Catholic feminists live with the ongoing tension of seeking the intellectual freedom to explore theological ideas that liberate women while at the same time maintaining communication with the Catholic institution, said a renowned feminist theologian.
…Her varied scholarship has included books on ecology from a feminist perspective, the history of women and religion in North America, the theological roots of anti-Semitism, the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict, racism and liberation theology. She wrote several articles criticizing Roman Catholic views on sex and reproduction that was underlying its ban on artificial birth control. One of her most recent books is "Integrating Ecofeminism, Globalization and World Religions."
You just got to love The Tidings the weekly newspaper of the Los Angeles Archdiocese which often can’t be distinguished from the National Catholic Reporter. They print a puff piece on a dissenting theologian who is pro-abortion and on the board of Catholics for a Free Choice. Who supports women’s ordination and believes that the Bible is a lie-a collection of
myths-and that "the Bible has to be demythologized"-that is, rewritten from
the feminist perspective. They don’t seem to have a problem on one hand printing an article in support of parental notification for abortion and then print one one favoring a pro-abortion advocate with absolutely no critical overview.
Sure these so-called Catholic feminists live with an ongoing tension. There is always tension between truth and lies. Lies will never result in liberation, but only shackles.
6 comments
There’s a real easy cure for all that terrible tension: Take two sacraments (Reconciliation and Communtion) – worthily and with all due humility –
and call me in the morning.
Sheesh – misspelled “Communion.” Oh well, must make use of all those lessons in humility . . .and looking stupid is a good one.
Harrumph. Why won’t these people just end the charade and become Episcopalians (or Unitarian Universalists)?
I soooo get this. I’m a feminist and a Catholic. I often feel an ongoing tension because when some of these “let’s revise the Church” feminists start talking, I must repress my natural human urges to beat them into submission to my own point of view.
But seriously, this article is bizarre. The first couple of paragraphs read like it’s going to be a talk with a dissenting Catholic. Then I saw the comment about Buddhist nuns. It seemed abrupt, especially when followed by, “Women exist in every class, race and religious context. What does feminism mean in all these different contexts?”
Hmm. Dustmites exist in those same contexts…
It looks more like the writer of the article was trying to create a controversy where none exists. It doesn’t sound like Ruether is really saying anything of note.
Give it a few years and these types will be only a footnote. Go to any event hosted by such sadly disoriented folk and it will look like a senior citizen convention.
People are getting wise and blogs like this prove it.
Feminist theologians do live in tension with the church, and that can be healthy. But Ruether is going to be seen (if not already) as way over the line. There are good, faithful Catholic theologians influenced by the best of feminist critique. So the article is off-base, but not all feminists are the same.
p.s. look at Feminists for Life!