Godly Women: Fundamentalism and Female Power

The value of Brasher's book resides in its ability to probe and explore paradox. Women who believe in submission to men find power in that world view. Scholarly analysis and empathic description yield different but interwoven truths. Readers tired of simplistic discussions of any of Brasher's concerns--women, fundamentalism,family life--will find this a refreshing book.Brasher's ethnographic approach gave her insight into women's lived experience, both the rational and irrational bases of their choices to become fundamentalist, as the women she interviewed did. The sources of female power within the fundamentalist churches are real and concrete. Women's ministries and gender segregated congregational activities provide an alternative source of political power as well as providing women with mutual emotional and material support. Informal influence is also expressed by women in complex negotiations with the male power structure, whose power both in the church and in the home, ultimately resides in male submission to God. All are spiritually equal before God.Brasher further notes that the stereotyped view of fundamentalist women as antifeminist ignores wide variation in actually held views. These views vary by individuals as well as by issue. Workplace equality is endorsed by a majority of her interviewees. The relationship between conservative religion and the popular cultural context is as complex and nuanced as the other relationships she explores.My only (minor) complaint stems from the book's brevity. While Brasher balances scholarly analysis and narrative description of lived experience, I sometimes found the resulting discussion oddly abstract. While her empathic style allows these women's voices to be heard, at times it is nevertheless a slightly muted voice. Moreover, and despite the book's brevity, many of Brasher's major conclusions become repetitive. In particular this was the case with her emphasis on the role of women's ministries as an outlet for female energy and growth. At times I felt like saying, "Okay, I got the point." On the whole, however, this book is refreshingly insightful, and ultimately respectful of its subject. For those of us who, like Brasher, remain concerned about the negative cultural influences of fundamentalism, this is Brasher's most significant accomplishment.

Brascher's Godly Women is an empathetic, inductive, and scholarly look at religious women who use their faith as a source of empowerment. Focusing on women's talk within two fundamentalist churches, Brascher's ethnography questions the assumptions that religion-especially fundamentalism-is merely male-dominated or misogynistic. Her subjects find many nuanced and creative ways to influence their culture. What I continued to hear in Brascher's ethnography was my own mother's voice. She continues to attribute her empowerment to her faith. "Before I was a Christian, I didn't want to say or do anything. When I got saved, I had something important to say. I wanted to get involved." It seems before her conversion the world was too big and her voice was too small. Afterwards, however, she saw avenues of influence in small groups. The world was smaller, and her voice was enabled. Many scholars do not take the time to see and listen to that kind of power. Brascher takes that opportunity and proves that religious women can enact real change.

Fundamentalist women often are depicted as dedicated to furthering the goals and ideals of fundamentalist men and thus of ancillary importance to the movement as a whole. In Godly Women,I examine the paradox that fundamentalist women can be powerful actors in a religious cosmos generally deemed to be organized around their disempowerment. In doing research for this book, I spent two years as a participant/observer in Christian fundamentalist congregations followed by six months of immersion specifically in congregational-based women's ministries. Thus, the book draws upon my first-hand observations as well as excerpts from my interviews with fundamentalist women across the US to present a uniquely personal portrait of contemporary female Christian fundamentalists.