Motherhood and spirituality: faith reflections from the inside

Abstract

abstract Traditionally, motherhood has not often been encouraged as a resource for Christian spirituality, nor has spirituality provided resources for mothers. This situation was reinforced by feminism's concern to free women from confinement to biologically-determined and domestic roles. Within feminism itself, there has been a shift from this position, precipitated by various factors. First, ecofeminism and its imagery is closely linked with ‘feminine’ values and especially with maternity. Second, motherhood is slowly being acknowledged as integral to the identity of women who are mothers, particularly since for the majority of the world's women, motherhood will always be a central element of lived experience. From a personal perspective, I have found my own motherhood to be a rich spiritual resource, discovering support for it in some surprising places in Christian tradition. This briefing attempts to situate motherhood in relation to spirituality in its historical context and to explore ways of bringing the two together.