Course Syllabus
Required Book:
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices: four centuries of American women's religious writing . Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995.
Lindley, Susan Hill. “You have Stept out of your Place” : A History of Women and Religion in America, Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996.
Zink-Sawyer, Beverly. From Preachers to Suffragists: Woman’s Rights and Religious Conviction in the Lives of Three Nineteenth-Century American Clergywomen, Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003.
Recommended Books:
Braude, Anne. Sisters and Saints: Women and American Religion. New York; Oxford University Press, 2008. (Published in 2000 hardcover as Women and American Religion… excellent but necessarily brief –only 123 pages - overview of the subject with good chronology and references.
Butler, Jon, Grant Wacker, and Randall Balmer. Religion in American Life: A Short History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003 (General introduction to religion in US. Chapters 9 – 11, 17 & 20 are of particular interest).
Lerner, Gerda. The Female Experience: An American Documentary, Indianapolis, IN: Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc. 1977 (many documents related to reform movements as well as others)
Pope-Levison, Priscilla. Turn the Pulpit Loose: Two Centuries of American Women Evangelists, New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2004 (Biographies of eighteen women preachers and reformers)
Wills, Garry. Head and Heart: A History of Christianity in America, New York:Penguin Books, 2007 (General religious history, very opinionated, but lively by a Pulitzer prize winning church historian)
Recommended Websites:
www.wctu.org (see history tab)
www.uic/jaddams/hull
http://womenshistory.about.com
Additional Texts on Reserve:
Abzug, Robert. Cosmos Crumbling: American Reform and the Religious Imagination, New York; Oxford University Press, 1994.
Chappell, David L. A Stone of Hope: Prophetic Religion and the Death of Jim Crow
Haddad, Yvonne Yarzbeck and Ellison Banks Findley eds. Women, Religion and Social Change
James, Janet Wilson, ed Women in American Religion
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Women & Religion in America vols. 1,2,3
Kelley, Mary. Learning to Stand and Speak: Women, Education, and Public Life in America's Republic
Lynd Staughton. Nonviolence in America
Wacker, Grant. Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture
Weisenfeld, Judith, Newman, Richard, This far by faith: readings in African-American women's religious biography
Reference works with topics of specific interest:
James, Edward T., editor Notable American women, 1607-1950 : a biographical dictionary
Oboler, Suzanne and Deena J. González, eds in chief. Oxford encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States
Smith, Jessie Carney, editor Notable Black American women
Ware, Susan, editor Notable American Women: a biographical dictionary completing the twentieth century
- Weekly readings, class participation, regular attendance. Classroom exchange is as important as the reading. (Each absence = reduction of one letter attendance grade; consistent tardiness also reduces the grade. See instructor for makeup in case of an emergency). [1/5 of grade]
- *One class report, chosen from the topics asterisked in the syllabus, presented orally to the class, and submitted in written form (5 type-written pages maximum) to the instructor: The grade will be based primarily on the written version (clarity, organization, thoughtfulness, and range of issues and applications considered) [1/5 of grade]
- *One book review (see bibliography), presented orally to the class, and submitted in written form (5 typewritten pages maximum) to the instructor. The reviewer is asked (a) to give a clear overview of the key points in the book and (b) to identify up to ten ideas he/she has found most helpful or informative. The reviewer is asked to prepare some "visuals" (hand-outs, chalkboard outlines, or overhead projector transparencies, etc.) to enhance communication with the group, and to present at least one issue for group discussion (maximum 5 pages). [1/5 of grade]
- *A Final Project, due May 14. Notify instructor of your choice of topic by March 12, indicating some tentative bibliography and the question you plan to explore. The student has the choice of writing either on a standard research topic (minimum 10 pages - maximum 15 pages), or preparing an essay (minimum 7 pages maximum 10 pages) on the students own spirituality and the impetus it provides for involvement in reform as a way of relating the substance of the course to the experience and interests of the student. Further guidelines for this latter option will be provided [2/5 of grade].
*All academic papers are to conform to conventional technical, grammatical and stylistic standards referred to in the Hartford Seminary General Guidelines for a Research Paper. The Hartford Seminary Grading Guidelines will be the standard of evaluation for work in the course.
Course Objectives
- To provide an opportunity for reflecting critically on the diverse historical, social, economic, artistic, theological, economic, religious, ecclesiastical, and psycho-spiritual factors at work in the emergence of the myriad reform movements of the 19th and 20th centuries --- toward the end of an enriched understanding of the reform opportunities related to issues of religion and faith today.
- To be able to identify specifically the contributions of women of various faith traditions in reform movements.
- To be able to construct a brief chronology of reform movements of the 19th and 20th centuries in the USA…. Noting the main events, movements, and persons that mark that history.
- To become familiar with the key figures whose thought and writing fueled the ideas and energy for these reforms.
- To appreciate the role of theology as a way of wrestling with the recurrent issues of society.
Syllabus
January 27 (Session 1 Overview of 18th century reform movements as lead in to 19th century reforms.
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices: four centuries of American women's religious writing . pgs 1-16, 61 – 97
Lindley, Susan Hill. “You have Stept out of your Place” : A History of Women and Religion in America. pgs. ix- 58
February. 3 (Session 2) Introduction to 19th century reform concerns
Braude, Anne. Sisters and Saints: Women and American Religion. Pgs. 1-94
Butler, Jon. Religion in American Life: A Short History Pgs. 182-226
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices: four centuries of American women's religious writing . pgs 209-245
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Women & Religion in America vol. 1 pgs. 294 – 340
Zink-Sawyer, Beverly. From Preachers to Suffragists: Woman’s Rights and Religious Conviction in the Lives of Three Nineteenth-Century American Clergywomen pgs. ix -68
February 10 (Session 3) Abolitionists – *
Haddad, Yvonne Yarzbeck and Ellison Banks Findley eds. Women, Religion and Social Change pgs. 433-455
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices: four centuries of American women's religious writing. pgs 248-279
Lindley, Susan Hill. “You have Stept out of your Place” : A History of Women and Religion in America. pgs, 90-116.
Zink-Sawyer, Beverly. From Preachers to Suffragists: Woman’s Rights and Religious Conviction in the Lives of Three Nineteenth-Century American Clergywomen pgs. 69 –169
February 17 (Session 4) Suffragists - *
Haddad, Yvonne Yarzbeck and Ellison Banks Findley eds. Women, Religion and Social Change pgs. 419-431
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices : four centuries of American women's religious writing pgs. 276 - 279
Lynd Staughton. Nonviolence in America pgs. 82 -89
Zink-Sawyer, Beverly. From Preachers to Suffragists: Woman’s Rights and Religious Conviction in the Lives of Three Nineteenth-Century American Clergywomen pgs. 171 -241.
February 24 (Session 5) Sunday school reformers *
Pope-Levison, Priscilla. Turn the Pulpit Loose: Two Centuries of American Women Evangelists pgs. 1-23, 73 –95
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America pgs. 889 – 906
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Women & Religion in America vol. 1 pgs. 316 – 318
March 3 (Session 6) Education reformers *
Smith, Jessie Carney, editor Notable Black American women pgs. 376 – 379
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America pgs. 912 – 939
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Women & Religion in America vol. 1 pgs. 315 – 316
Lerner, Gerda. The Female Experience: An American Documentary pgs 203 -256
March 10 (Session 7) Prison & health reformers *
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America pgs. 1021 – 1037
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Women & Religion in America vol. 1 pgs. 318 – 319
Lindley, Susan Hill. “You have Stept out of your Place” : A History of Women and Religion in America. pgs, 135-147.
March 17 NO Class - Reading week
March 24 (Session 8) Temperance reform *
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices : four centuries of American women's religious writing pgs. 279 – 281
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Women & Religion in America vol. 1 pgs. 324 – 328
Smith, Jessie Carney, editor Notable Black American women pgs. 391 – 393
Weisenfeld, Judith, Newman, Richard, This far by faith : readings in African-American women's religious biography pgs. 1-18, 177- 184
March 31(Session 9) Labor right *
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices: four centuries of American women's religious writing pgs. 284 - 286
Lerner, Gerda. The Female Experience: An American Documentary pgs. 257 - 316
Lynd, Staughton. Nonviolence in America pgs. 315 -316
April 7 (Session 10) Immigrant rights * & Introduction to 20th century reform concerns
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America pgs. pgs . 059 – 1076
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices : four centuries of American women's religious writing . pgs. 97 – 108
Lindley, Susan Hill. “You have Stept out of your Place” : A History of Women and Religion in America. pgs, 298-406.
April 14 (Session 11) Civil rights *
Chappell, David L. A Stone of Hope: Prophetic Religion and the Death of Jim Crow
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America Vol 3. pgs.1081 – 1093
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices : four centuries of American women's religious writing pgs. 281 - 284
Smith, Jessie Carney, editor Notable Black American women pgs. 383 – 386
April 21 (Session 12) Peace activism *
Lynd, Staughton. Nonviolence in America pgs. 91 –99, 192 –201, 405 –426, 473 – 476, 515 –520
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America Vol 3. pgs.1050 – 1059
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices: four centuries of American women's religious writing pgs.286 – 288
April 28 (session 13) Reform of religion *
Haddad, Yvonne Yarzbeck and Ellison Banks Findley eds. Women, Religion and Social Change pgs. 477-494
Keller, Rosemary Skinner and Rosemary Radford Ruether eds. In our own voices: four centuries of American women's religious writing pgs., 291- 340 [Chapter 7]
May 12 FINAL PAPERS DUE
* For each of these weeks, students will be asked to select – based on the student’s particular interest- from a list of reformers supplied by the instructor for a brief report on the reformers specific contributions to the particular area of reform. The information in the biographical dictionaries listed above will be the basis of this research. You will be expected to reflect on the information you find during your research and take the lead in the class discussion on the person.
