Feminism and Religion

Film Radical Grace Highlights Nuns’ Response to Vatican Reprimand

While the Catholic Church has sought to control US Nuns through what has been called the “New Inquisition,” it has been unsuccessful in its efforts. The film Radical Grace documents the response of Sr. Simone Campbell, Sr. Jean Hughes, and Sr. Chris Shenk and is nothing short of brilliant. Producers Rebecca Parrish and Nicole Bernardi-Reis chronicle their holy journeys in maintaining their vows by challenging the Vatican. A full review of the film can be read here.

Please consider supporting the film through its crowdfund campaign. The opportunity to meditate with Sr. Simone is incentive enough! Congrats to Rebecca and Nicole on their fantastic project and much gratitude to Sr. Simone, Sr. Jean, and Sr. Chris for reminding us that “love is blind but obedience shouldn’t be.”

On April 30, the Vatican Doctrine of Faith “told the leadership group they were ignoring procedures for choosing speakers for their annual conferences and questioned if their programs were promoting heresy,” dashing hopes that the new pope would take a different attitude toward the nuns.

Continue reading “Film Radical Grace Highlights Nuns’ Response to Vatican Reprimand”

Please Welcome Kate and Safa!

Hello Friends! Please let us introduce to you Kate Brunner and Safa Plenty; both have signed on for internships with Feminism and Religion. We are thrilled that they have joined the FAR community! You will see from their brief biographies below that both Kate and Safa come to FAR with much experience, talent, and insight; we look forward to the many gifts they will share. Please join us in welcoming Kate and Safa!

Kate Brunner is a freelance writer & member of The Sisterhood of Avalon, studying at the Avalonian Thealogical Seminary. She is an American expat, living in Queensland, Australia and homeschooling her children, with the world as their classroom. Before motherhood, Kate earned a Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University, while studying Economics, International Relations, & Religion. She then served four years as a logistics officer in the US Army.

Shortly after the birth of her first child, Kate left military service, eventually becoming a birth doula & holistic birth educator. She is a regular contributor to The Sisterhood of Avalon’s online journal, The Tor Stone and is active in the Red Tent Movement. Kate volunteered in Houston as a presenter for monthly Red Tents and semi-annual women’s retreats before relocating overseas. She enjoys international travel, perfecting her cooking, reading great books, & having fascinating conversations with friends; old or new.

Kate is thrilled to be interning at FAR and believes very strongly in the power of interfaith feminist dialogue as a tool for building the diverse community necessary for effective activism. Furthering this effort, she hosts a grassroots gathering at the Solstices & Equinoxes. These relaxed evenings give her the opportunity to share sacred space with local women from myriad cultures and faith traditions around the world. Kate’s interests at the intersection of feminism & religion include manifestations of the Sacred Feminine, female leadership roles, and female indigenous perspectives across the array of spiritual traditions practiced around the world today.

Safa N. Plenty is an educator and mental health counselor, hoping to pursue a doctorate at Claremont School of Theology with a focus in spiritual formation and peacemaking. She holds a Masters of Social Work from Columbia University in Applied Generalist Practice and Programming and an undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies with a minor in Africana Studies.

For the past two years, Safa has worked as a K-12 educational contractor and assistant counselor at a local community college. Her research interest include Sufism, Attachment to God, indigenous metaphysics, particularly Native American and Somatic psychology. She is also interested in religious mysticism, mindfulness practice in Buddhism and the role of feminism and religion in cultivating a peacemaking capacity among young Muslim women. Safa is currently working to develop a faith based healthy relationships program for Mothers and daughters. She enjoys writing poetry, research, and contemplative practice in art and crafts.

Feminist Sparks – Events and Announcements

Have you visited Feminism and Religion’s Feminist Sparks page?

Here you will find upcoming events, announcements, and other Sparking news related to feminism and religion at the intersection of scholarship, activism, and community. Feel free to send in your own suggestions of upcoming events and announcements to be added to the page. Please email those to feminismandreligionblog@gmail.com and include “Feminist Sparks – submission” in the subject line of the email.

Now scroll down to read the most recent Sparking News!

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Feminism and The Church
Call for papers deadline is Friday, February 21 (two more days to submit a proposal!)
March 21-23, 2014
Boston University School of Theology

The Center for Practical Theology and the Doctoral Student Association at Boston University will host the second Graduate Student Conference at BU’s School of Theology. Feminism and The Church is one of its four streams of inquiry under the larger theme, “Theological Research and The Church.” There is still room for paper and workshop proposals in the Feminism and the Church stream. Please submit your proposals and join Xochitl Alvizo and Mary Hunt, both FAR contributors, who will also be presenting. Additionally, Xochitl will be conducting an interview with Mary Hunt as part of the conference program. It should be fun – join us!

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A Revolutionary Moment: Women’s Liberation in the late 1960s and early 1970s
March 27, 28, 29, 2014
Boston University
Program Schedule is now posted

Hosted by the Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies program at Boston University, in partnership with many others, this conference aims to do some historical remembering and celebrating of the Women’s Liberation Movement as well as critical analysis and discussion of the unfinished business that still continues today. It will inevitably be a reunion of many of the women, and men, who were directly involved in the movement, but its scope is also much larger than that. It’ll be a very exciting event! Plan to attend and register now!

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Goddess Pilgrimage to Crete with Carol Christ
May 31-June 14. 2014 and September 27-October 11, 2014
Find the Goddess and a Society of Peace on a Sacred Sites Tour for women in Greece with Carol Christ, author of Rebirth of the Goddess. The Goddess Pilgrimage to Crete is a two week tour for women. Carol will lead you in rituals celebrating the grace and joy of life and introduce you to a pre-patriarchal culture where the Goddess was revered as the Source of Life, women were honored, people lived in harmony with each other and with nature, and there was no war. The pilgrimage will engage your body, mind, and spirit. Tours are small and intimate enough for community to develop. Join us now!

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Seminar on Debates about Religion and Sexuality
Harvard Divinity School
June 10-19, 2014
Applications are due February 5, 2014.

We are pleased to announce the 2014 summer seminar at Harvard Divinity School for scholars, other writers or artists, religious leaders, and activists who are working on a first large project in which they hope to change the terms of current debates around religion and sexuality. For scholars, this project would be either a doctoral dissertation or a first book. For other writers and artists, religious leaders, and activists, it might be a first book, though it might also be a new curriculum, a series of public presentations and performances, or a media piece. The seminar understands both “religion” and “sexuality” broadly. It especially seeks participants from outside the United States. Harvard Divinity School will pay for participants’ travel to Cambridge and lodging and meals during the seminar. The seminar will be directed by Mark D. Jordan (Washington University in St. Louis) and Mayra Rivera Rivera (Harvard University). Faculty from Harvard and other institutions or organizations will lead sessions in their areas of interest. Large portions of the seminar’s time will be devoted to discussing participants’ writing in workshop format. Applications are due February 5, 2014. Invitations to the seminar will be issued by February 20. Details of the application and further information about the program are available online at http://www.hds.harvard.edu/faculty-research/conferences-and-seminars/debates-about-religion-and-sexuality. Questions may be directed to rsseminar@hds.harvard.edu.

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“Talking Taboo”: Register for WATER’s Feminist Conversations in Religion Teleconference

WATER’s Feminist Conversations in Religion Series

Presents

“Talking Taboo”
Part Two

An hour long teleconference with

Grace Biskie
Gina Messina-Dysert
Tara Woodard-Lehman
Katey Zeh

Wednesday, February 5, 2014 1-2PM EST

The book, Talking Taboo: American Christian Get Frank About Faith edited by Erin Lane and Enuma Okoro, is creating lots of conversation. WATER is excited to feature two teleconferences to start 2014 by looking at the issues many people consider taboo. Join authors Grace Biskie, Gina Messina-Dysert, Tara Woodard-Lehman, Katey Zeh, and let’s “talk taboo.”

Grace Biskie is a passionate, big-dreaming, extroverted communicator. She holds a bachelor of arts in speech communications and is half way through a Masters of Divinity from Western Theological Seminary. She has served high school and college students in the nonprofit sector for over fifteen years. She blogs regularly at http://www.gabbingwithgrace.com. Currently, Grace is working on her first book entitled, Detroit’s Daughter, a memoir.

Gina Messina-Dysert, PhD, is Dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies at Ursuline College. Gina is also Co-founder and Co-director of Feminism and Religion, an international project that explores the “F-word” in religion and the intersection between scholarship, activism, and community. She is the author of the forthcoming book Rape Culture and Spiritual Violence, and coeditor (with Rosemary Radford Ruether) of the forthcoming anthology Feminism and Religion in the 21st Century. Gina’s twitter is @FemTheologian and her website is http://ginamessinadysert.com.

Tara Woodard-Lehman is an ordained Presbyterian minister. Since 1998 she has ministered to and with young adults and university students. Over the past four years Tara has served as the executive director of Westminster Foundation and Presbyterian Chaplain at Princeton University. Tara also serves on the pastoral staff of Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey.

Katey Zeh is an advocate for reproductive justice in faith communities. She wrote her honors thesis on theology, ritual, and motherhood at Davidson College. In 2008, she graduated from Yale Divinity School with her Masters of Divinity. Currently, she directs a grassroots education and mobilization initiative focused on improving global maternal health for The United Methodist Church. Katey serves on the Board of Directors for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice in Washington, DC.

A recommended resource is the book Talking Taboo, in particular the following chapters:

“A Woman Undone,” by Grace Biskie, pp. 191-198
“No Women Need Apply,” by Gina Messina-Dysert, pp. 93-97
“Broken in Body, Slain in the Spirit,” by Tara Woodard-Lehman, pp. 74-79
“A Pregnant Silence,” by Katey Zeh, pp. 186-190

HOW TO REGISTER

Email “Register Me Teleconference” towaterstaff@hers.com by Tuesday, February 4, 2014 in order to receive dial-in information.

WATER, The Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual
8121 Georgia Avenue, Suite 310 | Silver Spring, MD 20910
301.589.2509 | water@hers.com | www.waterwomensalliance.org

Please consider making a secure online donation to WATER. Thank you!

Feminism and Religion Project Intern – Job Description

Project Summary :
Feminism and Religion (FAR), feminismandreligion.com, is a project that brings together multiple feminist voices from around the world to dialogue about the “f-word” in religion and the intersection between scholarship, activism, and community. It was established in the hope that feminist scholars of religion — and all who are interested in these issues — would utilize this forum to share their ideas, insights, and experiences, so that the community of thinkers would be nurtured as diverse and new directions are explored. The project has been incredibly successful in offering such a space and continues to act as a medium for feminist community.

Position Overview:
Feminism and Religion is seeking a creative, industrious, responsible, and highly-organized intern interested in working for a community-oriented collaborative online feminist project. Strong knowledge of the field of feminism and religion, excellent writing and editing skills, and the ability to engage WordPress and other forms of social media is desired. Responsibilities may include website support, reviewing, editing and uploading posts, responding to comments and submission inquiries, recruiting new contributions, and sharing content.
This is an unpaid internship designed to be a learning opportunity for the intern. FAR co-founders will work closely with the intern to help provide a positive learning experience. This internship is a 6 month position, with the option to renew, and will require approximately 10 hours per week.

Values and Expectations:
We work to create and maintain a positive, encouraging, and collaborative environment for Feminism and Religion and its broader community. A FAR intern is expected to value:

diversity
dialogue
collaboration
community building
gender justice

To Apply:
 Please e-mail FAR co-directors at (feminismandreligionblog@gmail.com) with:

Your resume, including 2 references who can speak to your reliability, diligence, organizational style, and responsibility (these can be professional, academic, or scholastic).
A cover letter indicating the reasons you are interested in working with FAR. Please highlight your interest and background in feminism, religion, gender justice issues, and/or gender/race/sexuality issues in religion.
A writing sample between 1000-2500 words – a blog post is ideal.

Applications are due December 31st, 2013. Candidates will be contacted for more information and to schedule interviews in January.

For more information, contact Xochitl Alvizo or Gina Messina-Dysert: feminismandreligionblog@gmail.com

BREAKING NEWS: Pope Resigns

The world is stunned this morning as news breaks that Pope Benedict XVI has announced that he will resign his position due to lack of strength to carry out his role; he stated: “to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me”.

“For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter.” Continue reading “BREAKING NEWS: Pope Resigns”

Mourning the Loss of Beverly Wildung Harrison

It is with deep sadness that Feminism and Religion mourns the passing of our foresister Beverly Wildung Harrison. As a feminist religious ethicist her work has made substantial contributions to the field and she has paved the way for the next generation of feminists to continue the pursuit of justice and social change.

As Mary Hunt states, “her mentoring and friendship set the bar high for how to be a feminist professor. Her stalwart commitment to justice is a legacy all its own.”

She was known to say, “Bless you, and bless the revolution.” We bless and celebrate Beverly’s life, her wisdom, strength, generous nature, and commitment to our community. May she rest in peace and may we all continue the revolution!

“I believe that our world is on the verge of self-destruction and death because the society as a whole has so deeply neglected that which is most valuable and the most basic of all the works of love — the work of human communication, of caring and nurturance, of tending the personal bonds of community….Those who have been taught to imagine themselves as world builders have been too busy with master plans to see that love’s work is the deepening and extension of human relations. This urgent work of love is subtle but powerful. Through acts of love — what Nelle Morton has called “hearing each other into speech” — we literally build up the power of personhood in one another. It is within the power of human love to build up dignity and self-respect in each other or to tear each other down. We are better at the later than the former. However, literally through acts of love directed to us, we become self- respecting and other-regarding persons, and we cannot be one without the other….The power to receive and give love, or to withhold it — that is, to withhold the gift of life — is less dramatic, but every bit as awesome, as our technological power. It is a tender power….rooted in our bodies, ourselves.” Beverly Wildung Harrison, Making The Connections, p.12.

Monthly Highlight: Dolores Huerta: Si Se Puede

Dolores Huerta is a woman who has made history and was honored for doing so by the National Women’s History Museum on October 25, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. As as a social justice activist and labor leader, Dolores has dedicated her life to ending discrimination. She has focused on improving economic and social conditions for those working in agriculture and is responsible for creating the Agricultural Workers Association and co-founding the United Farm Workers movement.

Dolores coined the slogan “Si Se Puede” for the United Farm Workers to rally support for the movement. Since it has become widely used by other labor and civil rights movements and was translated into English and used as the Slogan for President Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008. Continue reading “Monthly Highlight: Dolores Huerta: Si Se Puede”

IN THE NEWS: Fr. Roy Bourgeois to Speak at CGU

This week on November 1st and 2nd Fr. Roy Bourgeois will be at Claremont Graduate University to offer discussions on the topics of women’s ordination and the School of Americas Watch.

Fr. Roy is a Maryknoll priest, social justice activist, and founder of the School of Americas Watch. Here on FAR we have had many discussions and posts about women’s ordination. However we have had far less about the destruction caused by the School of Americas (SOA) now known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC).

Renamed in 2001, this institution is a combat training school for Latin American soldiers located in Fort Benning, Georgia and has been dubbed “School of Assassins.” Continue reading “IN THE NEWS: Fr. Roy Bourgeois to Speak at CGU”

IN THE NEWS: A Feminism Survey in the U.K.

Over the course of a 24 hour period, a popular parenting website in the U.K., Netmums, recently conducted a survey with 1300 of their users to “find out what feminism means to both girls and women living in the UK in 2012.” The report of their findings has inspired another wave of “feminism is dead” declarations. Nothing new there of course, it resonates with the same old hackneyed stereotypes of what it means to be a feminist. Nonetheless, it reminds us of the continually needed conversation about how to make feminist activism and goals accessible and communicable to more people lest Netmums founder Siobhan Freegard’s statement go uncontested: “The study starkly shows modern women feel traditional Feminism is no longer working for them, as it’s aggressive, divisive and doesn’t take into account their personal circumstances.” Continue reading “IN THE NEWS: A Feminism Survey in the U.K.”