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What’s in a Name? CHAPTER TWELVE What’s in a Name? Forging a Theoretical Framework for African Women’s Theologies1 Isabel Apawo Phiri and Sarojini Nadar Introduction Feminism has become the shorthand for the proclamation that women’s experiences should become an integral part of what goes into the definition of being a human. It highlights the woman’s world and her worldview as she struggles side by side with the man to realize her full potential as a human being … Feminism then emphasizes the wholeness of the community as made up of male and female beings. It seeks to express what is not so obvious, that is, that male-humanity is a partner with female-humanity, and that both expressions of humanity are needed to shape a balanced community within which each will experience a fullness of Be-ing [sic]. Feminism calls for the incorporation of the woman into the community of interpretation of what it means to be human.2 If the above definition of feminism as provided by Mercy Oduyoye proves to be true, then we scholars who belong to the Circle of Concerned African Women Theolo____________________________________ 1 This article is a development of two earlier articles dealing with this issue: I.A. Phiri and S. Nadar, African Women, Religion and Health: Essays in Honour of Mercy Amba Oduyoye, ed. I. A. Phiri and S. Nadar. (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2006), 1-6; and I.A. Phiri, “The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians: Its Contribution to Ecumenical Formation”. The Ecumenical Review 57/1 (2005): 34-41. Both articles engage the issue of naming our liberation theology, albeit on a superficial level as this was not the main issue in those articles. 2 M. A. Oduyoye, Hearing and Knowing: Theological Reflections on Christianity in Africa (Maryknoll,N.Y.: Orbis,1986),121. Biblical Studies, Theology, Religion, and Philosophy gians3 should have no problem calling ourselves feminist. Yet, Circle theologians, especially from the Anglophone region, have been reluctant to explicitly name our work feminist.4 Called to discuss models of engendering theological education in July 2004, a robust and spirited debate ensued among Circle theologians as to whether we should name ourselves feminist or not. The discussion, though heated at times, nevertheless highlighted our need asAfrican women theologians to continue the struggle to broaden the theoretical basis of our work. Although many of us were trained in the tools of Western theologies, we have yet to systematically and theoretically interrogate them as to their meaningfulness within our context as African women. Coupled with this, we as African women saw the need to establish ourselves differently (although with similar agendas) from the feminist cause which we perceive as being largely Western, white and middle-class. On the other hand, Isabel Phiri has argued that: Despite the differences in terminology, all women would like to see the end of sexism in their lives and the establishment of a more just society of men and women that seek the well-being of the other. The women go further to seek justice for all the oppressed including the environment.5 Our aim in this paper is to explore the rationale behind the differences in the terminology used within feminist theologies, particularly that ofAfrican women’s theologies, highlighting in each case the positive and negative aspects of each feature. The paper concludes with a call forAfrican women’s theologies to be recognized as an authentic discipline in and of itself within the study of theology, while at the same time recog__________________________ 3 The Circle of ConcernedAfrican Women Theologians (hereafter, the Circle) was inaugurated in 1989. By 2006, the Circle had a registered membership of 617 members on theAfrican continent and in the Diaspora, distributed as follows: 465Anglophone, 93 Francophone, and 59 Lusophone members. The criterion for membership is a commitment to research, write and publish on issues affecting African women and women of African descent. The Circle is an important space for women from Africa to do communal theology based on their religious, cultural and social experiences. It draws its membership from women of diverse backgrounds, nationalities, cultures and religions rooted inAfrican Indigenous Religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism. It encompasses indigenousAfrican women and seeks to relate toAfrican women of American, Asiatic, and European origins. As concerned women, the Circle is continuously engaged in theological dialogue with cultures, religions, sacred writings and oral stories that shape theAfrican context and define the women of the African continent. Whilst its mission is to undertake research, writing and publishing...

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