Women Preaching Revolution: Calling for Connection in a Disconnected Time

by Elaine J. Lawless

Do women preach differently than men? In Women Preaching Revolution Elaine J. Lawless contends that they do. Drawing on her study of more than 150 sermons and extensive interviews with the clergywomen who preached them, Lawless argues that women have changed traditional preaching in ways that reflect their socialization as women and their experiences of being female in America.

Many of the women in her study were expected to take courses on the art of preaching as part of their seminary training. Most of them rejected the sermon structure and strategies they were taught in seminary, viewing them as part of a "male" homiletic tradition, and developed styles that celebrate their commitment to connection, relationship, and dialogue.

Hardcover

First published December 1, 1996

Reviews

[Susannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually, now that I've read it mostly, I have to take back my previous glowing review. The image of the spiral that she uses is not actually for the method of reciprocal ethnography itself as I originally thought it was. It is used rather to describe the way these ministers operate and I didn't actually find the image that compelling in a more thorough reading. The major problem with this book is actually the reciprocal ethnography itself which errs too much on presenting a picture that is too 'indigenous' and not 'analytical' enough. Or maybe it's not even indigenous, these women seemed like they could do no wrong in Lawless' eyes and Lawless foregoes the larger sociological analysis that would place these women in context as white middle-class Protestant women.