About Film

and a fiery, faith-fueled feminism, they carried the blazing torch of first-wave Christian feminists who fought for social justice and women’s biblical equality and agency. Their rising influence in church networks challenged patriarchal interpretations of Bible scriptures, and soon became a grave threat to the gospel truths held by their evangelical opponents and their powerful networks.

In a dramatic, sweeping backlash, these networks joined forces against their feminist foes, and launched a modern-day patriarchy movement that claims the Bible calls for a masculine Christianity, and a return to 1950’s style traditional gender roles — men as leaders, providers and protectors, and women as submissive helpers whose femininity and motherhood fulfill God’s design for the well-being of families and communities. Fueled by  partnerships with influential evangelical organizations and political leaders, they launched church planting enterprises, Christian conferences, and publishing and media networks, that enforced traditional gender role teachings that soon dominated the very core of American evangelicalism.

But the story doesn’t end there. With the call of God and the Internet where evangelical gatekeepers can no longer silence them — bold, feisty, and fearless, a new generation of devout Christian feminists, many of whom today are theologians, preachers, historians and scholars, have emerged as a threat to evangelical patriarchy as they demand their God-given, biblical equality, dignity and agency for women and girls. While some challenge patriarchal Bible interpretations and unabashedly debate the leaders  they say subjugate women, others  spotlight the concerning impact these patriarchal teachings have had on undermining the commitment to the civil rights of women and girls within American politics, and their influence within the rise of Christian nationalism. 

Others, investigative bloggers, activists and advocates who emerged in light of the #Metoo movement, take a stand against evangelical leaders and networks implicated in the devastating epidemics of sexual abuse and cover-ups, a toxic masculinity and sexist culture that have thrived under patriarchal leadership – and reveal its impact on women and girls across the globe.

Baptizing Feminism spotlights a heated and timely modern-day debate within American Christianity between Christian feminists and evangelical patriarchal leaders and their followers, and reveals how patriarchal Christian beliefs and practices in the United States shape our churches and wider culture, and affect the lives of women and girls.

The documentary also offers a provocative truth; although there’s a long history of Christian patriarchy that relegates religious, and political authority to men–in the words of Kristin Du Mez, author & historian of gender, faith and politics, “throughout Christian history you can find women who followed the voice of God, who usurped traditional authority, who spoke, who preached, who prophesized.”