Catholic Answers Live #12614 Is Feminism Compatible With Christianity? Debating Charitably - Carrie Gress
Mar 4, 2026
Carrie Gress, philosopher, author, and mother who studies Christianity and cultural trends, joins to trace feminism’s roots and contest simple definitions. She examines feminism’s historical currents, links to spiritual movements, effects on women’s happiness, and strategies for charitable conversations about contested issues.
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Feminism Originates Outside Christian Roots
- Feminism as a historical movement diverges from simple 'helping women' and has roots outside Christian tradition.
- Carrie Gress traces recurring feminist patterns from the 1800s through later waves, arguing the movement protects itself from scrutiny and is distinct from Catholic advocacy for women.
Suffragettes, Spiritualism, and the Wizard of Oz Link
- Early American suffragists often left orthodox Christianity for Unitarianism and engaged in spiritualism and occult practices.
- Carrie Gress cites Mary Wollstonecraft, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Matilda Gage and links L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz to that cultural milieu.
Measurable Rise In Female Unhappiness
- Rising female unhappiness is measurable across depression, suicide and substance abuse and correlates with feminist-era cultural shifts.
- Gress emphasizes metrics show women are less happy now than 40 years ago, suggesting cultural causes beyond individual choices.
