In her three-volume work entitled The Concept of Woman, Sr. Prudence Allen sets out to trace the development of the idea of woman and argues philosophically how this concept is “a living reality” (1). Indeed, this synthesis has made Allen’s work more accessible. Moreover, we are ALSO able to further understand how Allen adapts John Henry Newman’s “tests for true development,” which “can be used to prove that the theory of the integral complementarity of woman and man is a true development” (3). By clarifying her debt to Newman’s theological thought, Allen shows how integral gender complementarity has rationally developed into a genuine idea despite attempts to subvert it.

John Henry Newman notes in his An Essay on the Development of Chrisitan Doctrine that an idea or concept takes shape and becomes real when one can identify how its essential characteristics have reached its mature form (4, c.f. Newman, An Essay on the Development of Chrisitan Doctrine, 169-206). As Newman notes, evidence of an idea’s true development is seen when an idea possesses chronic vigor, “ever germinating, yet ever consistent with itself” (324, c.f. Newman, An Essay on Development, 437). Throughout her study of Western philosophy, Allen notes that integral gender complementarity faced many challenges; for instance, thinkers often devalued women at the expense of men and vice-versa (6-7). And yet, by her use of Newman’s theory, Allen shows integral gender complementarity possesses chronic vigor because it consistently affirms the dignity of the sexes.

Allen begins her study of integral gender complementarity through a consideration of Greek philosophy. Drawing upon Plato’s understanding of form and matter, Aristotle developed the notion of a comprehensive sex polarity position in contrast to his teacher who believed in a unisex theory of identity (33). Although Aristotle does argue for the superiority of men over women, he contributes to the development of the concept of women because he insists that human beings are body/soul composites, and that men and women are distinct (59). Hence, Aristote’s understanding of human beings as form/matter composite, otherwise known as hylomorphism, is part of the original idea of integral gender complementarity (ibid). Secondly, Augustine makes clear that integral gender complementarity also depends on that men and women are equal in dignity but also different. In using Aristotle, Augustine notes that because men and women are made in the image and likeness of God, they maintain their distinct bodies in the resurrection (86).

Allen notes that over the centuries the ideas which make up the core of integral gender complementarity faced many difficulties. For example, the female was devalued in relation to male occurred throughout the Copernican revolution (208-223). Nonetheless, Allen also emphasizes that integral gender complementarity is a real idea, because it takes on new concepts to assert that the human being is a body/soul compound and that men are of equal dignity yet distinct. Quoting Newman’s seventh principle of development, Allen states that Catholic thinkers “renewed foundations for the integral unity of the human person, always or for the most part, a woman and man” (324). In particular, Allen indicates that St. Pope John Paul II is an apostle of integral gender complementarity, because he underscores that men and women are a community of persons who reflect the interpersonal relationship of the Trinity (404-405).

In summation, this one volume synthesis of Allen’s The Concept of Women has enabled her work to become more available. Nevertheless, this synthesis also has demonstrated how theological thought can be applied to philosophy. By mining Newman’s understanding of doctrine, Allen has been able to affirm philosophically integral gender complementarity. In this way, Allen provides a great service, because she shows that the idea of equal dignity of men and women with distinct identities is not only authenticated by revelation but can be confirmed by reason as well.