Women and World Religions: Historical Perspectives

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WOMEN’S SPIRITUALITY PROGRAM

WOMEN AND WORLD RELIGIONS: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

Semester and Year: Fall 2011. September 10-11 and weekly September 21-November 23 on Wednesdays 3-6pm Course Number: PARW 6548-02 Course Title: Women and World Religions: Historical Perspectives Units: 1 or 3 Residential Grading Option: Letter Grade for Women’s Spirituality students OR Student Option Instructors: Mara Lynn Keller and Alka Aurora E-mail Address: [email protected]; [email protected] Phone Number: Mara: 415-575-6268; Alka: 415-575-6172 Mailing Address: CIIS, 1453 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 Office Hours: Mara: T TH 2-5 and by appointment and email; Alka:

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Our human past—and hopefully our future—includes a profound sense of the sacredness of women and men, diverse genders and sexual identities, and includes an abiding reverence for Nature. Beginning with the spiritual traditions of Mother Africa, we trace the cultural evolution of religions and the roles of women in various regions of the Near, Middle, and Far East; Old Europe and ancient Crete, Greece, and Rome; India, China, Japan; and the New World. We explore teachings about women’s experiences and the relations of women, men, and children in nature based tribal, Goddess/God and neo-Pagan religions; the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam; the Asian religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto -- with an emphasis on the rites of passage of birth, marriage, death/rebirth/resurrection. The course is designed with three modules: I. Overview of Women and World Religions in Historical Perspective; Nature-embedded Tribal and Goddess/God ancient religions and neo-pagan traditions. II. Abrahamic Religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. III. Asian Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto. Each module provides 1 unit of credit. .

PREREQUISITES: none CO-REQUISITES: none Note: The 3 units of this course are required for new PhD students in Women’s Spirituality. Other students are welcome to take the course for 1 OR 3 units of credit.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: When this course is complete, the student will be able to: 1. Identify key beliefs and rituals in the major religions of the world regarding ultimate reality 2. Understand the status of women and gender roles in several of the world’s religions 3. Understand the relationships of Goddess and God in several of the world’s religions 4. Describe with insight the rites of passage in several of the world’s religions regarding birth, marriage, death, rebirth or resurrection 5. Be familiar with the biographies of several key holy women in diverse religions 6. Be able to design a ritual for personal, family, or public use

PERCENTAGE OF COURSE COMPOSED OF: Lecture: 50% Discussion: 30% Experiential: 20%

ASSIGNMENTS Due Date Percentage of Final Grade

Attendance is required, along with timely presentations; more than 2 absences will diminish your grade or jeopardize passing the course. 10%

For each module I, II, and/or III: 1. Class presentation on one sacred text in synch w/ schedule 10% from Sacred Texts for each module 2. Class presentation on one biography in synch w/ schedule 10% In Ferguson, Young or Ferguson 3. Class presentation on one rite of passage in synch w/ schedule 10% (birth, marriage/sacred union, death/rebirth/resurrection) These are to be from different religions. 4. Final paper: a comparative study of women December 5 60% and rites of passage in two religions and may include your own ritual design OR, an interpretation of a field site visit to a religious rite of your choice OR an interview of a person of a faith tradition other than your own. BAs: 4 pages; MAs: 6 pages; PhDs: 8 pages.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND/OR COURSE READER: 1. Mary Pat Fisher, Women in Religion (New Jersey: Pearson Longman, 2006). 2. Marianne Ferguson, Women and Religion (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1994). 3. Serinity Young, ed. An Anthology of Sacred Texts by and about Women (New York: Crossroads, 1994). 4. Spretnak, States of Grace: The Recovery of Meaning in the Postmodern Age: Reclaiming the Core Teachings and Practices of the Great Wisdom Traditions for the Well-Being of the Earth Community (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991). 5. Selected articles (to be provided)

RECOMMENDED TEXTS: 1. Huston Smith, The World’s Religions. Revised edn. (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991).

COURSE SCHEDULE: OVERVIEW.

WOMEN AND WORLD RELIGIONS

MODULE I. OVERVIEW OF WOMEN AND RELIGIONS IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE; NATURE-EMBEDDED TRIBAL RELIGIONS AND GODDESS / GOD RELIGIONS September 10-11 Overview: Women and World Religions in Historical Perspective Nature-embedded Tribal Religions Goddess and God Religions, ancient and contemporary neo-pagan traditions. Women and rites of passage and blood mysteries: birth, blood menarche/menses/menopause, sexual union, death/rebirth

MODULE II. ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS: JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM 5 weeks -- September 19-0ctober 21 1. Introduction to Women and the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. 2. Judaism 3. Christianity 4. Islam 5. Women and rites of passage in Judaism, Christianity, Islam

MODULE III. ASIAN RELIGIONS: HINDUISM, BUDDHISM, TAOISM, CONFUCIANISM, SHINTO 5 weeks -- October 31-December 2 1. Introduction to Women and Asian religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto 2. Hinduism 3. Buddhism 4. Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto 5. Women and rites of passage in Asian religions

COURSE SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNED READINGS:

MODULE I. OVERVIEW OF WOMEN AND RELIGIONS IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE; NATURE-EMBEDDED TRIBAL RELIGIONS AND GODDESS / GOD RELIGIONS September 10-11 Sign up for presentations in advance of meeting on Saturday. Please select one important woman (featured in Ferguson, Young, or Fisher) and one scriptural passage and one ritual for three different traditions studied this weekend, to present in class, in synch with the schedule

September 10. Overview: Women and World Religions in Historical Perspective Co-creating a central altar with sacred symbols, opening ritual of movement and meditation and prayers Women and Rites of Passage: Birth, Menarche/Menses/Menopause, Sexual Union, Death/Rebirth Nature-embedded Tribal Religions Readings: Campra, Angeleen. “Sophia: Divine Regenerative Force: A Gnostic Representation of Divine Image.” (tbp) Ferguson: Preface, Introduction, chs. 6, 8 Young: Introduction, Shamanism and Tribal Religions Spretnak: ch. 3, “Participation in the Mystery: On an intimate relationship with nature: the wisdom of Native American Spirituality” “The Nature of Revelatory experience….” Pp. 207-232 Student presentations on an important woman, scripture, and/or ritual

September 11. Goddess and God Religions, Ancient and Contemporary Neo-Pagan and Goddess-God traditions. Co-creating a central altar with sacred symbols, opening ritual of movement and meditation and prayers Readings: Keller, “Goddesses around the World,” “Sacred Arts and Rituals of Ancient Crete,” “The Eleusinian Mysteries of Demeter and Persephone” (tbp/to be provided) Ferguson: chs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, Young: Ancient Near East, Greece and Rome; Northern European Paganism; Neopaganism (selections) Spretnak: ch. 4, “Embracing the Body: On honoring the personal body and the Earth body: the wisdom of Goddess Spirituality” Fisher, ch. 9, pp. 286-309 Slideshow: Goddesses around the World Student presentations on an important woman, scripture, and/or ritual

MODULE II. ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS: JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM 5 weeks -- September 21-0ctober 21

September 21: Introduction to Women and the Abrahamic Religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Readings: Fisher, Preface, ch. 1 Spretnak: ch. 5, “Who is the Other? On Social justice and community: the wisdom of the Semitic traditions” Ferguson: ch. 5. Competent Women Who Helped Shape Their Religious Traditions, pp. 130-152 Keller, “Violence against Women and Children in Religious Scriptures and in the Home” (tbp) Recommended: Smith: Judaism, Christianity, Islam Sign up for presentations: Please select one important woman (featured in Ferguson, Young, or Fisher) and one scriptural passage and one ritual, from the different traditions studied this weekend--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam-- to present in class, in synch with the schedule.

September 28. Judaism Readings: Fisher: ch. 6, Women in Judaism Young: Judaism (selections) Spretnak: ch. 5, Who is the Other? Student presentations on an important woman, scripture, and/or ritual

October 5. Christianity Readings: Fisher: ch. 7, Women in Christianity Young: Christianity (selections) Student presentations on an important woman, scripture, and/or ritual

October 12: Islam Readings: Fisher: ch. 8, Women in Islam Young: Islam (selections) Student presentations on an important woman, scripture, and/or ritual

October 19. Women and Rites of Passage in Judaism, Christianity, Islam Discussion of women’s rites of passage—birth, menstrual mysteries, sexual union, death/rebirth.

MODULE III. ASIAN RELIGIONS: HINDUISM, BUDDHISM, TAOISM, CONFUCIANISM, SHINTO 5 weeks online in Caucus: October 31-December 2

October 26. Introduction to Women and Asian religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto Readings: Ferguson: ch. 5. Competent Women Who Helped Shape Their Religious Traditions, pp. 121-129. Recommended: Smith: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam Sign up for presentations: Please select one important woman (featured in Ferguson, Fisher or Young) and one scriptural passage from among the different traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto, to present in class, in synch with the schedule (for a total of 3 presentations)

November 2. Hinduism Readings: Fisher: ch. 3. Women in Hinduism Young: Hinduism (selections)

November 9. Buddhism Readings: Fisher: ch. 4, Women in Buddhism Young: Buddhism (selections) Spretnak: ch. 2, “The Center Holds: On the nature of mind: the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings about Dhamma” Villanueva, Karen. “Mother Love in Buddhism.”

November 16. Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto Readings: Fisher: ch. 5 Women in Confucianism and Daoism Young: Taoism, Confucianism (selections)

November 30. Women and Rites of Passage in Asian Religions Discussion of women’s rites of passage—birth, menstrual mysteries, sexual union, death/rebirth.

CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS: Final papers due: December 5. Final paper: BAs: 4 pages; MAs: 6 pages; PhDs: 8 pages. 40% of grade. 1) a comparative study of women and rites of passage in two religions ( may include your own ritual design) OR 2) an interpretation of a field site visit to a religious rite of your choice, focusing on beliefs, rituals, symbols, experience of the sacred, presence (or absence) of the sacred feminine; OR 3) an interview of a person of a faith tradition other than your own about birth/menstrual mysteries/sexual union/death-rebirth.

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHIES:

MARA LYNN KELLER, PHD (Philosophy, Yale University) is a Professor of Philosophy, Religion, and Women’s Spirituality at the California Institute of Integral Studies. She is a philosopher, thealogian, and specialist on the Eleusinian Mysteries of Demeter and Persephone. Her articles include “The Ritual Path of Initiation into the Eleusinian Mysteries,” “Ancient Crete of the Earth Mother Goddess: Sacred Arts and Communal Ritual;” “Goddesses around the World,” and "Violence against Women and Children in Religious Scriptures and in the Home." As director of the Women’s Spirituality program from 1998-2008, she produced dozens of special events on women’s sacred arts and scholarship, most recently, a joint art exhibition with CERES Gallery in New York on Ineffable/Woman. She serves on the Editorial Council of the OCHRE Journal of Women’s Spirituality. Previously, she taught Philosophy and Women’s Studies at the University of California at Riverside, and at the San Francisco State University, where she also co-founded and coordinated the Global Peace Studies program.

ALKA AURORA, PhD. (to be provided)

CIIS POLICIES:

Mid-semester Evaluation of Instruction: Halfway through the course, students are to be given the opportunity to provide informal, verbal comments to the instructor in a constructive spirit. This is a time for the instructor to receive feedback on his or her efforts, and also a time for students to reflect upon their own. This conversation is to be facilitated by a student chosen by the class. The instructor is to leave the room (or be offline if the course is an online one) while the facilitator is selected.

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY (to be provided)

ONLINE PROTOCOLS (to be provided)

GRADING POLICIES (to be provided; also see WS Program Handbook, Appendix …) LETTER GRADES ATTENDANCE INCOMPLETE REQUESTS WITHDRAWAL FROM CLASS PLAIGARISM

RESEARCH BIBLIOGRAPHY:

RECOMMENDED READINGS/ RESEARCH BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aldredge-Clanton, Jann. In Whose Image? God and Gender. New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1991.

*-----. In Search of the Christ-Sophia: An Inclusive Christology for Liberating Christians. Austin, Texas: Eakin Press, [1995] 2004.

Cady, Susan, Marian Ronan and Hal Taussig. Sophia: The Future of Feminist Spirituality. San Francisco: Harper and Row. 1986.

Campra, Angeleen. “Sophia: Divine Regenerative Force: A Gnostic Representation of Divine Image.” Ph.D. Diss. East- West Psychology. California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, 2001.Carmody, Denise Lardner. Women and World Religions. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, [1979]1989

Christ, Carol P. Laughter of Aphrodite: Reflections on a Journey to the Goddess. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1987.

-----. Rebirth of the Goddess: Finding Meaning in Feminist Spirituality. New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1997.

*----- . “Restoring the Body and the World” from She Who Changes: Re-Imagining the Divine in the World. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003

Eisler, Riane. The Chalice and the Blade. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1987.

Ferguson, Marianne. Women and Religion. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1994.

Fisher, Mary Pat. Women in Religion (New Jersey: Pearson Longman, 2006)

LaPlante, Eve. American Jezebel. The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, The Woman Who Defied the Puritans. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2004.

*Lao Tzu. The Way of Life: According to Lao Tzu. Trans. Witter Bynner. New York: Putnam (A Perigee Book), 1944.

*Keller, Mara Lynn. ʺThe Eleusinian Mysteries: A Nature Religion of Demeter and Persephone.ʺ In Reweaving the World: The Emergence of Ecofeminism. Irene Diamond and Gloria Orenstein, eds. (San Francisco, Sierra Club Books, 1990), 41‐51.

_____. “Goddesses around the World.” In Common Ground Special Issue on Women, No. 113, (Fall 2002): 16, 18‐19,137‐138; republished in She is Everywhere, anthology gathered by Lucia Chiavola Birnbaum. iUniverse, (2005): 201‐208.

_____. ʺCrete of the Mother Goddess: Communal Rituals and Sacred Art.ʺ In ReVision: A Journal of Consciousness and Transformation (Winter 1998): 12‐16.

_____“Violence Against Women in Religious Scriptures and in the Home” In The Rule of Mars: Readings on the Origins, History and Impact of Patriarchy. Christina Biaggi, ed. Manchester Connecticut: Knowledge, Ideas, Trends, Inc., 2005.

Mernissi, Fatima. The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation of Women’s Rights in Islam. New York: Basic Books, 1987.

Newman, Barbara. God and the Goddesses: Vision, Poetry, and Belief in the Middle Ages. Philadelphia PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003.

Peach, Lucinda Joy. Women and World Religions. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002.

Plaskow, Judith. Standing Again at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist Perspective. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1990.

Pollack, Rachel. The Body of the Goddess: Sacred Wisdom in Myth, Landscape and Culture. Rockport MA: Element Books Limited, 1997.

Ruether, Rosemary Radford. Gaia & God: An Ecofeminist Theology of Earth Healing. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1992.

*-----. “Creating a Healed World: Spirituality and Politics.” In Gaia and God. : An Ecofeminist Theology of Earth Healing. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1992.

-----. Goddesses and the Divine Feminine. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press, 2005.

*-----. “The Return of the Goddess” and “Conclusion” from Goddesses and the Divine Feminine.

*Ryan, Jim. “The Sri Yantra.”

*Sanchez. Carol Lee. “New World Tribal Communities.” In Weaving the Visions, ed. Judith Plaskow and Carol P. Christ. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1989.

Sharma, Arvind. ed. Women in World Religions. New York. State University of New York Press, 1987.

_____, ed. Methodology in Religious Studies: The Interface with Women’s Studies. New York: State University of New York Press, 2002.

Smith, Huston. The World’s Religions. Revised edn. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991.

*Spretnak, Charlene. “Revisiting the Church’s Goddess Problem” and “Her Body of Grace” from Missing Mary: The Queen of Heaven and Her Re-Emergence in the Modern Church. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.

Spretnak, States of Grace: The Recovery of Meaning in the Postmodern Age: Reclaiming the Core Teachings and Practices of the Great Wisdom Traditions for the Well-Being of the Earth Community. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991.

*Starhawk. “Power, Authority, and Mystery: Ecofeminism and Earthbased Spirituality” in Reweaving the World: The Emergence of Ecofeminism. Eds. Irene Diamond and Gloria Feman Orenstein. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1990.

*Walker, Alice. “The Only Reason You Want o Go to Heaven is that You Have Been Driven Out of Your Mind (Off Your Land and Out of Your Lover’s Arms): Clear Seeing Inherited Religion and Reclaiming the Pagan Self.” From Anyone We Love Can Be Saved: A Writer’s Activism. New York: Balantine Books, 1997.

Young, Serinity, ed. An Anthology of Sacred Texts by and about Women. New York: Crossroads, 1994. Course Description: Our human past—and hopefully our future—includes a profound sense of the sacredness of women and men, diverse genders and sexual identities, and includes an abiding reverence for Nature. Beginning with the spiritual traditions of Mother Africa, we trace the cultural evolution of religions and the roles of women in various regions of the Near, Middle, and Far East; Old Europe and ancient Crete, Greece, and Rome; India, China, Japan; and the New World. We explore teachings about women’s experiences and the relations of women, men, and children in nature based tribal, Goddess/God and neo-Pagan religions; the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam; the Asian religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto -- with an emphasis on the rites of passage of birth, marriage, death/rebirth/resurrection. The course is designed with three modules: I. Overview of Women and World Religions in Historical Perspective; Nature-embedded Tribal and Goddess/God ancient religions and neo-pagan traditions. II. Abrahamic Religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. III. Asian Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto. Each module is the equivalent of 1 unit of credit. .

Prerequisites: none Co-requisites: none Note: The 3 units of this course are required for new PhD students in Women’s Spirituality. Other students are welcome to take the course for 1, 2, or 3 units of credit.

Learning Objectives: When this course is complete, the student will be able to: 7. Identify key beliefs and rituals in the major religions of the world regarding ultimate reality 8. Understand the status of women and gender roles in several of the world’s religions 9. Understand the relationships of Goddess and God in several of the world’s religions 10. Describe with insight the rites of passage in several of the world’s religions regarding birth, marriage, death, rebirth or resurrection 11. Be familiar with the biographies of several key holy women in diverse religions 12. Be able to design a ritual for personal, family, or public use

Percentage of Course Composed of: Lecture: 50% Discussion: 30% Experiential: 20%

Assignments Due Date Percentage toward Final Grade For each module I, II, and/or III: 1. Class presentation on one sacred text in synch w/ schedule 20% In Sacred Texts 2. Class presentation on one biography in synch w/ schedule 20% In Ferguson 3. Class presentation on one rite of passage in synch w/ schedule 20% (birth, marriage/sacred union, death/rebirth/resurrection) These are to be from different religions. 4. Final paper: a comparative study of women End of semester 40% and rites of passage in two religions; may include your own ritual design; OR, an interpretation of a field site visit to a religious rite of your choice, OR an interview of a person of a faith tradition other than your own. BAs: 4pages; MAs: 6 pages; PhDs: 8 pages.

Required Texts and/or Course Reader: 1. Mary Pat Fisher, Women and World Religion (2006) 2. Marianne Ferguson, Women and Religion (1994) 3. Serenity Young, ed. Sacred Texts by and about Women (1994) 4. Spretnak, States of Grace Spretnak, States of Grace: The Recovery of Meaning in the Postmodern Age: Reclaiming the Core Teachings and Practices of the Great Wisdom Traditions for the Well-Being of the Earth Community. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991.

Recommended Texts: 1. Huston Smith, The World’s Religions. (1991) 2. Arvind Sharma, ed. Women in World Religions (1987).

DRAFT Course Schedule and Assigned Readings.

WOMEN AND WORLD RELIGIONS

MODULE I. OVERVIEW OF WOMEN AND RELIGIONS IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE; NATURE-EMBEDDED TRIBAL RELIGIONS AND GODDESS/GOD RELIGIONS September 10-11 Overview: Women and World Religions in Historical Perspective Nature-embedded Tribal Religions Goddess and God Religions, ancient and contemporary neo-pagan traditions.

MODULE II. ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS: JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM September 19-0ctober 21 Week 1. Introduction to Women and the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Week 2. Judaism Week 3. Christianity Week 4. Islam Week 5. Women and rites of passage in Judaism, Christianity, Islam

MODULE III. ASIAN RELIGIONS: HINDUISM, BUDDHISM, TAOISM, CONFUCIANISM, SHINTO October 31-December 2 Week 1. Introduction to Women and Asian religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto Week 2. Hinduism Week 3. Buddhism Week 4. Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto Week 5. Women and rites of passage in Asian religions

Research Bibliography: RECOMMENDED READINGS/ RESEARCH BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aldredge-Clanton, Jann. In Whose Image? God and Gender. New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1991.

*-----. In Search of the Christ-Sophia: An Inclusive Christology for Liberating Christians. Austin, Texas: Eakin Press, [1995] 2004.

Biaggi, Cristina, ed. The Rule of Mars: Readings on the Origins, History and Impact of Patriarchy. Manchester, Conn.: Knowledge, Ideas, and Trends, Inc., 2006.

Cady, Susan, Marian Ronan and Hal Taussig. Sophia: The Future of Feminist Spirituality. San Francisco: Harper and Row. 1986.

Carmody, Denise Lardner. Women and World Religions. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, [1979]1989

Christ, Carol P. Laughter of Aphrodite: Reflections on a Journey to the Goddess. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1987.

-----. Rebirth of the Goddess: Finding Meaning in Feminist Spirituality. New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1997.

*----- . “Restoring the Body and the World” from She Who Changes: Re-Imagining the Divine in the World. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003

Eisler, Riane. The Chalice and the Blade. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1987.

LaPlante, Eve. American Jezebel. The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, The Woman Who Defied the Puritans. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2004.

*Lao Tzu. The Way of Life: According to Lao Tzu. Trans.Witter Bynner. New York: Putnam (A Perigee Book), 1944.

_____. ʺCrete of the Mother Goddess: Communal Rituals and Sacred Art.ʺ In ReVision: A Journal of Consciousness and Transformation (Winter 1998): 12‐16.

Mernissi, Fatima. The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation of Women’s Rights in Islam. New York: Basic Books, 1987.

Peach, Lucinda Joy. Women and World Religions. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002.

Plaskow, Judith. Standing Again at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist Perspective. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1990.

Pollack, Rachel. The Body of the Goddess: Sacred Wisdom in Myth, Landscape and Culture. Rockport MA: Element Books Limited, 1997.

Ruether, Rosemary Radford. Gaia & God: An Ecofeminist Theology of Earth Healing. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1992.

*-----. “Creating a Healed World: Spirituality and Politics.” From Gaia and God.

-----. Goddesses and the Divine Feminine. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press, 2005.

*-----. “The Return of the Goddess” and “Conclusion” from Goddesses and the Divine Feminine.

*Ryan, Jim. “The Sri Yantra.”

*Sanchez. Carol Lee. “New World Tribal Communities.” In Weaving the Visions, ed. Judith Plaskow and Carol P. Christ. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1989.

Sharma, Arvind, ed. Women in World Religions. New York. State University of New York Press, 1987.

Smith, Huston. The World’s Religions. Revised edn. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991.

Spretnak, States of Grace.

Villanueva, Karen. “Mother Love in Buddhism.” In Journal of the Association for Research on Mothering, Vol.7, Number 1.

Young, Serinity, ed. An Anthology of Sacred Texts by and about Women. New York: Crossroads, 1994.

Instructor Biographies:

TBD

CIIS POLICIES: