Popes and Feminists: How the Reformation Frees Women from Feminism

by Elise Crapuchettes

Before the Reformation, in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church, being a wife or mother was not a holy vocation. The only “spiritual” calling for women was to be found in a convent. The Reformers confronted the bad theology which led to this (and other worse abuses, like priest-patronized brothels) and returned to the Bible to develop a theology of vocation that began to free Christians to be "holy" no matter their occupation. But today, modern feminist claims about vocation have more in common with the pre-Reformation popes than anything else -- except feminists have replaced the nunnery with the hallowed corporate workplace. Christian women wondering about their place in society and comparing feminism with the Bible should start with the teaching of the Reformers and the lives of many exceptional women of the Reformation. Part history and part contemporary reflection, Popes and Feminists argues that women today have some of the same choices facing them as women in the sixteenth century. In this fascinating study, Elise Crapuchettes shows how the Reformation changed the lives of Christian women as it turned them away from trying to earn their salvation and toward a joyful, liberating view of vocation and work.

Genres: History, Theology, Christian, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Christianity, Religion

191 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2017

About the author

Elise Crapuchettes grew up in Mississippi and Texas, graduated with a BA from Baylor, and earned a joint JD/MTS at Duke. She always intended to marry a serious academic with an easy last name. Instead, God gave her an indomitably fun-loving businessman with a memorable last name. Andrew transplanted her to Idaho, where Elise stays home with their five fantastic kids and tries to transform their wild hillside into a formal southern garden.

Reviews

[Becky Pliego · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020: Better the second time! If we want a Reformation, Christians need to come back to the Scriptures and believe what God says there. Then we need men and and women with the fierce conviction that where they are is the place from where they can advance the Kingdom of God!

2017: Super interesting, well researched, and thought provoking. It helps us, women, to boldly embrace our God-given vocation, and be fearless in a generation in which Christian women are succumbing to the temptations Feminists are offering.

[Winnie Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super enlightening read on two fronts: 1) explaining feminists in their own (shocking) words, and 2) comparing the lies of modern feminism with the lies of the medieval Roman Catholic Church. Both wage war on the idea that women can actually serve God and change the world from inside the home. Whether it’s packing girls off to convents or pressuring them into careers, medieval Catholicism and modern feminism are ultimately the same enemy here. The wonderfully well-read Elise Crapuchettes, mother of five, packs a lot of history and encouragement (laced with dry wit) into a book that should make the Devil go (as Luther might say): “Oh crap.”

[Della Ray Dodgen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned much from this book that I did not expect to. Reading about all those hard-working women, made me feel slothish. Like, I need to get off my seat and care for some plague-ridden folk.

On a serious note, the last chapter struck a chord with me. There is where Elise mentioned the "idol of making a difference." I realized all those women were unconcerned with who would know about their good works. They were simply doing what they knew was right in the moment, with no concern over receiving recognition. They weren't constantly trying to "one-up" their husbands like some modern wives. They were content in aiding him in his mission-which was part of theirs.

[Pete Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usually when the Protestant Reformation is brought up, the conversation invariably turns toward its theological contributions, which are substantial. What doesn't get as much attention is its sociological contributions. The argument of this book was that among other things, the Reformation was very important for improving the lot of women in the church, in the home, and in the public square, particularly in contrast to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. The author illustrates her point with an array of biographical sketches of different key women from the Reformation.

[Ruth Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacks balance and historical rigour. Makes a lot of assumptions about what others are thinking and engages in historical isogesis. Unfortunately lacks empathy for reasons for the women’s movement that have nothing to do with a sinful grasping after superiority but are very serious needs to many women still today. Some really interesting thoughts and good points and thumbnail sketches of truly godly women but the negatives tended to undermine the positives.

[Sue Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much more encouraging than I expected. I didn’t realize what a huge shift the reformation caused for women and for family life. The stories of the wives of the reformers were especially touching and makes me want to read further about them. What models of hospitality, care for others, submission to their husbands’ missions, and immovable conviction in the Word of God! Thanks for making me want to read it Shannon :)

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't go back to Egypt!

Elise Crapuchettes argues persuasively that modern feminism seeks to undo the blessings of the Reformation. The Roman Church in the sixteenth century led women to believe that the only truly worthwhile life was one that turned its back on the home for a life in the cloister. Feminism, too, rejects the home as the center of a woman's calling, telling them that only in work outside the home will they make any valuable contribution or find any true fulfilment. The truths recovered by the Reformation sweep away both of these opponents to women's freedom. The women of the Reformation—Reformers' wives, royal ladies, and others—made the Reformation possible by their faithfulness to the gospel and their families. Sometimes well-behaved women DO make history, and they do so with energy, intelligence, and love that glorify everything in sight. With careful scholarship and extensive research, this book provides modern Christian women with examples to follow and exhortations to help them resist feminism's siren call back to Egypt and stay the course in home-centered faithfulness. And it provides Christian men with fuel to stoke the fires of honor and encouragement for the faithful women in their lives.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I do feel the title is a bit misleading, as a majority of the book is about how much women assisted in the reformation and how the reformation allowed women to have more choices and be free to speak out against injustices. I was inspired by a lot of the women in this book and intend to (hopefully) find some biographies of the heroines of the reformation and read them.

[Aleyna Kirsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t the first book I’ve read on feminism vs. femininity, but this one is geared more specifically toward the change the Reformation brought to women’s lives. And it tells the stories of so many women that were used by God to further His Kingdom. I pray that I would have the courage to do what God has called me to with a joyful heart like these women did.

[SarahO · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read many books that I disagree with. Usually with curiosity to see what the big deal is about. I've seen many women recommend this book so I thought I'd give it a go. Now, forgetting for a moment that I went into this knowing that I would disagree with the author, I didn't realize how bad it would be. The history, the formulation of the arguments, the conclusions she came too, there was a lot that didn't connect point A to point B. I have read a lot about feminism in the US, and many of the early feminists were Christian women trying to make a difference in the world around them. Women's history is a forgotten tale that is usually rewritten or skewed, which is what happened in this case.

The first problem is the concept that the "16th-century Reformation Housewives" are anything like 21st-century housewives. You really can't compare. The women reformers wore many hats. Just look at Katie Von Bora: she was a councilor, ran a hotel/hospital/small orphanage out of her home, kept accounts, cooked, kept land, orchards, and gardens, was a nurse and a pharmacist, brewer, teacher, Reformer etc. Today, those are many different jobs, set up outside the home and they are all "vocations." In the book, she says "Luther and the other Reformers taught that any lawful work was a vocation blessed by God to love one's neighbor"..... So, doesn't this mean that modern Christian women with a vocation outside the home has a vocation blessed by God? She say's so many things I have really no idea what she's trying to put forward.

Many times the author say's that the reformation freed women. However, she swings the pendulum too far in the opposite direction. In particular her views on singles is quite troubling. She implies that singles aren't really "adults" and she ends a chapter by quoting "Without a special command from God, people 'without marriage are only half humans. They are only half useful to society as well, and often they are all together useless, and even harmful.'" I'm assuming she agrees with it, nothing is written to suggest otherwise. The Reformers did a good thing in making marriage better then what it was but over the years it has, perhaps, been elevated to a form of idolatry while singles are the new "undesirables." In the beginning, the Reformation was good for women. Not as much anymore.

I did learn something from this book though. There is a modern group that is similar to the 16th-Century Catholics that she portrays, but it's not feminists. I would say it's the modern fundamentalist/patriarchy group. Education was important to the Reformers, I've heard people say parents shouldn't send their girls to college. Women are "more free," yet they get told that wearing pants is a sin, and women should not work outside the home (unless their husband tells them to).

It would take a long time for me to discuss everything I found wrong with this book but, suffice to say, I don't recommend it, even if you're more inclined to agree with her thesis.

Here are some of my thoughts while reading the book:

11.65% "Oh my word. I can't remember the last time I've read such a poorly written and researched book, and I'm only to chapter 3! And don't even get me started on her endnotes/citations."

20.3% "Hmm, some of these "old" views on women sound very familiar..."

39.1% ""Without a special command from God, people 'without marriage are only half humans. They are only half useful to society as well, and often they are all together useless, and even harmful.'" The author ends the chapter with that quote, so I'm assuming she agrees with it, nothing is written to suggest otherwise. That seems to be swinging the pendulum too far the other way."

46.99% "Why are they always called the Reformers wives and not Reformers in their own right?"

50.0% "Katie Luther was not a housewife: she was a councilor, ran a hotel/hospital/small orphanage out of her home, kept accounts, cooked, kept land, orchards, and gardens, was a nurse and a pharmacist, brewer, teacher, Reformer etc. You can't compare that to a 21 century housewife. And in the end Luther unintentionally screwed her over by not providing for her after his death."

58.27% "It seems like the "Reformers wives" were more like church deacons."

70.3% "If she's trying to use the stories of these women to convince me that Christian feminism is wrong, she's done the opposite."

74.81% "Her conclusions based on so-called "evidence" is really weak and out of left field. It's like her saying apples + oranges = chocolate."

78.95% "Wow, she is missing a lot. Feminism is not like the Catholic culture of the 16th century. However, I would propose that modern-day fundamentalism is very similar. Including anything connected to the "patriarchy" movement."

80.45% ""Luther and the other Reformers taught that any lawful work was a vocation blessed by God to love one's neighbor"..... So, doesn't this mean that modern Christian women with a vocation outside the home has a vocation blessed by God?"

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love, love, love this book, but it fell a bit short of my hopes and expectations. It felt like the connection between modern feminism and 16th century Catholicism that was attempted , wasn’t as woven together as it could have been. And the middle portion of the book, where it went into the lives of several women of the Reformation, went way too long. I think the point would have been driven home with fewer examples of women. I would have liked to know more about fewer women. But this book is completely worth reading, especially the first part. I did a ton of underlining in the first several chapters.

[Troy Solava · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book to read because of the premise: The RCC’s treatment of women is similar to how the modern feminist movement treats women. However, this book was a struggle for me for many reasons.

1. It is just poorly written and edited. It was hard to read.
2. The author never finished completing her thesis. This was not a book about modern feminism but more of a biography of reformational women. She begins on track to reach the thesis and then we never got there.
3. There were so many portraits of women that they all got lost in my mind.

[Josh Hamon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book only touches on feminism on occasion. It seems written so Reformed people can give themselves a pat on the back for making everything better for everyone. Or for people who still want to get upset about 16th century Catholicism.

I did really enjoy the section on individual women of the Reformation, it covers some major players but also several I had not heard about before. So, I recommend just reading pages 125-188.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poorly researched, poorly written

Much of what she spouts is water-cooler talk and highly opinionated as opposed to factual. She also fails to differentiate between Church policies and views and societal interpretations and enactments. She barely grazed the surface of both history and theories, both of which she brings up to support her non-existent argument. This book is a waste of time.

[Mason Sherrill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a well researched book in the area of women’s impact in the Reformation! Felt the title was a bit misleading. On the other hand, I learned a lot about how women’s rights, education and spiritual liberties were truly shaped by the rejection of pre-reformation Catholic doctrine and practice. Chapters 17-20 were my favorite and could stand alone as a concise summary of the whole book.

[Scott W. Blankenship · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how the hospitality and care of various reformed women caused the reformation to take off like a wildfire, burning down the dead wood of misleading traditions and clearing the way for brighter vision of marriage and homemaking. Excellent book!

[Ellie Carrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so interesting to learn about some of the women of the Reformation, and their roles in turning people from debased systems the church had created, and to freedom in Christ.
Essentially, the pre-Reformation church at the time and feminists today both promise women lives of meaning and freedom based in specific works, occupations, activities or trivial tasks... when indeed both will fail to fulfill. True freedom is found in Christ alone by grace alone, and this book was a great and empowering reminder of that.

[Rick Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does a good job of confronting the idea that Catholicism in general and convents in particular were sources of women's empowerment in the Middle Ages. Crapuchettes makes a good case that the Reformation improved the lives of women and elevated the status of wives and mothers in society. I was skeptical at first about how she was going to tie the history of the Reformation into the church's current struggle with feminism, but I think she made a good case in the end.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's interesting to compare the pre-Reformation Roman Catholic distain for women with the distain modern feminism has for women. I very much enjoyed the historical mini-bios of many incredible women during the Reformation.

[Kait Doud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read - I enjoyed learning about many inspirational women of the time. However, I ended not being convinced of the direct correlation between Catholicism and Feminism. Enjoyed the read all the same.

[Rachel Summerlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing and eye-opening book that draws bold parallels between the rise of modern feminism and the corruptions of the medieval Catholic Church. The author shows how both movements, in different ways, have undermined and even attacked women who faithfully labor within the home, women who see their work as service unto God, their husbands, and their children.

What struck me most is how clearly the book exposes the cultural pressures that try to shame or silence women who embrace biblical womanhood

[Elizabeth Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this upon recommendation and was a bit hesitant, I guess judging a book by its cover or title is never a good idea. I thoroughly loved this book. A Christian, feminist history book? Three of my favourite things, sign me up!! I would highly recommend this to any history loving Christian.

[Vivi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows how the reformation actually raised women's role and worth in society and gave their life as meaning outside of the cloister and also restored the beauty of marriage that was considered unholy by many catholics of that time. I think it does a beautiful job in contrasting the lawlessness of the 16th century catholics and how the reformation sought to establish a truly god-pleasing doctrine. I was especially inspired by the chapters of the women who used their influence to further the reformation and often did this at great personal loss and sacrifice.

However I didn't really understand the way the author applied the things she studied about the reformation to our contemporary world. It was extremely simplistic and impractical. On one hand she says that the reformers put a huge emphasis on women being educated and tells about women reading their bibles daily and then she says they never had any "me-time" and that we shouldn't seek this either. Firstly I would consider a personal quiet time "me-time" and secondly I find this ideo of not taking any time for oneself to refuel highly dangerous and wrong, especially in our loud and hectic time.
After reading the book, the subheading also makes no sense to me and I consider it misleading, since it deals almost 95 percent with the past and not the present.

Despite this criticism, I think the book is very worthy to be read.

[amanda gardiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted to like this book but found myself feeling it was so over the top one sided that it was hard to enjoy.

There was much to learn from and marvel at in this book. To see the actual depths of depravity in Catholicism at that time was incredible! Truly wild stuff!

However, She almost seemed to be conveying that everything the reformers did was good, just because of them being brave reformers. But many of the things she describes were objectively distasteful or even wrong (ie- stealing catholic property, selling it and giving the money to the poor). Some things she took little passing shots at as being wrong are found in fellow Protestant churches (like the use of homilies). She also in my opinion replaced one wrong belief (celibacy is the holiest and pleases God most) with another (marriage is the holiest and pleases God the most).

Overall it was worth the read, but I took objection to quite a bit.

[Allyson Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting thesis that Elise expands on in this book. I have never thought about the connections between modern feminism and the teachings of the Catholic Church at the time of the Reformation. I loved reading about the history of the Reformation and what goals the Reformers had for the Church, so many of them restored women to their proper place in society--being equal in value to men as a part of the priesthood of all believers and being encouraged to flourish in their important work as wives, mothers, and ministering to those in their homes. The latter half of the book focused on female character studies of the Reformation and was very similar to Rebecca VanDoodewaard's "Reformation Women." I think Elise had a unique way of using the lives of the Reformation Women to throw modern feminist claims in the trash; their lives modeled God's intention for womanhood and demonstrated that it is not demeaning or unimportant, but beautiful and world-changing.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting book! The premise of the Catholic Church being the first people group to make women being out of the home and more holier/better cause the staying home was a new concept for me. It was so great to read a bunch of mini biographies of the women reformers and the roles they played in spreading the gospel. There is a constant struggle of the balance of my abilities but my God-given role as wife and mom. This was an encouragement to me as I strive to do what is right. highly recommend this read!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating.

Now I have all sorts of questions and thoughts about compulsory education, the image of God in men & women, and arranged marriages vs. individual choice.

Also, apparently even 500+ years ago, people were calling the women who first saw Jesus risen from the dead, "preachers". *sigh*

[Emma Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an encouragement! It can become so easy to lose sight of what really matters in today’s society. I really appreciated the author’s bluntness and her ability to bring the truth to light.

[Simona Sanduleac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better the second time around. And read by the author, which makes it even more betterer.