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Theology and Liberation
Malena B J Ö R K G R E N
Liberation Theology and Feminist Theology: Similarities and Differences In this article I will examine the relationship between liberation theology and feminist theology. What is the impact of liberation theology on feminist theology? Which similarities and differences can be found between these theologies? The aim is not to make an extensive analysis over their relationship, but to sketch an introduction or a short overview.
Feminist theology can be seen both as a part of academic women’s studies (when feminist analysis focuses on religious studies) and as a part of the liberation theology paradigm (if we have a wider definition of liberation theology). Some feminist theologians explicitly define themselves as feminist liberation theologians: Rosemary Radford RUETHER and Elisabeth SCHÜSSLER FIORENZA especially, among others.
NOT ONE THEOLOGY, BUT THEOLOGIES
CONTEXT, PRAXIS AND EXPERIENCE
It is possible to define liberation theology either in a narrow or in a broader way. Seen in a narrow way, liberation theology can be described as a theological approach that arose in the sixties in Latin America. In a broader meaning of the concept, it stands for a wide range of different liberation theologies (for example black theology and Asian liberation theology). Using this latter understanding of the concept, also feminist theology can be seen as one of the forms of liberation theology. The different liberation theologies were born more or less at the same time, but not all of them were “derived” from Latin American liberation theology. Having all this in mind, it is today more appropriate to speak of liberation theologies, in plural. Feminist theology can neither be seen as one homogenous discipline nor one unified movement of thought. The views differ, for example concerning the relationship to Christian tradition. A watershed can sometimes be seen in the question of whether the inferiority of women (and other oppressed groups) is understood as an essential part of Christian tradition, or if the tradition in an unconditional way can support equality among all human beings. On the other hand, feminist theology has more and more become a worldwide, global ecumenical movement. The challenges lie in the different perspectives that spring from the range of cultural and social contexts and religious backgrounds.
One can find many methodological commonalities between the different liberation theologies. For liberation theologians, the inseparability of theory and praxis is of a great importance. Feminist theology that is close to the women’s movement exemplifies this connection. In Europe, however, there is not necessarily a connection between academic feminist theology and feminist activists in and outside the Church. This inseparability of theory and praxis appears as liberation theology and feminist theology have as their intellectual foundation the strong reference to praxis, even though they call it differently. Liberation theology speaks more about praxis, while feminist theology talks about experience. Some call both approaches contextual. The aim for feminist theology, however, is not just to reflect on praxis, but to seek actively to be a form of praxis, thus shaping genuine Christian activity. This emphasis on context involves the view that there is no objective theology. Every theology is shaped by its context (also European theology, even if sometimes it has claimed to be objective and universal) and not without linkages to social or cultural use of power. Taking context as the starting point has for liberation and feminist theology meant looking at theology from the “margins”, from the situations of poor human beings, from different women’s situations.
MULTIPLICITY OF OPPRESSION For liberation theology, the poor people’s situation is not due only to one type of oppression. Instead, there is an interrelatedness of different structures of oppression (political, social, economic, racial and sexual). Latin American liberation theology has mainly been created from men’s perspectives (almost all of its well-known theologians are men). Feminist liberation theology has criticised it for not including a gender perspective, for not seeing that it is often the poor women who are the most oppressed ones. Often it has just remained a question of merely formal
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