Book # 16: More Spirited Than Lions

An Orthodox response to feminism and a practical guide to the spiritual life of women
by Sarah Elizabeth Cowie

Absolutely a must read! I never realized the impact feminism has had on all of our lives and outlooks on life. Not only did I learn a lot about the history of feminism, where it started and the phases it went through, but I have a better understanding of how my life and world view fits into this context. I have a number of pages marked as there were statements and facts that left an impact. My favorite is the following passage:

"In The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan poses the question, "Is this all?" In other words, is being a wife and mother, and having a home in the suburbs all there is to life? What Friedan is expressing in this question is actually a spiritual dilemma. There come times in a person's life when spiritual awakening is possible. God's grace visits the soul and gently prods it, hoping it will see its impoverishment and turn to Him. The soul stirs, looks around, and begins to see that these things of the world are not fulfilling, that there must be something more to life.'

"St. Theophan the Recluse describes this awakening in detail, as the first step towards a spiritual life. Unfortunately, for herself and for thousands of women, Betty Friedan did not understand that her discontent reflected a spiritual dilemma. She did not see (apparently), that there is nothing in this world that can satisfy the spiritual longing embodied in her question. The only way to fill the emptiness of our lives is by turning to God. Our very emptiness is actually a witness of our need for God and a spiritual life." (page 105-106)

Go read it!