

Jones knows her Bible, however, and when she focuses on Christ's female
lineage, along with his behavior and teachings, "Does Christianity Squash
Women?" is quite successful, a solid and an enlightening read.