“A Friend and Lifeline”: A History of Christian Feminist Magazine Daughters of Sarah , 1974–1996

While the history of women’s magazines is a well-established area of study, minimal scholarship exists on the development and role of Christian women’s magazines. This project chronicles the previously untold history of Daughters of Sarah (1974–1996) through a close reading of seventy-three issues published between 1981 and 1996, an oral history interview with the publication’s longest-sitting editor, and retrospective writings from the magazine’s staff. This Christian feminist magazine tackled the most debated theological and cultural debates of the late twentieth century through a nonhierarchical structure, open conversations across denominations, and research-based pieces that welcomed contradictory viewpoints. The project explores Daughters of Sarah’s impact and relevance to Christian women’s periodicals as a singular voice for Christian feminists in a period of immense cultural change.