Understanding Western and Asian Feminist Hermeneutics: Prolegomena

- Billy J.Zorinthara

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Introduction: Feminist movement is a phenomenon which is happening all around the globe. The
endeavour to liberate the women from patriarchy, the conscientization of the society of their gender
discrimination comes as a trend among the theological circles as well as among secular socialist. In
the few past years, feminist theologians saw the need and the legitimacy to formulate their own
hermeneutics. The same thing occurred among the Asian Feminist Theologians who were heavily
depending on the western Feminist Hermeneutics. Due to differences in context, both sides have to
be confined within their own context which also ramifies in the formulation of Asian Feminist
Hermeneutics. The attempt of this paper is to analyze and elicit the major divergence between the
Asian and Western Feminist Hermeneutics, on the other side common ground between them will
also be highlighted. The latter part of the paper will deal with pertinent terminologies of the subject
matter such as Feminism and Womanism.

1. Definition: The word Hermeneutics is derived from the Greek Word hermeneus, meaning
interpreter. The Greek word hermeneus is in turn derived from Hermes (called Mercury by the
Romans) who, in Greek mythology, was the messenger of the gods and patron of eloquence.
Therefore, hermeneutics may be defined as the science and art of interpretation.1 Thus , Western
feminist hermeneutics is an feminist interpretation from western perspective while Asian feminist
hermeneutic is an interpretation from Asian feminist realities and context.

2. Western Feminist Hermeneutics: As Christianity is the main religion in the occident, hence the
main text is the Bible. Some feminist called it the text of terror while some rejected the bible as
the word of God. Another group try to bring out the liberative aspect while for some it is the source
of their oppression. Let us take a glimpse of their perspective and approach.

2.1. Bible as the main Text: The Feminist Biblical Hermeneutics had its origin in the United States
toward the end of the 19th Century.2 In the west, as Christianity is the main religion, the main text for
the western feminist is the bible, and it is believe that it is an andocentric text written by men in a
patriarchal context. Some feminist in the west had even gone to the extent of rejecting the Bible for
its patriarchal contents; however such rejection has not taken yet in Asia especially in India, due to
traditional attitudes of Indian Christian women.3

Some feminist opines that the bible is a dangerous book that has often been used to
teach slaves and women to be subservient to masters and to provide Gods blessing for
warfare.4Mercy K.John wrote that throughout the centuries and till today the authority of the church
has been against accepting women on equal status with men. The church is officially under male

1
Daniel J. Adams, Biblical Hermeneutics: An Introduction (Madras; The Christian Literature Society, 1987), 1.
2
John Samuel A Methodological Discussion on the Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible in Issues in Theological
Research: A Methodological Research, edited by Wati Lonchar (Bangalore, BTESSC/SATHRI, 2010), 47.
3
Aruna Gnanadson Feminist Theology: An Indian Perspective in Readings in Indian Christian Theology, Vol 1,
edited by R.S. Sugirtharajah and Cecil Hargreaves(Delhi:ISPCK,1993) ,65.
4
Letty M.Russell Authority and the Challenge of Feminist Interpretation in Feminist Interpretation of the
Bible, edited by Letty M Russell (Newyork: Basil Blackwell, 1985), 141.

2
authority. In order to prove womens subordination the church authorities usually take Pauls
negative statement concerning women. This often happens as a result of ignoring hermeneutic
principles. Therefore, interpretation of the passages concerned must be on the basis of culture,
context, etc.5 Sandra M. Schneiders asserts that Patriarchy is the term that refers to the ideology and
social system of father rule, which was the virtually universal pattern and social organization in the
world of the Bible.6Hence, western feminist saw the need to re-interpret the Bible.

2.2. Biblical Canonization: Feminist scholars have begun to raise questions about the process and
product of biblical canonization. Like the canon of literary classics that has governed education in the
western world since renaissance, the biblical canon was established by men who selected writings
by men that men found valuable since they reflected male experience, interests, and theological
positions, because these male authorities obviously thought that male experience was equivalent to
human experience . 7

2.3. Biblical Hermeneutics: Feminist saw the need to liberate the bible from androcentric
interpretation thus many feminist hermeneutics was developed.

For instance, in order to re-interpret the Bible, Schusller adopted four hermeneutical principles:8

1. Hermeneutics of suspicion recognizes the patriarchy and andro centricism of many biblical
texts and thus entails ideology critique, asking whose interests are served in particular
passages.
2. Hermeneutics of proclamation assesses which texts are suitable for liturgical use.
3. Hermeneutics of remembrance searches the texts for traces of womens history in early
Christianity to reconstruct the activity and centrality of women, which is the biblical heritage
of women today.
4. Hermeneutics of creative actualization helps women claim biblical history by use of historical
imagination and through ritual and art.

2.4. Western Church: The presentation of God in overwhelmingly male terms is one of the main
problems for the western feminist. The Biblical metaphors for God are frequently patriarchal: father,
lord, king, landowner, slave master, leader of armies. Even the less dominative metaphors such as
shepherd reflect an andro-centric social universe. Although there are feminine metaphors such as
mother, baker woman, female householder, mother bear or hen, midwife, the masculine
presentation of God is pervasive that the theological and liturgical tradition of the church has
virtually excluded the feminine from divinity. The language about and to God in public prayer,
preaching, theology, and spirituality has been exclusively masculine, etc.9Till today, Ordination of
women is denied in many places and exclusive language in hymnal and Bible translation can still be
seen.

5
Mercy K.John, Dignity of women in Pauls Letters (Tiruvalla: Christava Sahitya Samithi, 2001), 95.
6
Sandra. M. Schneiders, The Bible and Feminism: Biblical Theology in Freeing Theology: The Essentials of
Theology in Feminist Perspective, edited by Catherine Mowry Lacugna(New York: HarperCollins Publishers
Inc,1993),14.
7
Sandra. M. Schneiders, The Bible and Feminism: Biblical Theology in Freeing Theology, 41-42.
8
Anne E.Carr, The New Vision of Feminist Theology: Method in Freeing Theology: The Essentials of Theology
in Feminist Perspective, edited by Catherine Mowry Lacugna(New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc,1993),18.
9
Sandra. M. Schneiders, The Bible and Feminism: Biblcial Theology in Freeing Theology,35-36.

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2.5. Western Theologies: Feminist theologians in the West also believe that many theologies were
developed based on male biased worldview. In conjunction to that statement, Mary Aquin O Neill
asserts that Thomas Aquinas held quite clearly that the male sex was normative for humanity and
that female was a defective instance of human being.10 Feminist Theologians had rejected
Aristotelian dualism: mind/body; spirit/flesh; culture; nature; women; men, which has informed
western patriarchal theology. A hierachachical understanding of the relationship between soul and
body, male and female, the spiritual realm and the world of nature, is fundamental to most of
western theology as evidenced from the writings of the early church fathers such as Augustine.11
Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza asserts that women who enter theological education have three
choices: either we embrace the languages, traditions, theories, or worldviews of theology which
have silenced, marginalized, and objectified us as women and risk muting our own theological voice
and creativity, or we reject theological inquiry as white male scholarship, because we recognize its
destructiveness for womens self-definition and self-affirmation. However, this second choice
deprives us of the intellectual skills and tools for finding our own theological voice and for changing
theology in the interest of women and all other non-persons. A third option compels us to articulate
critically the experiences of contradiction between our own culture, political and religious ethos and
that of the discipline, and to keep them in creative tension.12

Thus, Western Feminist saw the need to formulate and develop new theologies which will liberate
Sexist worldview and stigmatization of women as weaker gender.

3. Asian Feminist Hermeneutics: In the past, Asian feminist theologians often depended on biblical
scholarship from North America .The works of Feminist Theologians like Elisabeth Schussler Florenza
, Rose Mary Radford Reuther and Phyliss Trible were launched or translated into Asian womens
experiences. But certain paucities gradually emerged as Asian feminist theologians had become
more aware that all feminist interpretations are context bound. There is no value-neutral feminist
interpretation that is applicable to all contexts, and Asian feminists have to find their own principles
of interpretation.13 Let us briefly take a glimpse into the Asian women Context; reading the striking
realities of the Asian Women is crucial.

3.1 .The Context as the text: Chun Hyun Kyung says, First, Asian Women Theologians should realize
that we are the text.14In Asian Feminist Hermeneutics, the context is the text i.e. the Asian womens
experience; the life realities of the Asian women. M.Amaladoss, S.J. states that while every theology
is necessarily contextual, the context is not merely economic, sociological and political, but also
cultural and religious.15 In the Asian situation the whole issues of poverty, illiteracy, cultural
domination, religious domination, are the core issues that have to be tackled. Therefore the struggle

10
Mary Aquin O Neill The Mystery of Being Human Together in Freeing Theology,148.
11
W.S AnnieIssues in Contextual Theology: A feminist Perspective in Issues in Theological Research: A
Methodological Research, edited by Wati Lonchar (Bangalore,BTESSC/SATHRI,2010)141.
12
Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza Commitment and Critical Inquiry in Reading in Modern Theology: Britian and
America, edited by Robin Gill (London: SPCK, 1995), 269.
13
KwokPuiLan, Introducing Asian Feminist Theology (Cleveland, Ohio: The Pilgrim Press, 2000), 46
14
Chun Hyun Kyung, Struggle To Be The Sun Again: Introducing Asian Womens Theology (Maryknoll, New
York:Orbis Books,1990),111.
15
M.Amaladoss, S.J. Response 1 to Evangeline Anderson-Rajkumar: Asian Feminist Christology in Asian Faces
of Christ: Theological Colloquium,edited by Vimal Tirimanna C.SS.R. (Bangalore:Asian Trading
Corporation,2005) ,178.

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in Asia is not the same as in the west.16 Most of the Asian feminist theological articulations are
specific to the issues of their countries, such as reunification of Korea, the burdens of poverty, the
caste system, the marriage dowry in India and the continued struggles for democracy in Philippines,
etc.

3.3. Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism: In the Asian and Third world feminist, along with patriarchy
comes colonialism. In their hermeneutics, Colonialism cannot be neglected as they are the victim of
it, thus in Asian and third World countries they have patriarchy and colonialism together at the hub
of their hermeneutics.17 Apart from colonialism, another concern is the Neo-Colonialsm; some
scholars have explored in greater depth the gendered, male/western dimension in colonial/neo-
colonial discourse. From such accounts it is clear that the neo-colonial discourse represents Asian
and Third World women in various ways. Crucial to orientalism was the stereotype of the orients
peculiarity. 18

3.4. Religious Pluralism and Patriarchy: In Asia, the Asian religious traditions have been held
responsible for under girding the sexual discrimination against women. For example, in India, the
nucleus of womans subordination is founded in the religious code of Manu, the ancient law giver.
Islamic religion is not exempted from this as well; it has departed from koranic injunctions and
made-up traditions which have downgraded the position. For example, in court trails the evidence of
two women is equal to that of one man.19In the East Asian Context where Confucianism was the
dominant social and religious ideology, women have had to obey the men in their lives: fathers
before marriages, husbands in marriage, and sons in widowhood.20 Samartha says, Asian women
need to be liberated from a double bondage of patriarchal hermeneutics of the bible on the one
hand and that of the scriptures of other faith on the other hand.21 Felix Wilfred concurs that those
who control the symbols control the society22. Adversely, such patriarchal religious symbols
enhanced the subjugation of women in the society. Therefore, unlike the West, Asian feminist
Hermeneutics has to engage with multiple religious symbols which led to complication.

As victim of western colonization and Hegemonic oppression through globalization, in Asian milieu
such phenomenon is a fact which needs critical attention. Thus, unlike it counterpart in the west,
Asian Feminist Hermeneutics has adopted such reading or theory to analyze Asian realities of life.

3.5. Globalization and Ecology: Rosemary Radford Reuther in New woman/New Earth, were among
the first to propound the correlation between the subjugation of women and the degradation of

16
V.V.Thomas, Understanding Subaltern History: Theoretical Tools in Issues in Theological Research: A
Methodological Research, edited by Wati Lonchar (Bangalore,BTESSC/SATHRI,2010),114.
17
R.S.Sugirtharajah Post Colonial Biblical Interpretation in The Modern Theologians: An Introduction to
Christian Theology since 1918, edited by David F.Ford & Rachels Muers (Malden:Blackwell
Publishing,2007),549.
18
W.S AnnieIssues in Contextual Theology: A feminist Perspective, 141.
19
Donna This is the Story of Indian Women in Theology of Humanhood: Women Perspective, edited by
Aruna Gnanadason(Delhi:ISPCK,1986),8-9.
20
Chun Hyun Kyung, Struggle To Be The Sun Again: Introducing Asian Womens Theology (Maryknoll, New
York:Orbis Books,1990), 58.
21
Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her (New York: Crossroads Publishing Co, 1988), 29.
22
Felix Wilfred, Asian Public Theology: Critical Concerns in Challenging Times (Delhi: ISPCK, 2010), 83.

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nature.23. In west, the term eco-feminism is used however it may not be embrace by all Asian
feminist. Bina Agarwal employed the term Feminist Environmentalism for Asian feminist, the
reason is that ecofeminism in the west has tended to center on the close nexus between women
as a general category while the Asian debate especially in India has brought forward much more in
depth the class reality of poor peasant women who are oppressed by the hegemonic development
process.24

The introduction of MNC and TNC have gigantic adverse ramification to the
environment though it is done in the name of development.Vandana Shiva opines that the link
between forest and food is clear to the women who produce in partnership with trees and animals.
The patriarchal model, in contrast, sees forestry as independent of agriculture, and reduces the
multiple outputs of the forest including fertilizer and fodder, into a single product-commercial wood
and animal husbandry is reduced to the production of milk for the centralised dairy industry.25 Sex
Role Divisions of work ensure that women do the most strenuous kinds of work in close proximity to
the resources of the earth-food and fuel gathering and collecting of water from distant places. When
resources depleted they have to ravel further in search of food, water, firewood and means of
livelihood.26 Hence the outcome of womens close proximity with nature enables them to become
an expert in interaction with the nature.i.e sustaining interaction in contrast to patriarchal
destructive interaction with nature. Aruna Gnanadason says that the creative power of Indian
women in movement against deforestation and mining operation is a reminiscent of the mothering
feminist power of the two midwives Shiprah and Puah in the Exodus story (Ex.1:15f). These women
protected life through the only form of resistance open to them. The sexuality, fertility and creative
power of women must be reclaimed from the distortion and control of patriarchy.27 Thus, Asian
Hermeneutics cannot ignore the complextual entwinement between globalization, ecology and
Asian women.

3.6.Dalit, Tribal Women and Capitalism: In the preceding paragraph, we had seen women as the
victim of globalization. Yet within the women movement there are group of Women who are barely
visible.In many Asian countries the womens liberation movement seems like a middle class
movement. Many of these women have access to the media and publications; they are educated at
various educational institutions and have learned how to use the languages of the public world
defined by male scholarship. Grassroots women know only native languages and do not have a
higher education. Therefore, grassroots womens chances of attaining visibility in the public world
are much less than middle-class women.28 In India, Dalit women are at the lowest stratum of the
society. The phrase Dalits among the Dalits, is often employed to refer to the Dalit women as they
are thrice alienated from the resources of society owing to her gender, caste and class. On the basis
of her gender, she is subordinate to the men in the family and society, discriminated against jobs,
paid less and targeted for sexual and physical abuse. On the basis of her caste, she is considered

23
Rachel Muers Feminism, Gender, and Theology in The Modern Theologians: An Introduction to Christian
Theology since 1918, edited by David F.Ford & Rachels Muers (Malden:Blackwell Publishing,2007),431.
24
Gabriele Dietrich, A New thing on Earth: Hopes and Fears facing Feminist Theology (Delhi: ISPCK, 2001), 127.
25
Vandana Shiva, Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Survival in India (New Delhi:Kali For Women,1988),98.
26
Aruna Gnanadason Reclaiming Motherhood: In Search of an Eco-Feminist Vision in Sustainability and
Globalization, Edited by Julio de Santa Ana (Geneva:Wcc Publication,1998),132.
27
Aruna Gnanadason Reclaiming Motherhood: In Search of an Eco-Feminist Vision, 139.
28
Chun Hyun Kyung, Struggle To Be The Sun Again: Introducing Asian Womens Theology (Maryknoll, New
York:Orbis Books,1990),26.

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untouchable, her mobility restricted, considered polluting and unclean, denied jobs, legal aid,
education and an easy object of violence. Her economic status is low, poor, illiterate, unskilled, etc.29

These women suffer the most especially in conjunction to ecological deterioration as

capitalism model of development is not sensitive and concern to their livelihood. Conversely, it is
focus mainly on producing more and accumulation of wealth. These groups (Dalit, Tribal) are closely
in connection to the nature, 77% of the Dalits are employed in the agricultural sector, and of which
50% are landless agricultural labourer. Due to large scale purchasing of agricultural land for non
agricultural purposes, many Dalits have lost their livelihood without alternatives or survival.30 In this
context, the Dalit and the Tribal women who are in close proximity with the nature are the victims
who are facing the brunt of capitalist economic model. Thus, Asian Feminist Hermeneutics have to
tackle this complex suffering of these groups which is the repercussion of the Capitalist Economic
structure.

Apart from what has been mentioned, Dalit and Tribal women are the victim of rape and social
stigma due to the religious factor that supports the caste system. Other Asian Women realities
include Sex Tourism, dowry system, militarism, the oppression of the Minjung in Korea, infanticide in
India and China, etc.

4. Asian Feminist Hermeneutical Methodology: Some of the Asian Feminist Hermeneutical

Methodologies are:-

4.1. Re-reading of the Bible in Scientific way: Gabriele Dietrich has used the terms re-reading of the
Bible in a scientific way informed by a commitment to womens liberation and to human liberation in
General.31

4.2.Historical Re-reading of Biblical and extra biblical tradition: Holding a similar concept, Aruna
Gnanadason says that in order to retrace the struggle of our fore sisters for full human hood and to
re-appropriate their victories and their defeats as our own submerged history , one has to do
historical re-reading of biblical and extra-biblical tradition.32

4.3. Feminist Historiography: one of the major assumptions in modern research is that history
written in the past mostly by men will have to be re-written/re-read if it has to render justice to all
sections of the society and especially to women who were always the victim of male dominated
society. In the word of Gerda Lerner, it omits the past of half of humankind, and it is distorted, in
that it tells the story from the view point of the male half of humanity only. Secular Feminist

29
Monica Jyotsna MelanchtonDalit Readers of the Word: The Quest for Hermeneutics and Method in
Frontiers in Dalit Hermeneutics, edited by James Massey & Samson
Prabhakar(Bangalore:SATHRI&CDSS,2005),45.
30
Fr.Dionysius Rasquinha S.J Reflection On Dalit Christian Theology in Dalit Issue in Todays Theological
Debate: Papers presented in the Second National Seminar of Centre for Dalit Studies (Theology),New
Dehil,October 22-23,2002, Edited by James Massey & S.Lourduswamy (New Delhi:CDS,2003),79.
31
Aruna Gnanadson Feminist Theology: An Indian Perspective, 65.
32
Aruna Gnanadson Feminist Theology: An Indian Perspective, 65.

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historians like Uma Chakraborty and Gauri Vishwanathan have written on Pandita Ramabai and
conversion movements in India that includes women.33

4.4. Womens Storytelling: Chung Hyun Kyung has given emphasis on Womens Storytelling. She
believes that the power of storytelling lies in its embodied truth. Women stalked about their
concrete historical life experience and not about abstract, metaphysical concepts. Womens truth
was generated by their epistemological from the broken body.34

4.5. Socio-Biography: Kim young Bok is a Minjung theologian who proposes a storytelling
methodology for han ridden Korean women. He calls this methodology as socio-biography.
Womens socio-biography shows an understanding of history which cannot be perceived by
objective socio-analysis. It brings out the hidden reality behind official sociological and historical
documents.35

4.6. Critical Social Analysis: This method of active listening to womens storytelling, especially
those from the bottom stratum of Asian society is one of the most important parts of Asian
women theologizing, it leads Asian women theologians to critical social analysis. They use many
new insights from women studies, counter-colonialist historical studies, critical sociologies, and
nationalistic leftist ideologies from the Third World people movement. If storytelling and listening
to womens socio-biography gives Asian women theologians the inspiration and courage for
revolutionary change, then critical social analysis gives them a chance to see with clarity the whole
picture of complex interconnections in the evil structure.36

4.7. Womens Heritage in the Bible: According to Kwok Pui, the first model of feminist
hermeneutics aims to recover the memory of women in the Bible to serve as role model, since
Asian male dominated churches tend to undermine their significance. Several prominent women in
the Hebrew Scriptures are noted for their faith in God and courageous act.37

4.8. Oral Interpretation and Re-telling of Biblical Stories: Anthropologist such as Jack Goody, have
pointed out that oral interpretation has its own logic, quite different from that employed to
interpret written text. For Example, oral transmission and interpretation often have more fluid
understanding of the boundaries of the text. In retelling the text the interpreter is not interest
primarily in what happened in the past, but in how the story can be brought alive for the present.
One of the strategies of oral interpretation is to give voice to women in the Bible and to re-create
their dialogues.38

4.9. Scripture as Performance: In many parts of Asia, sacred scripture becomes part of the culture
of the people because it is re-enacted in songs, drama, dance, folk arts and theatre. Not only is
scripture recited and chanted in holy places, it is performed during festivals and celebrations
whenever the community gathers together. In the recent years, some pioneers have tried to use
drama and theatre as the medium for interpreting biblical stories. In 1995, working with

33
V.V Thomas Research Methodology: History of Christianity in Issues in Theological Research: A
Methodological Research,184-185
34
Chun Hyun Kyung, Struggle to Be the Sun Again: Introducing Asian Womens, 104.
35
Chun Hyun Kyung, Struggle to Be the Sun Again: Introducing Asian Womens, 104.
36
Chun Hyun Kyung, Struggle to Be the Sun Again: Introducing Asian Womens, 106.
37
KwokPuiLan, Introducing Asian Feminist Theology, 52.
38
KwokPuiLan, Introducing Asian Feminist Theology, 53-54.

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 performing artists and musicians in Kyoto, Japan. Yuko Yusa successfully staged the premiere of a
biblical Noh drama entitled Magdalene Dancing in crimson.39

4.11. Post-Colonialism: In a nut shell, Post-colonial reading or criticism is a critique western

Hegemony. The term Postcolonial feminism is also employed which is often referred to as Third
World feminism, it is a type of feminist thinking which axis around the thought
that racism, colonialism, and the long lasting effects (economic, political, and cultural) of colonialism
in the postcolonial setting, are inextricably bound up with the unique gendered realities of non-
white, and non-Western women. Postcolonial feminists criticize Western feminists because
they have a history of universalizing women's issues, and their discourses are often misunderstood
to represent women globally.40 Post Colonial Feminist biblical scholars like Dube and Donaldson
point out that first world feminist scholar in their exegetical work and the reconstruction of early
church, often compromise and overlook the colonial context.41 In Asia, Post colonial critic pointed
out that one of the major reasons of Asian Economic miracle in the global market is the availability
of cheap labour, much of which comes from the increased participation of Asian women in the work
force. Close scrutiny of wage structure shows that women earn less than men.42Sugirtharajah says,
The aim here is to draw attention to the inescapable effects of colonization and colonial ideologies
on interpretive works such as commercial writings, and on historical and administrative records
which helped to re-inscribe colonial ideologies and consolidate the colonial presence.43

4.12. Socio-Political Reading: Asian Feminist theologians are able to demonstrate the relevance of
Bible to contemporary settings by reading it within the frame of present socio-political struggles. For
instance, Lee o Chung, one of the pioneers of feminist theology in Korea, has led several bible
studies on the themes of peace and unification in the Bible. Expounding on Eph.2:14-18, she
emphasizes the theme of peace as relevant in the Korean situation where brothers and sisters have
killed each other in the Korean War (1950-53). Chitra Fernando of Sri Lanka has reflected on the
theme of women and racism in the bible. Fernando used Sarah and Hager as well as the story of
Ruth as a biblical narrative that offers insights for overcoming racial prejudice and transcending
ethnic boundaries.44 The Diverse Socio-political context thus establish a line of demarcation between
Asian and western Feminist Hermeneutics.

5. Commonalities: Despite the divergence in context, the commonalities can be seen in their
underlying motif i.e. to liberate women from oppression which can be seen from the word of
Schussler who asserts that feminist hermeneutics is also liberation hermeneutics as a critical
hermeneutical principle is sought which will unmask legitimating social function to produce
womens emancipation from the supposed norms and patterns. 45 Another common ground is
Patriarchy which is the common enemy of both the contexts. Some common factors which led to
their formulation are also worth noting such as: (a) The context of women; (b) reinterpretation of

39
KwokPuiLan, Introducing Asian Feminist Theology,62-63.
40
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postcolonial_feminism(19-9-11)
41
R.S.Sugirtharajah Post Colonial Biblical Interpretation in The Modern Theologians, 549.
42
KwokPuiLan, Introducing Asian Feminist Theology, 14.
43
Sam P.Mathew Indian Biblical Hermeneutics: Methods and Principles in Issues in Theological Research: A
Methodological Research, 82.
44
KwokPuiLan, Introducing Asian Feminist Theology, 56-57.
45
Anthony C. Thiselton, New Horizons in Hermeneutics: The Theory and Practice of Transforming Biblical
Reading (Gran Rapids, Michigan:Zondervan Publishing House,1992),430-431.

9
scriptures (c) transforming action.46 One should also note the presence of ecological concerns in
both the western and Asian hermeneutics.

6. Feminism and Womanism:

Feminism has been projected as a western phenomenon thus Asian womens movement feels
uncomfortable with using the term feminism. Some luminous activists have refused to associate
with the term feminism as they feel that it is a western concept.47 Feminism is seen by many as
referring to the western white middle class women movement.

The term womanist was coined by Alice Walker, the black novelist, poet and historian of womens
liberation. Womanist theology has roots in the story of Hager, the slave woman who was used as a
surrogate mother by Sarah. Later when Sarah conceived Isaac, Hager and her son Ishmael was
chucked out into the desert.48 African-American/Black women called their theology womanist
theology as they feel that the term feminist sometimes denote a radicalism and separatism
advocated by middle class European and American women. Due to such perception not all women
theologians want to be identified as feminist.49.James H.Cone asserts that only Black feminist
theologians have the experience necessary for the creation of intellectual tools that are needed in
analyzing the complexity of Black Women issue.50 According to Wikipedia, Womanism is a term
commonly used in the context of academic theological studies. Some authors use womanism and
black feminism almost interchangeably.51 Gabriele Dietrich said that the term Womanist has been
in use to express the need of women of colours to battle against marginalization in the US and it has
also been used by Australian aborigines women for similar reasons.52Hence, one can say that the
term has different concept as compare to the term feminist, though it is also a feminist
movement. But comes with a different agenda. I.e. the liberation of Black women. On the other side,
Feminism is connected with the western white middle class women movement.

Conclusion: From the preceding presentation, one can see the fact that the milieu is different from
one another and cannot be ignored. The complexity of the Asian Context can be seen in comparison
to its occidental counterpart. The intricacy and divergence of the feminist struggle in the global
context can be seen through this; at the same time what is also clearly visible is the necessity and
urgency of formulating viable hermeneutics pertaining to each crucial context. Both western and
Asian churches should value and take part in such venture so that the Christian community in the
global context can exhibit an inclusive community where the intrinsic dignity and worth (the
creators image) in the both the gender can be seen.

46
W.S .Annie Issues in contextual Theology: A Feminist Perspective in Issues in Theological Research: A
methodological Exploration, edited by Wati Lonchar (Bangalore: BTESSC? SATHRI, 2010), 136.
47
Gabriele Dietrich, A New Thing on Earth: Hopes and Fears facing feminist Theology (ISPCK: Delhi, 2001), 149.
48
Gabriele Dietrich, A New Thing on Earth, 243.
49
KwokPuiLan, Introducing Asian Feminist Theology, 9.
50
James H.Cone Black Theology and Black Women: Introduction in Black Theology: A Documentary History,
1966-1979, edited by Gayraud S.Wilmore and James H.Cone (NewYork: Orbis Books, 1979), 366.
51
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52
Gabriele Dietrich, A New Thing on Earth, 243.

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