Few areas in American life have experienced as profound a change in structure and mission as religion in this epoch of women's struggle for complete equality and integration. Until recently, few studies have attempted the sort of empirical and theoretical integration that reveals the magnitude of this shift in basic roles, attitudes, and participation in church life and theology.

William H. Swatos, Jr. has assembled a well-designed and carefully defined volume to give the reader a solid, empirical look at this revolution in religious practice and belief. The volume also provides insight into the sharp differences in opinions among women involved in religion; the degree to which women change the structure of liturgy or simply partake of traditions from which they were formerly excluded; the extent to which women increase church involvement in social issues, or retain a classical orientation to preaching; the extent to which gender has an impact on everything from interpersonal relations of clergy with laity to preaching orientations.

There are two distinct elements in Gender and Religion: The first section covers women in religious roles, such as pastors, rabbis, priests, and black female leadership activities. The unifying theme is experiencing and overcoming gender bias in the religious sphere. The second deals with female experiences in childbirth rituals, attitudes toward pluralism, modernity, roles as social change agents, and the influence of religion on the women's movement.