Method:
Feminist theology uses a liberationalist method. It begins in the context of women’s experience, reflects on tradition and scripture and then provides an implication for a new perspective on Christian theology and living.
Beginning with the experience of women, feminist theology first listens. In other words it hears the voices of women from all aspects of their own contexts and experiences. From that starting point it then proceeds to seek out the particular viewpoints, experiences, thoughts, and theological reflections of women in tradition and scripture. It uses a historical-critical methodology to examine and critique the traditional portrayal of roles that women have played inside the church, scripture and general Christian history. It realizes or applies a hermeneutic of suspicion in these examinations understanding that history and theology have been recorded and written first from the viewpoint of men.
After a critical examination of history, tradition and scripture, feminist theology then promotes, designs, and enlivens a new perspective. It displays new ways and means to use, view and understand tradition, scripture, history and Christian symbolism (The Trinity, Mary, The Cross) in a new light.
Central Question:
Feminist theology is concerned first with the viewpoint of women. It is not a universal theology. It does not seek to find dogma or doctrines that will be applied to all aspects of Christian living. It is not scholasticism. It shuns and rejects top-down theologies that deny the historical and contextual experiences of women. In beginning with the experience of women, its central question is: “How can our Christian tradition be reinterpreted to display a feminist perspective”?
Audience:
Feminist theology seeks to speak to and enliven the experiences of women from a contextual standpoint. In doing so it addresses particular audiences. These can include but are not limited to, African American women, Latin women, women in academia, religious ordered women, particular Christian traditions, and those interested in new perspectives on theology at large.
Sources:
The first source of Feminist theology is experience-women’s experience. From experience feminist theology then begins to seek out other sources. The range is vast. Most begin with the Judeo-Christian scriptures, and then branch out into church history, traditional symbolism, poetry written by women, diaries, speeches, and even the lives of saints which includes Mystics, religious ordered women as well as social workers. Some have even looked beyond these sources to other texts outside of traditional Christianity. Basically any source that can be used to reinterpret Christian experience and tradition in a feminist perspective is a valid source.
The use of traditional Christian symbols:
Feminist theology does not look to find Christian symbolism that has been lost, nor does it attempt to contribute to the already male centered view of women throughout Christian history. It is radical. In applying the hermeneutic of suspicion to all forms of traditional Christian symbolism, it challenges and then transforms ancient symbols into new mediators of God’s presence that have bearing on the contemporary experiences of women. Mary is no longer the wounded mother figure sobbing at the cross. She is now a women who took charge of a situation, rallied other women to assist her and defied the andropocentric society in which she lived. Martha is no longer the poor downtrodden figure that begs the Christ to raise her brother from the dead. Now she insists that he do so and vehemently complains of his tardiness. Eve is no longer the temptress identified with the pleasures of the flesh but a woman capable of making a decision and then living with the consequences. The Magdalene is no longer a prostitute that plays a secondary role to the male apostles. She is now a self sustained business women who had the courage (which the men did not have) to believe in the Christ, proclaim his gospel, face down the fear of death from the Romans by staying at the cross and daring to follow his body to the tomb. As the Magdalene was the first witness to the resurrection, Feminist theology seeks to resurrect and restore the dignity of women’s experience in the tradition as well as in contemporary experience.
Feminist theology does not just stop at the male centered way that women have been portrayed in history and tradition. The major Christian symbols are also subject to feminist critique. The Trinity is portrayed as a divine relationship centered in love. With personhood enhanced, it becomes a communion of equals, not a hierarchy or monarchy. There is not one without the other.
The wisdom tradition is brought out to the forefront. Lady wisdom is God. She is what is sought out. What controls world events. She is personified in all aspects of the tradition as well as contemporary women’s experience. Feminist scripture scholars, highlight her power and abilities as the true nature of God.
Even traditional philosophical views of the nature of God are challenged. Panentheism is enlisted to view God as a mother who holds the world inside of its womb.
Evaluation:
Feminist theology is real theology. It is dynamic. Any theology that seeks to remove the scales from the eyes of the faithful is doing exactly what Christ himself did. Any theology that calls into question the structures that enslave, demean, put in the background, or marginalize any group or individual is real theology. It is the gospel.
What feminist theology does for women it also does for men. It enlightens experience. It allows one to see how the sexes are not two different essences that have two different histories. It shows all humanity that what makes up who we are is our relationship. Women are no longer the “helpmate” of men but our partner. Equal in every aspect.
In bringing forth the viewpoint and experience of women, feminist theology takes on issues that directly effect Christian living. From issues such as the environment to contemporary occurrences of sexism, racism and marginalization along with traditional philosophical ideas of the nature of God, Feminist theology forces the Christian to “discern the spirits” and “signs of the times” in order to create a new praxis, a new interpretation that finds, as well as mediates, God’s will.
From the perspective of this writer, feminist theology as a theology of liberation has challenged me to take a new look at women, as well as scripture, tradition and my own philosophical notions concerning the deity. Even the Christ cannot be seen as the heroic figure that fights for justice, truth and the American way any longer. Thanks to feminist critiques, I now am forced to see others including the women, as heroic, but more than that—as human and not defined by the role as secondary to man.. The contextual and relationary aspects of feminist theology has allowed me to understand the historical nature of structures that promote the sins of sexism, racism and marginalization. Without these critiques, I would have continued to hold a scholastic and thoroughly stoic conception of existence.
Finally, I would like to say that the liberationist methodology and in particular the feminist use of it have contributed in two major ways to my own theological understandings, 1. It has show me that all theology is liberation theology and 2. Any theology that does not bring forth questions from experience is not theology and can not mediate God to anyone.
