Elaine Wainwright

Looking Both Ways or in Multiple Directions: Doing Teaching Theology in Context into the Twenty-First Century

Aotearoa New Zealand is uniquely connected, by both history and ocean, to Oceania and its many island nations, peoples and cultures. Doing theology at the beginning of the twenty-first century in such a location provides, therefore, a particular challenge. This article explores the multi-dimensional nature of this challenge and its foundation in the very process that shaped and shapes the biblical tradition and its ongoing interpretation.

A Metaphorical Walk through Scripture in an Ecological Age

Current ecological questions and crises have given rise to a profound critique of the biblical story and its function within contemporary society. This article takes account of that critique as a key element in our creation of the “new story” essential for our age. It also explores ways in which the biblical story makes a significant contribution to that “new story”.

Book Review: The Feminist Question: Feminist Theology in the Light of Christian TraditionFrancisMartin, The feminist question: feminist theology in the light of Christian tradition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994. ISBN 0802807942. Pp. xviii + 461pp. Rrp. US

The very title of this book is a misnomer which may lead its readers into a false perception of what they will encounter within its covers. On the one hand, it gives the impression that there is a feminist question and that this book is going to make it clear. But both the title and the way of dealing with feminist theology in the text fail to take account of the very diversity of feminisms which have developed during this current ”second wave feminism” and which have informed feminist theology.’ On the other hand, the title creates the impression that the reader will encounter the questions raised by feminist theology and be further informed in relation to it as a result of reading this book. This is indeed not so for there is never any clear articulation of the feminist theological paradigm as it has developed generally within the last twenty years with the nuances indicated above or as it has been articulated by some of its key proponents. Likewise the ”feminist question” or questions are not those raised by feminist theologians, as one would expect, but rather it is Martin’s rephrasing of the question, and this does not occur until the Epilogue.2 Should the reader expect to encounter feminist theologians’ questions and processes, she or he will be sadly disappointed.