Rosemary Radford Ruether papers, 1954 -- 2002
Collection context
- Creator:
- Ruether, Rosemary Radford
- Abstract:
- Rosemary Radford Ruether was a feminist theologian, Professor Emerita of Applied Theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and author, concerned with issues including women and the third world, Palestinian issues, anti-Semitism, and environmental justice. The collection includes correspondence, education and biographical materials, materials related to courses, teaching, and administration, sermons and addresses, conference materials, writings, and secondary materials.
- Extent:
- 7.5 linear feet (7.5 linear feet; 16 boxes)
- Language:
- English
- Scope and content:
-
This collection contains correspondence, education and biographical materials, materials related to courses, teaching, and administration, sermons and addresses, conference materials, writings, and secondary materials.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Rosemary Radford was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1936. Her father died when she was twelve years old and her mother then moved the family to California. Rosemary graduated La Jolla High School as the commencement speaker. She studied the Classics at Scripps College in Claremont, and graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor's degree. She received her Master's degree in Historical Theology at Claremont Graduate School in 1960, and her Doctorate in Patristics in 1965, also from Claremont Graduate School, while at the same time having married Herman J. Ruether in 1957 and raising three children. Ruether taught at Howard University in Washington DC from 1965 to 1975, continuing her commitment to civil rights, which began in Mississippi as a Delta Ministry Volunteer in 1965. She taught her first feminist theology classes when she was a visiting professor at Harvard Divinity School in 1972. Various schools invited Ruether as visiting professor, among them Princeton Theological Seminary, Yale University Divinity School, Sir George Williams University in Montreal, and Claremont School of Theology in California. From 1976 to 2002, Ruether taught at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary as the Georgia Harkness Professor of Applied Theology. Ruether's theological work evolved through teaching, writing, traveling and speaking in those years. Several of Ruether's published works have become seminal texts: Sexism and God-Talk (1983) as a systematic approach to feminist theology; Liberation Theology (1976) has been translated into several languages; The Wrath of Jonah: The Crisis of Religious Nationalism in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (1989) explores Holocaust theology and its rationale for power in the hands of the formerly powerless. Before retiring in 2005, Rosemary Radford Ruether taught at Graduate Theological Union. Ruether has published thirty-six books and over 600 articles. She is the recipient of nine honorary doctorates and numerous awards. Ruether died in Pomona, CA in 2022.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
This collection contains some restricted material. Restrictions related to specific material are listed in the detailed contents list.
Onsite storage.
- Terms of access:
-
Some material in this collection may be protected by copyright and other rights. Information concerning copyright, fair use, and reproduction requests can be consulted at Columbia's Copyright Advisory Office.
- Location of this collection:
- Before you visit:
- Researchers must book an appointment at least 5 business days in advance to view special collections material in the reading room. To make the most of your visit, be sure to request your desired materials before booking your appointment, as researchers are limited to one item per hour of appointment time.
- Contact:
- burke@library.columbia.edu