Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement

Kathryn Joyce's fascinating introduction to the world of the patriarchy movement and Quiverfull families examines the twenty-first-century women and men who proclaim self-sacrifice and submission as model virtues of womanhood—and as modes of warfare on behalf of Christ. Here, women live within stringently enforced doctrines of wifely submission and male headship, and live by the Quiverfull philosophy of letting God give them as many children as possible so as to win the religion and culture wars through demographic means.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

A journalist's investigation of a Christian Right movement in which women put their fertility in the service of a patriarchal culture war

Fundamentalist Christianity may lose some access to power in the next election, but it has long-term plans. In this fascinating look at the new generation of fundamentalist Christian women, journalist Kathryn Joyce introduces us to the world of the patriarchy movement and Quiverfull families. Here, in direct and conscious opposition to feminist calls for marital equity, women live within stringently enforced doctrines of wifely submission and male headship. Instead of raising independent daughters, these Christians advocate a return to keeping daughters at home--and out of college--until their marriage to a suitor approved by Dad. To counter reproductive rights, they eschew all contraception in favor of the Quiverfull philosophy of letting God give them as many children as possible--families of twelve and more children that will, they hope, enable them to win the religious and culture wars through demographic means.

Quiverfull is a fascinating examination of the twenty-first-century women and men who proclaim self-sacrifice and submission as model virtues of womanhood--and as warfare on behalf of Christ.

Kathryn Joyce's well-researched book delivers much more than a quiverfull of understanding about this movement that twists religion to justify keeping women barefoot, pregnant, and powerless. It's also a stark reminder why those who value reproductive justice must actively engage in politics and the public debate.

--Gloria Feldt, author of The War on Choice, Blogger at Heartfeldt Politics, former president, Planned ParenthoodFederation of America

'Prairie muffins, ' hayrides, and babies — lots of babies — don't sound like the stuff of fanaticism, but in Quiverfull Kathryn Joyce brings us the news from the most militant frontier of fundamentalism — a patriarchy movement' of right-wing women who embrace a caricature of 19th century womanhood as a strategy for culture war. At turns funny, terrifying, and heartbreaking, Quiverfull is a necessary book, an empathetic and brilliant analysis of how this small group of believers shape mainstream ideas about motherhood, marriage, sex and gender.

--Jeff Sharlet, author of The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power

Introduction 

Part One Wives

Chapter 1 Massachusetts Hope

Chapter 2 The Church Comes Home

Chapter 3 The Men Who Would Be Kings

Chapter 4 The New Reformation

Chapter 5 Titus 2: Submission and War

Chapter 6 Titus 2 in Tennessee

Chapter 7 No Greater Joy

Chapter 8 Submission and Abuse

Chapter 9 The Small World of Vision Forum

Chapter 10 Life in the Garden

Part Two Mothers

Chapter 11 Be Fruitful and Multiply

Chapter 12 The Bible and Birth Control

Chapter 13 Trust and Obey

Chapter 14 Blessed Arrows

Chapter 15 The Natural Family

Chapter 16 Return to Patriarchy

Chapter 17 Godly Seeds

Chapter 18 Demographic Winter

Chapter 19 Exiting the Movement

Part Three Daughters

Chapter 20 Victory through Daughters

Conclusion

Acknowledgments