I first became interested in women and religion when I was one of the few women doing graduate work in Religious Studies at Yale University in the late 1960's.

Why does everyone cling to the masculine imagery and pronouns even though they are a mere linguistic device that has never meant that God is male?

The women's movement will present a growing threat to patriarchal religion less by attacking it than by simply leaving it behind.

The mother must socialize her daughter to become subordinate to men, and if her daughter challenges patriarchal norms, the mother is likely to defend the patriarchal structures against her own daughters.

In Goddess religion death is not feared, but is understood to be a part of life, followed by birth and renewal.

Symbol systems cannot simply be rejected; they must be replaced. Where there is no replacement, the mind will revert to familiar structures at times of crisis, bafflement, or defeat.

Beliefs and values that have held sway for thousands of years will be questioned as never before.