Ebooks for the Classroom+Faculty

Graceful Exits
ISBN: 9780253110718
Platform/Publisher: Project MUSE / Indiana University Press
Digital rights: Users: Unlimited; Printing: Chapters; Download: Chapters
Subjects: Ex-nuns; Ex-church members; Catholic women;

Campbell claims that "Catholic women's reputation for obedience shrouds more complex realities." In this book, she uses the personal writings of Mary McCarthy, Karen Armstrong, Mary Gordon, Monica Baldwin, Mary Daly and others to demonstrate and analyze the "art of departure" (from the cloister, from the teachings of the Church or from the Church itself) that she says characterizes Catholic women. But because non-Catholic women's experiences are not seriously discussed here, readers will be left wondering if those experiences are truly unique after all. Still, this is a brave examination of many different kinds of spiritual border crossings. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Debra Campbell is Professor of Religious Studies at Colby College, and co-author (with R. Scott Appleby, Patricia Byrne, and Jay P. Dolan) of Transforming Parish Ministry. She lives in Waterville, Maine.