“As much as they reveal the importance of religion in women’s lives, the wide range of topics and disciplines covered substantiates the richness and diversity of women’s practice of Buddhism and their active roles in its development. As such, the book goes far beyond the scope of the history of religion, offering multifold aspects of the social life of women as wives, mothers, and individuals. It is strongly recommended to scholars of all fields related to premodern Japan.”
--Haruko Wakabayashi in The Journal of Asian Studies

"A significant and groundbreaking contribution to the fields of Buddhology, Japanese religion, and broader cultural studies. . . . An exquisitely produced volume.."
--James L. Ford in the Journal of Japanese Studies

"A major contribution to the field of Japanese religious history.."
--Gaynor Sekimori in the International Journal of Asian Studies

"Through these wonderfully written essays by Japanese and Western authors, Japanese Buddhist women, both nuns and laywomen, stand center stage for the very first time. This is a pioneer work in two senses. It announces the urgent need to study the lives of women in all Buddhist traditions, and it provides us with the methodology to carry out this task. The authors use art, temple records, and historical and literary writings to reconstruct the rich history of Buddhist women's lives in Japan. This is truly an enlightening book. It declares the arrival of a new era in Buddhist scholarship."
--Chun-fang Yu, Rutgers University

"This volume brings together genuinely original scholarship that has emerged from the pioneering efforts of Japanese and Western scholars and two groups: the Research Group on Women and Buddhism in Japan, organized by Professors Nishiguchi Junko and Ôsumi Kazuo, and the Institute for Medieval Japanese Studies, directed by Professor Barbara Ruch. These studies address long-neglected questions about the roles of women in Japanese Buddhism and represent the welcomed first steps toward disclosing 'the other half of Buddhist history.' Much remains to be done, but the ground has now been broken and a strong foundation laid by the interdisciplinary studies presented in this important volume. Barbara Ruch is to be commended for her vision and her devotion to this project."
--Laurel Rasplica Rodd, University of Colorado, Boulder

Engendering Faith is a monumental and pioneering study on women and Buddhism. It clarifies distinctions necessary for a proper understanding of just what was understood by "nun" in early Japanese history and offers a great deal of information, knowledge, and ideas that are of critical importance to understanding Buddhist history as it relates to women (and men), and to understanding premodern Japanese culture in general.

The lengthy front matter and twenty chapters open a sorely neglected area of Japanese cultural history by bringing new research on women and Buddhism to the English-reading audience of scholars not only in Japan-related fields but also in religious history, comparative religion, and women's studies. Richly illustrated and with a comprehensive list of characters, Engendering Faith is must reading for anyone interested in premodern Japanese history, culture, and religion.