Dr. Mercy Oduyoye and the Ninth Annual Patricia Reif Lecture By Gina Messina-Dysert

Dr. Mercy Oduyoye is the Ninth Annual Patricia Reif Lecture speaker and will present “Women and Violence in Africa: the Plight of Widows and the Churches Response” on Monday, November 14, 2011 at 7pm at the Mudd Theater on the Claremont School of Theology campus.  Oduyoye is Africa’s foremost feminist theologian whose contributions have greatly impacted worldviews on gender and religion.  I am familiar with Oduyoye’s work and today had the honor to meet her in person and have a one on one conversation about violence against women, feminism, and religion.

Oduyoye was incredibly gracious and entertained all my questions about her work, her insights in regards to violence against women, and her thoughts about feminism and religion and where the field is going.  She explained that although some believe feminism is dead, the marginalization of women continues to be a serious issue.  Although the issues women face change over time, women continue to be oppressed.  According to Oduyoye, we must recognize that the issues women faced 50 years ago are different from the issues women face today; however this does not mean that gender-based inequalities have seized to exist.  Rather, it means that the culture has manifested itself in a new way.  We must come to recognize this and continue to work towards the eradication of gender-based violence.   

While Oduyoye commented that technology is not a part of her generation and is not something that she has embraced, she is interested in the many ways that technology is being utilized to expand dialogue.  Oduyoye explained that she does believe that technology will greatly impact the future of feminism and religion.

It is a rare opportunity to have the privilege to hear Oduyoye speak.  Thus, it is highly recommend that this opportunity on November 14th be embraced. Oduyoye’s work has transformed the field of feminism and religion and her brilliance and insight will continue to impact the global community.  For more information on the Ninth Annual Patricia Reif Lecture please click here.

For more information on the life and work of Patricia Reif, please see the following video.

MERCY AMBA ODUYOYE is a widely known African theologian, author of multiple works including Daughters of Anowa (Orbis, 1995) and — with Musimbi Kanyoro —The Will to Arise (Orbis, 1995).

About the Patricia Reif Lecture

The annual Pat Reif Memorial Lectureship was created in 2002 in honor of Dr. Patricia A. Reif, IHM. A scholar, educator, and activist, Pat Reif taught philosophy and chaired the graduate department in religious studies at Immaculate Heart College. In 1984 she founded the M.A. Program in Feminist Spirituality at Immaculate Heart College Center. Active in many social justice issues, including domestic abuse, poverty, immigration, welfare rights, and the anti-nuclear movement, Pat co-founded the Interfaith Hunger Coalition and the Southern California Interfaith Task Force on Central America (SCITCA).

The funding of the Patricia A. Reif Memorial Lecture Fund is a joint effort of the CGU School of Religion, The Immaculate Heart Community, The Immaculate Heart College Alumnae Board, and The Immaculate Heart College Center. We have established this fund out of mutual respect and love for Pat, and we look forward to many years of cooperative effort advancing the ideals for which Pat stood.*

*Information originally posted at http://www.cgu.edu/pages/3608.asp

Author: Gina Messina

Gina Messina, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Ursuline College and Co-founder of Feminism and Religion. She writes for the Huffington Post and is the author or editor of five books including "Faithfully Feminist" and "Jesus in the White House: Make Humanity Great Again." Her research interests are theologically and ethically driven, involve a feminist and interdisciplinary approach, and are influenced by her activist roots and experience working with survivors of rape and domestic violence. Gina is a widely sought after speaker and has presented across the US at universities, organizations, conferences, and in the national news circuit including appearances on Tavis Smiley, MSNBC, NPR, and the TEDx stage. She has also spoken at the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations to discuss matters impacting the lives women around the globe. She is active in movements to end violence against women and explores opportunities for spiritual healing for those who have encountered gender-based violence. Connect with Gina on Facebook, Twitter @GMessinaPhD, Instagram @GinaMessinaPhD, and her website http://www.ginamessina.com. View all posts by Gina Messina