Christianity and the Making of the Modern Family

Traces the conjunctions between Christian theologies of family and political and economic change from the New Testament through Western Christian history and into American social constructions of work, family, and gender to identify the basis for the current ideology of "family values." Ruether, a feminist theologian at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary, contends that the anti-family traditions of the gospels and early Christianity can be understood as a critique of oppressive forms of family, and she advocates that Christianity today accept a postmodern or pluralist understanding of family forms. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)