STUDIA MISSIONALIA SVECANA C Helene Egnell OTHER VOICES A Study of Christian Feminist Approaches to Religious Plurality East and West Uppsala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over photo: Miyesser Ildem Contents 1 Introduction................................................................................................11 1.1 An Asian Prelude ...............................................................................11 1.2 Problem ..............................................................................................12 1.3 A Contribution to Intercultural Theology ..........................................14 1.4 Material and Method..........................................................................16 1.4.1 Material.......................................................................................16 1.4.2 Method........................................................................................20 1.5 Limitations and Terminology.............................................................24 1.5.1 Limitations..................................................................................24 1.5.2 Terminology ...............................................................................25 1.6 Theoretical Considerations.................................................................29 1.6.1 Feminist Theory..........................................................................30 1.6.2 A Discussion on Religion...........................................................38 1.6.3 A Discussion on “Asianness” .....................................................48 1.7 Previous Research ..............................................................................50 1.8 Outline................................................................................................51 PART I POSSIBILITIES OF PRAXIS ........................................................53 2 A Case Study: The Women’s Interfaith Journey ......................................55 2.1 Introduction to the Project..................................................................55 2.1.1 Outline of the Project..................................................................56 2.1.2 The Indian Context .....................................................................59 2.1.3 Is the Women’s Interfaith Journey a Feminist Project?..............60 2.2. Prominent Themes in the Journey.....................................................62 2.2.1 “The Messiness of Actual Existence”.........................................62 2.2.2 Emphasis on Relationships.........................................................64 2.2.3 Dealing with Conflict .................................................................65 2.2.4 The Ambiguity of Religion.........................................................70 2.2.5 Communal Violence and Women as Peacemakers.....................73 2.2.6 Women and Interfaith Dialogue .................................................76 2.2.7 Aims of Interfaith Dialogue........................................................81 2.2.8 Individual Experiences – Collective Aims .................................83 2.3 Conclusions: A Journey into Each Others’ Lives ..............................87 2.3.1 Focus, Locus and Methodology..................................................87 2.3.2 Gender Pragmatism ....................................................................88 2.3.3 Five Key Insights........................................................................89 2.3.4 Will the Journey Go On?............................................................91 3. Feminist Approaches to Interfaith Dialogue.............................................95 3.1 WCC Consultations on Women in Interfaith Dialogue...................104 3.1.1 Women in Interfaith Dialogue – Toronto 1988 ........................104 3.1.2 Consultation on Women and Religious Education and Instruction – Mülheim 1999 .......................................................114 3.1.3 Impact of Women’s Dialogue Initiatives on the WCC.............117 3.2 Women, Religion and Social Change ..............................................120 3.2.1 Women, Religion and Social Change I, 1983...........................121 3.2.2 Women, Religion and Social Change II, 2003 .........................128 3.3 Interfaith Issues at Asian Christian Women’s Regional Conferences............................................................................................135 3.3.1 The EATWOT Context ............................................................135 3.3.2 Faith Renewed I and II .............................................................137 3.3.3 The Later Conferences..............................................................146 3.3.4 Conclusions ..............................................................................151 3.4 Learnings from Women’s Interfaith Conferences............................153 3.4.1 Significant Traits in Feminist Interfaith Conferences ..............154 3.4.2 Conclusions: No Simple Sorority .............................................167 PART II THEORETICAL CHALLENGES...............................................173 4 Challenging Christian Feminist Theology...............................................175 5 The Challenge of Jewish-Christian Dialogue ..........................................183 5.1 Shared Agendas and the Debate on Anti-Judaism ...........................184 5.1.1 Three Paradigms in Feminist Anti-Judaism .............................185 5.1.2 Shared Agendas ........................................................................188 5.2 A Heated Debate in Germany ..........................................................192 5.3 “Postcolonial” Repercussions ..........................................................194 5.3.1 A Roundtable on Postcolonial Bible Interpretation..................194 5.3.2 Womanist Parallels...................................................................199 5.3.3 Jewish-Palestinian Dialogue.....................................................200 5.4 Conclusion: Stumbling Blocks and Stepping Stones in Feminist Jewish-Christian Dialogue .....................................................................203 6 The Asian Challenge................................................................................207 6.1 Asian Christian Feminist Theology – an Overview .........................207 6.1.1 Womanhood, Motherhood and Mangala ..................................210 6.1.2 Goddesses and Feminine Principles .........................................212 6.1.3 “People’s Religion”: Religion as Practiced ..............................216 6.1.4 Scriptures and Storytelling .......................................................219 6.1.5 Christology ...............................................................................222 6.1.6 Asian Feminist Spirituality.......................................................224 6.1.7 Mealtable and Marriage as Metaphors for Interfaith Dialogue.......................................................................226 6.1.8 Male Responses to the Feminist Challenge..............................228 6.2 Gabriele Dietrich – a Materialist Analyst ........................................231 6.2.1 Communalism and Religious Reform ......................................232 6.2.2 A Materialist Understanding of Motherhood ...........................234 6.2.3 Goddesses and the Feminine Principle.....................................236 6.2.4 Struggle for Life .......................................................................237 6.2.5 Summary...................................................................................238 6.3 Chung Hyun Kyung – A Theological Artist ....................................239 6.3.1 Canberra 1991 ..........................................................................240 6.3.2 Syncretism ................................................................................242 6.3.3 Shamanism, People’s Religions and Salimism.........................245 6.3.4 Beauty.......................................................................................249 6.3.5 Conflict.....................................................................................250 6.3.6 Summary...................................................................................251 6.4 Kwok Pui-lan: A