Accidental Theologians ─ Four Women Who Shaped Christianity

One might well be tempted to think that the history of Christianity, particularly its theology, has been largely shaped by men. This book dispels that notion to some degree by highlighting the four women Doctors of the Catholic Church (someone who contributes significantly to the formulation of Christian teaching): Hildegard of Bingen, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, and Therese of Lisieux. Though they did not intend to be theologians, their teachings about Christian belief and practice mark them as key figures in the history of Christianity.

While most of the books written about these four women deals mainly with their spirituality, Accidental Theologians shows how they came to know God, as well as how they changed and challenged the Church in their day. It looks at these women from several perspectives: their life and works, the times in which they lived, the core of their theology, and the implications of their theology for us. Cogent questions for reflection at the end of each chapter prompt readers to delve deeper into the significance of these women for their own lives, and a comprehensive resource list provides opportunities to learn more about these saints.

Elizabeth A. Dreyer is professor emerita of Religious Studies at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, and an adjunct professor at the Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut. She is the author/editor of nine books, including Making Sense of God: A Woman’s Perspective, and has written extensively on topics such as medieval theology and spirituality, women’s spirituality, theology of grace, the Holy Spirit, and contemporary lay spirituality. Dreyer holds a doctorate in historical theology from Marquette University, and has done graduate work at Harvard Divinity School and the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies at the University of St. Michael's, Toronto, Canada.