Early feminist theologians joined liberal orthodoxy to reconcile faith with science

Evidence

This exact intent may be attributed to the writings of feminist theologians. Frances Willard, also a contributor to feminist theology, reconciled gender equality with the vital spirit of the Bible. She noted that the insistence on “real facts” had changed not only views toward science and medicine but also those toward theology, causing theology to become more flexible and to see the Bible as an expansive work that “grows in breadth and accuracy with the general growth of humanity.” Willard advocated the “scientific interpretation of the Holy Scriptures” and urged women to lend a gendered perspective to the modern exegesis of the Bible. — Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, Righteous Discontent, 636

Categorization

• SEED: Willard’s ‘grows in breadth and accuracy with the general growth of humanity’ is a quotable formulation for the history of how religious groups update sacred texts — could anchor an essay on the tradition of progressive scriptural reading predating modern debates.
• SHARE: Frances Willard, remembered mostly as a temperance leader, was also a feminist theologian pushing ‘scientific interpretation’ of scripture — worth sending to anyone studying either religious liberalism or early feminism.
• XREF: connects to: Feminist theology sought to reform religion rather than reject it. — Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, Righteous Discontent: The Women’s…, 640; Catholic Modernism reconciled Church doctrine with modern science.

Broader Connections

• Feminist theology sought to reform religion rather than reject it. #expands (0.88) — Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, Righteous Discontent, 640
• Catholic Modernism reconciled Church doctrine with modern science. #expands (0.78)