The concept of justice in four Christian feminist ethicists--Beverly Wildung Harrison, Margaret Farley, Karen Lebacqz, and Katie G. Cannon

This study is a critical analysis of the way Christian feminist ethicists define and use the concept of justice and whether they integrate their concept of justice into their social ethic as a theory of justice. With regard to comprehensiveness it asks also whether they make explicit their understanding of retributive justice, and how they understand the relationship between love and justice. My thesis is that there is a basis in these writings for a common concept of justice for Christian feminist ethics done from a liberation perspective, which can serve as a basis for substantive theories of justice which will be adequate to the experience of women and coherent with women's perspectives.;Although the concept of justice is articulated differently by each of the four women, these differences are variations on a common theme of justice as "right relationship." Right relationships are mutual relationships recognized and respected, and in which persons take responsibility for the well-being of other persons as an integral part of their own self-actualization. It depends on a recognition of the needs of whole, embodied persons as the basis for determining human rights. Principles for right relationship must be determined and understood in light of historical analysis of structures, institutions and ideologies. It requires a process of liberation to eliminate wrong relationships of domination and exploitation. A concept of retributive justice as yet needs to be elaborated to contribute to this process. Justice can function adequately as right relationship only when kept together with love as a normative feminist concept.