Hail Mary?: The Struggle for Ultimate Womanhood in

by Maurice Hamington

Overview

Hail Mary? examines the sexist and misogynist themes that underlie the socially constructed religious imagery of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Maurice Hamington explores the sources for three prominent Marian images: Mary as the "the blessed Virgin," Mary, the "Mediatrix"; and Mary, "the second Eve." Hamington critiques these images for the valorization of sexist forces with the Catholic Church that serve to maintain systems of oppression against women. In challenging dominant, religious representations of Mary, Hamington surveys a variety of emerging reinterpretations of Mary. He then provides a framework for further study of "non-alienating" images of Mary.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781136663024
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/23/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	216
File size:	464 KB

About the Author

Maurice Hamington, Oregon State University

Table of Contents

Introduction; Chapter 1 The History and Social Construction of Mary; Chapter 2 The Struggle to Control Mary; Chapter 3 Catholic Sexual Morality and the Blessed Virgin Mary; Chapter 4 Mary, the Mediatrix and Asymmetrical Gender Power; Chapter 5 Women and Evil / Mary and Eve; Chapter 6 The Recasting of Marian Imagery;

Editorial Reviews

"This fascinating analysis of the many images of Mary illuminates ideological struggles within Catholicism. An important contribution to feminist thought." — Barrie Thorne, Professor of Sociology and Women's Studies, University of California, Berkeley.
"Hamington has written such a fascinating book that I had to put my pen down lest I underline everything." — National Catholic Reporter ...this work reads well and is worth one's time and effort. It provides an interesting approach to Mary- a provocative work reminding Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christians that, despite attempts to crown Mary either literally or metaphorically, diamonds are certainly not this woman's best friend. Michael Whalen, Diocese of Wilmington
"A good overview of feminist problems with promises of Mary in contemporary Catholicism." — WATERwheel Vol. 9, No. 4, 1996
"Harrington's book is an excellent discussion of both the development of Marian imagery and its critique by feminist theology ... This analysis of Mary is a splendid vehicle for the discussion of the Catholic Church's understanding of women." — Church History

From the Publisher