Feminist theology is a multifaceted movement found across numerous religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism, that critically re-examines traditions, practices, scriptures, and theologies through a feminist lens. Its core objectives include expanding women's roles within religious authority, challenging and reinterpreting patriarchal language and imagery concerning God, and analyzing women's representation in sacred texts.
The modern movement gained significant traction with Valerie Saiving (Goldstein)'s 1960s article, "The Human Situation: A Feminine View," which questioned male-dominated theological perspectives and their contribution to oppressive patriarchal systems. Feminist theologians typically critique past treatments of women, identify alternative or supportive religious texts, and then reclaim or revise theological concepts. This often involves rejecting a male-gendered God in favor of emphasizing "maternal" attributes like nurturing and creativity, or exploring the concept of a "Great Goddess." Prominent scholar Carol P. Christ further advanced the idea of an ancient supreme goddess religion with her influential 1978 essay, "Why Women Need the Goddess."