The Feminine Face of God: The Unfolding of the Sacred in Women
By: Sherry Ruth Anderson
This book is a diverse examination of the uniquely feminine aspects of faith in God. The authors interviewed a variety of women, including a Seneca elder, an ex-nun, a rabbi, a social worker and a Jungian analyst. Each woman shares her story about how the traditional patriarchal models of religion lack relevance for her life. Instead they speak of how they’ve redefined their spiritual beliefs and practices to embrace their experiences as women. The book follows the unfolding of life from childhood to adult experiences of creativity, love, family, sexuality and community. I had a lot of “a ha” moments when I read this book. The experiences described and feelings expressed by the interviewees articulated many of my own thoughts and feelings about faith in ways I had not been able to articulate them myself. I recommend this book for any woman who has ever found more spiritual truth in her own personal experiences than in the traditional beliefs and practices of patriarchal religion.
Reviewer: Cindy Lennartson
