Newsletter of the Asian Women's Resource Centre for Culture and Theology
Vol. 12, No. 2, October 2007
New Coordinating Team Members
Members of AWRC have elected their representatives to the Coordinating Team in a recently concluded postal voting. Re-elected were Hisako Kinukawa, from Japan, as representative of North East Asia and Ann Wansbrough, from Australia, as representative of the Far South. Newly elected as representative of South Asia was Aphuno Chase-Roy, from India.
Hisako Kinukawa holds a Bachelor of Arts from International Christian University, Japan; Master of Divinity from Mennonite Biblical Seminary, USA and Doctor of Ministry from San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS), USA. She teaches biblical studies, feminist theology and gender studies. She is an adjunct professor at International Christian University (ICU) and Lutheran Theological Seminary in Japan. She is active as co-director of the Center for Feminist Theology and Ministry in Japan. She sits on the IGI Editorial Advisory Committee.
Ann Wansbrough, a minister of the Uniting Church in Australia, is a Senior Policy Analyst at UnitingCare NSW.ACT. She has degrees in science, arts and divinity, and a Ph.D. in religious studies and social policy. She is a founding member of AWRC and a member of In God’s Image Editorial Advisory Committee.
Aphuno Chase-Roy, born in Nagaland, India, holds a doctorate of theology in the history of Christianity. She is an associate professor at Leonard Theological College, teaching history of Christianity. Her interests are in women’s identity and equality and the impact of religion on women’s status. She has published “Women In Transition” and a number of articles. She is a member of the Methodist Church.
Due to a tie in votes for the two nominees for South East Asia (A), a second postal ballot was carried out and Liza Lamis emerged as the newly elected representative for South East Asia (A).
Liza B. Lamis is coordinator of the Women’s Program of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines; coordinator of Association of Women in Theology; country coordinator of EATWOT-Philippines; and a doctoral candidate (D.Min.) in International Feminist Theologies at San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS).
AWRC coordinator at multicultural ministry gab
AWRC coordinator Yong Ting Jin served as one of the resource persons at the multicultural ministry and solidarity consultation-workshop organized by the Christian Conference of Asia held in Kuala Lumpur on 16-20 September 2007.
Ting Jin facilitated exercises on culture for the gathering of 26 participants from Southeast Asia, including church workers, seminary educators, youth and lay leaders who have been involved in multicultural ministry, and a Buddhist monk from Thailand.
Using the seven-level framework of Dutch feminist theologian Lieve Troch, Ting Jin guided the group in analyzing their attitudes to cultures and religions and to otherness as a whole.
The seven-level framework consists of: (1) superiority, claiming that one’s culture is the best; (2)
tolerance which allows mere co-existence; (3) liberal pluralism, which recognizes other religions and cultures but asserts that “mine is still better”; (4) inter-cultural dialogue (interreligious), which is being interested and engaged with one another; (5) critique of one’s own culture, which is questioning one’s culture or religion – a first step to liberation; (6) making
coalitions with other persons who are critical in looking at their own culture/religion; and (7) working towards common projects of liberative syncretism.
According to this framework, moving from inter-cultural (interreligious) dialogue to critique of one’s culture or religion requires a qualitative leap. Often-times, people just keep sliding to levels 1, 2 and 3.
AWRC publications assistant Clare Law also helped provide support for the program, which was organized by the CCA-Faith, Mission and Unity desk and hosted by the Council of Churches of Malaysia.
A number of participants in the multicultural ministry and solidarity program were in fact members of the AWRC.
AWRC coordinator at youth and students’ training
AWRC coordinator Yong Ting Jin served as one of the resource persons at the 4th School for Ecumenical Leadership Formation (SELF) program held in September in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The program was jointly organized by the WSCF Asia Pacific (WSCF-AP) and the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA).
The three-week intensive training had the theme, “Young People Working Towards Wider Ecumenism in a Pluralistic Society.” It aimed at sharpening the capacity of youth and students in the WSCF-AP and CCA constituency to analyse the social, political and economic issues; articulate biblical and theological perspectives on burning issues such as globalization, militarization/war on terror, justice, peace, ecology, feminism, etc.; and search alternative approach to communicate and advocate ecumenical witness among students and youth.
In her input on “feminism and feminist movement,” Ting Jin shared that ‘feminist’ is not a gender or biological term but a characteristic of one’s socio-political position for change and transformation for women’s liberation. She pointed out that there were two (2) trends in the feminist movement in various countries in the so-called Asia, e.g. China, India, Philippines, Korea and Japan. The first trend was mainly an integral part of the social and political reform movements happening in several Asia countries. Male scholar reforms and male reforms took the lead in such debates and reforms. The second trend emerged as part of the ongoing reform but coupled with the spirit of national struggle for national democracy against foreign domination and colonialism.
Ting Jin also led a session on “learning theologies and biblico-theological skills.” Saying that the Bible is the site of people's struggles for liberation and transformation, she helped the participants understand four paradigms of biblical interpretation introduced by Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, a feminist theologian. The four paradigms of biblical interpretations are: (1) Doctrinal-Revelatory Paradigm; (2) Scientific-Objectivist Paradigm; (3) Hermeneutic-Cultural Paradigm; (4) Rhetorical-Emancipatory paradigm.
She noted that the Rhetorical-Emancipatory Paradigm is a fundamental shift from paradigms 1, 2, and 3. This paradigm 4 is a model for Ekklesia, and it begins with the subject of the text, which is “the one who is interpreting the
text,” hence, it reflects the real aspirations and experiences of marginalized people.
More workshops for young women
YWDT Workshops in Taiwan, August 2007
The Young Women Doing Theology (YWDT) held a five-day workshop in Tainan, Taiwan, from Aug 21-25, 2007. The theme was “Life Stories in the Tension Between Power and Empowerment” with a special focus on “Understanding My Body, My Self and My Faith from a Critical Feminist Perspective.”
There were 31 women participants from various Asian countries, including India, Cambodia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Korea. They were a mixed group of Protestants and Catholics, ordained and lay, NGO leaders/activists, and women in the academic and at the grassroots.
As a preparatory process, a three-day orientation workshop (from Aug 17-19) was held for 27 participants who had not had an introduction to Critical Feminist Theology of Liberation.
Working in groups with several biblical texts was a major component of both the workshops.
Feminist theologian Lieve Troch from The Netherlands facilitated the two workshops which all participants welcomed as eye-opening and liberating.
ORIENTATION WORKSHOP (AUG 17-19)
Great interest was stirred, especially among the Taiwanese participants, most of whom were for the first time introduced to a Critical Feminist Theology for Transformation and Liberation.
On the first day, they heard that they would be looking critically at the Bible, its important place in their lives and how to deal with its authority that is at the same time liberative and oppressive, and as women. The methodology used showed them how to do theology to help them not to be trapped in Classical Theology.
Lieve first traced how theology evolved over the years, beginning with Classical Theology which features a ready-made, universal theology for all time and space, and which all have been socialized into. In contrast, the development of Contextual Theology, of which Liberation Theology is one type, is rooted and responds to the reality. Liberation Theology starts with people’s experience, analyses the situation, discerns and makes a new theological reflection. A Feminist Theology of Liberation as a stream of the theologies of liberation, starts with basic experiences of women: they are invisible and excluded in church, society and in the Bible; and they are mostly identified with evil. Reflecting on their experiences, women realized they were never allowed to name themselves, the world, the Divine; but they were defined with the glasses of men.
Group sharing followed based on these questions: (1) Experiences of invisibility, exclusion or being connected with evil or sin in church and society. How did you feel or react? (2) Share some proverbs in your culture on “women”.
Lieve introduced the Dance of Liberation and Transformation on the second day, beginning with a systemic analysis of oppression. She showed the injustice in the position of women in the world using UN data in areas such as labour, violence, education, decision-making. “We have to take into account political, economic, structural situations when we do theology,” she said.
She said there were five theoretical frameworks used in Feminist Theology in the last three decades: (1) Patriarchy which is understood as all women are oppressed by all men; (2) Complementarity model which says men and women are complementary to each other in biological terms and therefore to be feminine or masculine is our fate; (3) Gender concept which comes from sociology and says femininity and masculinity are social and cultural constructions; (4) Analysis of Androcentric language systems; (5) Systemic analysis which says that ethnicity, race, education, class, gender, age, sexuality and religion interfere with one another, creating different power levels between men and women, and between women and between men. The analysis of interfering pyramids of power and exclusion could be a starting point to envision transformation and liberation.
There were group sharings on each person’s social location and on the vision of a circle of the Ekklesia of
Wo/men.
On the last day, the groups worked with the text of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42), trying to analyse how this text was used to keep women in place and how some re-reading could bring us to a different imagination and practice.
Doing a critical feminist biblical interpretation of the text of Martha and Mary was an eye-opener for the participants as Lieve took them through the deconstruction and reconstruction steps. They soon realized that the text was full of gender pitfalls, and the stereotyping and downplaying of women doing housework was the message of traditional preaching. Read differently, the text is about discussions in the first churches, the same discussions we are facing nowadays, and the text focuses on the vocation of Martha who is challenged to go for the Kingdom of God.
Following are some responses from the participants who found it challenging to read this text in a different way: “A radical idea to see it as a house-church which is more liberating”; “Traditional sermons and Bible studies always say Mary’s role is more important but today, Martha’s role comes up as interesting”; “Need more such readings that show the leadership of women”; “New insight about Martha. I never thought of Martha that way”; “Inspired by the use of rhetoric criticism to reconstruct. It shows another and creative way to interpret text”.
In the evaluation of this first workshop, many expressed that they would like to introduce this critical feminist theology in their own countries, in their work with students, young women and church. Other comments include:
 | “Refreshing. It’s new and helpful for me. I will try to share this with my Bible study friends.” |
| “I want to be more critical with what I do. Previously I worked only with gender but that does not help women to get to the root of oppression. It is really difficult if I want to do this with other women. It’s a reminder that I need to work harder.” |
| “Education is important. Gathering in one or two years for this kind of workshop is not enough. When we go back, we might put it away. We must think how to continue. Maybe we need more discussions on the Internet, more readings. It is difficult to keep going – we are either too busy or comfortable in the pyramid.” |
| “Enriched by it. Inspired by Lieve. My dream is to leave a model so young people can learn something new and radical.” |
| “It’s changed my way of reading the Bible and opened my mind. I’m inspired how to change the paradigm, how not to recycle classical theology.” |
AWRC coordinator Yong Ting Jin said she felt there was significant impact from the short orientation workshop. As some young women had expressed a desire to do something more or continue this workshop, they should take the initiative to organize it.
Following the opening worship, introductory “body” games/exercises were played (with much hilarity) to lead the participants into the workshop theme of “The Body” – bodies of women and men as the starting point of doing our theology, in the tension of power and empowerment.
Reminding them to use the steps of the Dance of Liberation and Transformation in looking at the “The Body”, Lieve said the first step was to take themselves, their own bodies as material to do theology. They were asked to share in smaller groups their life stories with the focus on their bodies. They also used their pre-workshop homework in which they had answered set questions such as how gendered and socialized they were, how their bodies and sexuality were socialized in a certain way, some kairotic moments in their lives where they made qualitative leaps and how church formed part of their lives.
The next day in the plenary reports of their reflections on their experiences, the participants realized, among other things, their struggles took different forms on different levels for different women in different social locations; negative experiences brought some turning points; their “body” stories could connect them beyond class, race, etc, but that did not mean they were connected on all levels and might even be in conflict on another level; their socialization as a heterosexual and the later realization that there might be other feelings as well. The commonalities in the groups included negative experiences about body and sexuality; imprisoned body by cultural constructions; and structural pressure on their bodies.
Putting their experiences into a broader context, Lieve pointed out that because women’s oppression was structurally created, their liberation required a structural component and could not only be an individual liberation. Recognizing how the body and self are influenced by race, culture, gender, religion, class, education, they have to do a hermeneutics of suspicion in the framework of a systemic analysis. Some tools for an adequate and systemic suspicion to analyse issues were given.
Next, a biblical text was given for the participants to practise using systemic analysis in relation to the body to see how sexuality is shaped by society and religion, how it is used in the power game and how double standards play a role. In small groups, using the Dance steps and systemic analysis, they set to work on the text – Genesis 38, the story of Judah and Tamar, which is all about body, self, sexuality and the role of religion. Before this, Lieve gave some background to certain Hebrew/Jewish expressions and symbols, plus a list of questions to look at the text.
An interesting plenary discussion on this text followed. The participants saw the double standards in the perception and evaluation of body for men and women that come with the values and norms in religion and society.
The third day was an exposure trip to the Siraya Green Valley where the group was briefed on the culture of the Siraya indigenous tribe of Tainan. Later, they headed for Anping to see the oldest fort in Taiwan which is also called Fort Zeelandia, and Chihkanlou or The Chamber of Red Hill. Visits were made to various temples including the Confucian Temple and the Great Queen of Heaven Temple or Mazu Temple which is devoted to the Goddess of the Sea.
Reflections on the body and self continued the following day as Lieve spoke of the connection of the self, body and sexuality, how the three are split up and can be brought together. She connected this to the Judah and Tamar story, pointing to how the male and female deal with the use of their bodies in same and different ways for different reasons. “So there’s a tension in the story between the body and self as being together, as being split up or brought together depending on our power position and our struggle to survive as persons,” she said.
Religion’s role in the complexity of the relationship of body, self and sexuality is highlighted. In Christianity, as in all religions, there is a deep tendency of denying body and self and to look at body as evil. This is because of the fear of death. “We deny the body now so that we can live fully our selves after death. The solution of Christianity is the body dies but the soul survives – a total split of body and self,” said Lieve. She then used a “Constantinian” Roman patriarchal model of church to show how the Roman Catholic church and the Protestants set up pyramidal structures dividing the sexuality of women and men for secular and religious, laity and clergy.
Another reality of the body is that the self is able to transcend the body, to work through the split-up to reclaim the self. In these two capacities of the body, there are broken bodies and selves; coded bodies and selves; imprisoned bodies and selves; and exploited bodies and selves.
Always with reference to their life stories, the participants went into small groups again to: (1) talk about the body and self. What is my experience with broken, coded, exploited, imprisoned body/self in myself, in society and in religion; and how did that bring alienation of the body/self. (2) Where and how can we support people in their attempts to heal the body/self or for self to transcend the body.
Lieve said besides the split body/self and the self transcending the body, there is also the relational body/self. In this living of the relational self, the erotic, sensual and sexual self is not only defined by the body.
On the last day, Lieve discussed three concepts crucial to Christianity that have a lot of relationship to body and mostly oppressive for the body – salvation, reconciliation and resurrection of the body. “These three concepts in the classic theological meaning don’t make us healthy because they produce guilt feelings on the level of sexuality,” she said. But there are other ways of seeing these three themes from the feminist perspective.
To come to an understanding of the body and self, Lieve set the smaller groups to work on a biblical text – Mark 5:21-43 about Jairus’ daughter and the haemorrhaging woman. Later, after dissecting the text together, she said these were two resurrection stories of how women could resurrect themselves in the Jesus Movement. Many participants were challenged by how the text was interpreted in such a liberating manner.
Finally, an evaluation of the workshop was done based on two questions: (1) What is new for you in this workshop? (2) What are the challenges which you will take home with you?
Highlights of comments from the participants:
Anna of Indonesia said she learnt how much she has devalued her body, self and sexuality. Not being inside the church, and now with the perspective of the body, she finds it easier to connect with her sisters in the church. “I realize what the struggles of my sisters are inside the church structure and how I can provide support and link myself with others.”
Iswanti of Indonesia said her study of philosophy about body/soul/self collapses in the face of what she has learnt in this workshop. “This workshop helps me to see this body that is so real, broken, and this body is suddenly so powerful and I can use this body to break or question the pyramid structure and in our thinking.” She will be more aware of her struggle to unite her body and self and the split-up; how to break the pyramid and build the circle, and share this with her friends.
Fen from Malaysia gained insight and strength from the story of the bleeding woman which she found affirming. As a Sunday School teacher, she will try to bring the message to the little ones.
Sonia of India said analyzing our stories in relation to body and self is more than challenging because she also experienced brokenness even though she has the vision. She needs to make time for herself to reflect and learn to value her self and body and how to bring it together. She found new understandings and new reflections from the Judah and Tamar text.
Tao of Taiwan thought she knew herself well until the workshop – and she realized her self is split up from her body. “My self is shaken by this workshop and I go back with this challenge.”
Report written by Woon Yoke Heng, AWRC member
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