The Church and Women...a compendium

The question of the role of women in the Church has been in the forefront for some time and has been the subject of reflection by peoples of varying cultures and circumstances. Germany has been very influenced by the feminist movement in the United States and much of value has been written on the topic. It was thought that a book of the best contributions of German personal and theological reflection would be of value to the English-speaking world. Contributors include Joseph Ratzinger, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Walter Kasper, Karl Linner, and Jutta Burggraf.

The articles reflect the wide range of recent discussion, including the issue of feminism, the possibilities of ministry in the diaconate, the theme of women's emancipation, and the repercussions of the question for other areas of concern as, for example, the role and importance of the family. These particular works have been chosen because all of them strive to defend and deepen Christian reflection on the role and identity of women today. They merit particular attention because their approach to clarifying the Christian task and mission of women is developed in a context which remains faithful to the data of Scripture, the witness of Catholic tradition, and the Magisterium of the Church.