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The book, Beyond God the Father: Toward a Philosophy of Women’s Liberation, by Mary Daly. Published in 1973.<\/p><\/div>\n
In 1973, Mary Daly, an American radical feminist theologian, philosopher and ethicist (Stefon), released <\/span>Beyond God the Father: Toward a Philosophy of Women\u2019s Liberation<\/span><\/i>. Because of Daly\u2019s radical approach, many women rejected her ideas while accepting them as new spiritual ideas. In this book, Mary Daly challenges the Christian doctrine and suggests that Christianity has manifested itself as a symbol for the patriarchy and an enabler of misogyny. Daly\u2019s radicalism prompts her to outright reject Judeo-Christian, Roman Catholic and Protestant religions. Her critiques of these traditional religions lead into her argument that women\u2019s religiosity and spirituality must come from within oneself and not be dependent on a male figure. In her book, she argues that \u201cthe women\u2019s revolution, insofar as it is true to its own essential dynamics, is an ontological, spiritual revolution, pointing beyond the idolatries of sexist society and sparking creative action in and toward transcendence\u201d (Daly 6). She emphasizes that \u201cthe liberation of language is rooted in the liberation of ourselves\u201d (Daly 8). Creating spaces that help women become comfortable with expressing themselves results in the societal and spiritual liberation of women. It breaks the chains of the patriarchy and allows for women to recognize their own sense of power and participate in new theologies and philosophies. Not only does Daly believe that women\u2019s literary works are a form of liberation, but she views the women\u2019s movement as a form of \u201ccosmic covenant\u201d that may transform sexist society as she draws similarities between prophets and women in the movement. She affirms that, \u201c…prophets have been persons who do not receive their mission from any human agency, but seize it. The revolution of women has this kind of dynamic…what we are \u2018seizing\u2019 and \u2018usurping\u2019 is that which is rightfully and ontologically ours \u2013 our own identity that was robbed from us and the power to externalize this in a new naming reality\u201d (Daly 164). The Women\u2019s Liberation Movement offered opportunities that allowed women to reclaim their feminine identities and redefine their realities through different spiritual and religious beliefs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0Among the critiques of this book, Audre Lorde published a letter to Mary Daly expressing how the book has been \u201cstrengthening and helpful\u201d (Lorde) to her in her perception of Eurocentric religions. Carol Anne Douglas also provided her opinion on Daly\u2019s book in the second issue of the fourth volume of <\/span>Off Our Backs<\/span><\/i>. She summarizes Daly\u2019s arguments and provides her own opinion on Daly\u2019s radical views on the women\u2019s movement as a form of female transcendence. As a feminist writer, Douglas\u2019s critiques Daly\u2019s argument by addressing that \u201cOne problem with Daly\u2019s perception of feminism as a religious revelation is that\u00a0 feels it must have a message for men some day too; separatism can only be a temporary means of self-strengthening (even if it is a necessary temporary step) rather than a goal\u201d (Douglas). This critique implies that Douglas must want the message to only be available to women as it can create a form of feminine power that rejects any traces of men who may abuse this power. She\u00a0 agrees with and praises Daly\u2019s perspectives on the women\u2019s movement and regards her philosophies \u201ccogent and exciting.\u201d Which in turn provides the audience of <\/span>Off Our Backs<\/span><\/i> an opportunity to understand Daly\u2019s points and internalize these arguments to redefine their relationship with religion as feminists.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Within this same issue of <\/span>Off Our Backs<\/span><\/i>, Mary Beth Edelson depicts different women who have contributed to the women\u2019s movement through art like Louise Bourgeois, Lee Krasner and Georgia O\u2019Keeffe in a picture of the <\/span>Last Supper<\/span><\/i> by Leonardo Davinci. By replacing the faces of Jesus and his disciples with the faces of women, Edelson<\/span><\/p>\n A picture created by Mary Beth Edelson as it appears in the second issue of the fourth volume of Off Our Backs.<\/p><\/div>\n displays the transformation of religion that Mary Daly advocated for in <\/span>Beyond God The Father<\/span><\/i>. The redefinition of religion encouraged women to interpret religious texts under the lens of feminism as well as stray away from male-centered religions and prioritize women as equal human beings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By outwardly rejecting the Christian doctrine, Daly helps women realize that by reconstructing religion to prioritize their identities and fit their wants and needs the women\u2019s movement is further empowered. The radical viewpoints that Mary Daly makes in her book creates a new perception of the women’s movement as a religious revelation that is spearheaded by women\u2019s literary and creative works. The shift towards female spirituality and religiosity revitalizes the power of women and transcends male-centered religions.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sources:<\/span><\/p>\n Daly, Mary. <\/span>Beyond God the Father: Toward a Philosophy of Women’s Liberation<\/span><\/i>. United States, Beacon Press, 1985. <\/span>https:\/\/www.google.com\/books\/edition\/Beyond_God_the_Father\/tswJvbG9mAQC?hl=en&gbpv<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Fannie Lou Hamer, et al.\u00a0 <\/span>Off Our Backs<\/span><\/i>, vol. 4, no. 2, Jan. 1974, pp. 1\u201320, <\/span>https:\/\/jstor.org\/stable\/community.28041805<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lorde, Audre. \u201cAn Open Letter to Mary Daly: Audre Lorde (1979).\u201d <\/span>History Is a Weapon<\/span><\/i>, https:\/\/www.historyisaweapon.com\/defcon1\/lordeopenlettertomarydaly.html.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In 1973, Mary Daly, an American radical feminist theologian, philosopher and ethicist (Stefon), released Beyond God the Father: Toward a Philosophy of Women\u2019s Liberation. Because of Daly\u2019s radical approach, many women rejected her ideas while accepting them as new … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/engl113-f18\/files\/2021\/12\/Screen-Shot-2021-12-13-at-7.04.09-PM-300x199.png\")