This paper is based on the findings of my PhD research into at the effect of participation in the Roman Catholic Sacrament of the Eucharist on the formation of subjectivity viewed from the perspective of Feminist Liberation Theology. Taking Eucharist as a communal manifestation of belief in communion with the divine celebrated through symbolic liturgical enactments of thanksgiving and praise I am exploring the link between Feminist Relational Theologies and new findings in Cosmology and Quantum Theology that highlight interdependence and (...) relationality as basic to our understanding of ourselves and the nature of the divine. Subsequently the contribution of these theologies that offer the possibility of a more expansive and inclusive interpretation of the meaning transmitted by the symbols used in Eucharistic gatherings might provide a space where the indwelling of the divine in all its diverse manifestations can be recognized and celebrated. (shrink)

In light of the development of Feminist Theology that has presented an expanded view of some of its foundational concerns including the concept of ‘woman’ and ‘experience’ this article considers the relevance of Feminist Theology at the present time. Feminist Theology is placed both within the context of women’s stories as indicative of its viability and within the new areas of scientific knowledge that are highlighting interdependence and relationality as essential elements for the growth of humanity. This suggests that the (...) initial concerns of Feminist Theology are not only still valid but essential elements in any future reflection on the divine/human relationship. (shrink)

This paper attempts to examine the symbols being used by the protagonists in the war in Iraq relative to traditional Christian theology, the myths on which it was built and ensuing praxis. In particular I wish to consider the value allotted to ‘the feminine’ in the cultural and religious symbolic realm that underpins societal understanding of the relational climate necessary for liberty and justice to be effective.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church is the communal re-membering of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as Christ, the powerful symbolic system used in the rite judged capable of facilitating the people present to carry on, as the Body of Christ, the redemptive acts that Jesus embodied. This paper sets out to examine the political character of these Eucharists by considering both the political nature of the beliefs and actions of Jesus, and of the (...) Vatican, the governing body of the Roman Catholic Church comprising of the Pope and the Roman Curia, who claim divine authority to define and regulate the Church’s teaching enacted at the Eucharist. The position of women in relation to the current economic and political situation in the world will provide a base on which to question in particular the gender politics of the governing body of the Church as seen at the heart of their teaching on Eucharist and symbolized in the all-male priesthood. (shrink)