"Amanda Izzo’s book is a revelation. Two intertwining stories--the Maryknoll sisters going from cold warriors to dissidents, and the YWCA as the target of anti-communist repression-- together demonstrate how faith in the power of love propelled Christian women’s political agendas on a world stage in the 20th century."
- Ann Braude (author of Sisters and Saints: Women and American Religion) "In this crisply-written and illuminating account, Amanda Izzo tells the story of two women's associations, the Protestant YWCA and the Catholic Maryknoll sisters. Following dramatically different routes along the way, the groups' politics converged in the 1960s and 70s, becoming powerful forces for social justice at home and abroad. Izzo treats both strands of this important alliance with nuance and insight, suggesting how far creeds of Christian love took the American people – and how far we have to go."
- Jane Hunter (author of Gospel of Gentility: American Women Missionaries in Turn-of-the-Century China) "Amanda Izzo's wonderful excavation of early twentieth century women's activism among liberal Catholics and Protestants casts new light everywhere. Izzo stresses liberalism's activist energy, Maryknoll and YWCA globalism, and, ultimately, the importance of women’s religious activism in the global human rights movement. Beautifully researched and even more beautifully written, Liberal Christianity and Women’s Global Activism illuminates the exceptional reach of women’s activism across religions and world borders.”
- Jon Butler (Howard R. Lamar Professor Emeritus of American Studies, History, and Religious Studies Yale Univ.) (Campaign for the American Reader) (The Way of Improvement Leads Home) (Chronicle of Higher Education) Izzo's work contributes to the ever-expanding history of feminisms, especially at the intersection of religious commitment and social justice activism. Izzo's effective use of sources and clear writing and organization makes this text a good choice for advanced undergraduate courses exploring women and religion, social activism and world Christianity, and gender, politics, and religion."
(Journal of American History) "Such an interesting book! The parallels and differences between the YMCA movement and the Maryknoll Sisters make for fascinating feminist history. Both organizations have had far wider and deeper impacts than their mere numbers would suggest. Both have shaped and empowered their members and the broader society. These groups incarnate justice and equality for women and BIPOC. This study captures their essences and displays their achievements in relief against formidable patriarchal odds."
(Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual)
