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Course:
MARY AFST 542: African Feminist/Womanist Theology;
A Source for African Christian Theology
Course Overview:
Feminist theology as a source for African Christian Theology. Besides
the classroom lectures, there will be thirty-six hours of directed field
research.
Course Description:
The class commences with a brief historical survey of womanist theology
as a liberating theology including its origin, development and spread
around the world. Then the class will analyze the challenge womanist
theology poses for African culture and African religious tradition and
how womanist theology could be a tool for recapturing the African values
e.g. that of wholistic approach to human life in relation to the divine
and the cosmos.
Course Outline
a) Feminism or womanism - defined.
b) Womanist theology.
c) African women and inculturation -- women are the gents.
d) The African woman and the church.
e) The African woman and Christ.
f) New images for African women.
g) Women redefining differences.
h) Ecclesial authority and women in the church
One's Own Experience
1. Nearly all the informants accepted that many women
are oppressed, humiliated, undervalued and segregated on the basis of
sex but they said the degree matters. Some said, it depends on how you
work it out.
I felt that many were grateful for introducing them to
the subject which many admitted they had not been taken much time to
analyze. Now they would be more involved.
I sensed there is a lot to be done yet in conscientizing
women about sexism. There is a lot of suspicion about feminist movements
among women themselves.
Problems Facing Women's Groups
1. Extended problems
i. Lack of proper education of the members. The groups also lack
managerial skills to run the groups effectively.
ii. Women are over worked in family and house work duties so they have
little time to devote to group activities.
iii. Very little money is raised by the group members to make the groups
realize profit.
iv. The products from the groups like handicrafts
don't sell very easily.
v. Women have to ask permission from husbands and if the husband refuses
the member looks for time to sneak out.
2. Which leadership roles/activities do you see men
dominating and yet could have been better handled by women?
i) Chama Cha Siasa: They don't give women a chance.
ii) City Commissioners: Dominated by men and yet Estate matters affect
women greatly.
3. What problems do you meet in trying to improve the
status of women in Kenyan society?
i. Women look down upon themselves.
ii) They under value themselves.
iii) Women lack support from each other.
iv) Many lack initiative.
v) Many are financially handicapped.
vi) Many have a low level of education so explanation is difficult.
vii) Some feel that you are over burdening them especially married ones.
viii) Funding women's issues is not a priority for government
departments.
4. Are you happy with this idea of "Liberating
Women"?
i) "People think we are demanding too much"
ii) "Highly educated professional women are doing
more harm than good. For them I think it is not a sexist problems but
class struggle between themselves and men"
iii) "I don't subscribe to this idea of women
liberation. I prefer to let every one take their rightful
positions"
iv) "Let men be men and women be women"
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY.
Lindsay,
Bervely (Ed). (1980). Comparative Perspectives of Third
World Women; The impact of Race sex and class. New York: Praeger
Scientific.
Williams,
Caroline. (1983)."The Rural Woman: Her problems
and her possibilities in women's programs." United Nations Economic
Council For Africa.
Powey, Constance F.
(Ed). (1983). The Community of Women and Men
in the Church. The Sheffield Report. Philadelphia: Fortress
Press.
Fabella,
Virginia and Mercy A. Oduyoye (Eds). (1988). With
Passion and Compassion: Third World Women Doing Theology. New York: Orbis
Books.
Oduyoye, Mercy
A. (1986). Hearing and Knowing:
Theological
Reflections on Christianity in Africa. New York: Orbis Books.
Oduyoye, Mercy
A. (1995). Daughters of Anowa. New York:
Orbis Books.
Welsh, Sharon D.
(1985).
Communities of Resistance and
Solidarity: A Feminist Theology of Liberation. New
York: Orbis.
Fabella, Virginia & Martinez
D. (Eds). (1996).Third World Women Doing Theology: Papers from the
International Women's Conference Oaxtepex, Mexico, December 1-6, 1986, EATWOT
Women's Commission.
Oduyoye, Mercy Amba
& Musimbi Kanyoro (Eds). (1992). The
Will
to Arise. New York: Orbis Books.
Nasimiyu-Wasike,
A. (1998). Jesus and an African Woman's
Experience. In Mugambi J.N.K.
and Magesa L. (Eds.), Jesus in African Christianity:
Experimentation and Diversity in African Christology. (2nd
ed.). Nairobi: Acton Publishers.
Nasimiyu-Wasike,
A . (1990). An African Woman's Legitimate
Role in Ministry. In Mugambi J.N.K.and Magesa L. (Eds.), The Church
in African Christianity: Innovative Essays in Ecclesiology. Nairobi:
Initiatives Publishers.
Nasimiyu-Wasike,
A. (1992).African Women's Prophetic
Voices. In Mugambi, J.N.K. and Nasimiyu- Wasike, A. (Eds.), Mission in African Christianity.
Nairobi: Initiatives Publishers.
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