Christian Imperial Feminism: White Protestant Women and the Consecration of Empire

White American Protestant women embraced a racially specific version of social inclusiveness that centered themselves as the norm during the early twentieth century. This Christian imperial feminism marked a break from an earlier Protestant world view that focused on moral and racial purity and prioritized issues like civil rights and racial integration, with white women retaining a privileged place as guardians.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 30 January 2024
Publisher: New York University Press

Amidst the tumultuous early twentieth century, white Christian American women embraced a unique version of social inclusivity, positioning themselves as the norm within a racially diverse "empire of Christ." This ideology emerged as a response to America's growing power and the increasing roles of women within the church. Driven by a combination of religious fervor and imperialistic ambitions, white Protestant women adopted a form of feminism that was deeply rooted in both religion and imperialism.

In her comprehensive examination, Gale L. Kenny delves into this Christian imperial feminism, tracing its origins from the women's missionary movement to its ultimate goal of creating a Christian world order. She reveals that this feminist movement marked a significant departure from the earlier Protestant worldview, which prioritized moral and racial purity and considered interactions among races inconceivable. Instead, Christian imperial feminism placed a strong emphasis on issues such as civil rights, racial integration, and the empowerment of women. While the vision of a racially diverse Christian world was still rigidly hierarchically ordered, with white women retaining a privileged position as guardians, this new approach sought to address the injustices and inequalities of the time.

By shedding light on these complex dynamics, this book departs from the recent scholarship on white evangelical nationalism and delves into the racial politics of white religious liberalism. Christian Imperial Feminism offers a valuable addition to our understanding of religion, gender, and empire, providing a fresh perspective on the intersection of these powerful forces in the early twentieth century.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479825516