Liberation Theologies
Aaron Kreider
Date Due: April 17, 1997
Essay #3, on Feminist Theology

Seeking out a new tradition: The Goddess Within
	Feminist theologians agree that the Bible is sexist and contributes 
to the perpetuation of sexism and male dominance into our current times.  
The question is how sexist are Christianity and the Bible?  Are they 
redeemable or are they so inherently tied to male supremacy that a 
fundamental shift is required?  Theologians such as Christ and Starhawk 
believe in the necessity of a shift away from Christianity to the belief 
in a deity who is in tune with the liberation of women: the Goddess.

Male domination and the Christian Tradition
	While women have participated more than men in the rank and file 
of the Church, it is the men and the elites who have traditionally dominated 
the decision making and who have interpreted God's message to their liking.
Historically, Christianity has reconciled workers, slaves, women, and people 
of color to the position of inferiors by denying value to the conditions of 
this life and assigning it to some future existence in heaven, where the 
meek and submissive will be rewarded. (qtd. in Starhawk 7) In the past men 
have labeled women as overly desirous, weak, and impure such as in times of 
menstruation (Christ 123, 124).  Even now there are several denominations 
and the Catholic Church who refuse to ordain women, while others still 
use Christianity to teach that wives should be subservient to their 
husbands.  Christ argues that religion is too powerful for women to let 
men dominate it, and that Christianity must be replaced (Christ 118).  
She also believes that the liberation of women and God is linked, for 
within God there is a female part that also needs liberation (Christ 22): 
"in God is a woman like yourself" (qtd. in Christ 105).  This is the 
Goddess.

God Language
	Without a doubt, the God language that we use influences our 
perceptions of the divine and is strongly connected to our theology.  
Some theologians, and a large and vocal number of Goshen College students, 
believe that gender neutral language is critical.  Christ argues that 
gender neutral language is only a half-step, and until we describe God 
as female, male imagery will continue to dominate and remain unchallenged 
in our minds (Christ 149).  However, most theologians are very reluctant 
to move far enough away from the direct texts to femininize liturgies 
(Christ 147).  Due to the historical male and sexist connotations 
implied by "God", she concludes that the word "God" has outlived its 
usefulness (Christ 135).

The Bible
	Beyond the issue of God language, lies the question of how the 
Bible should be treated?  In the Bible, and especially the Old Testament, 
God is often portrayed as authoritarian, violent, and a warrior (Christ 137).  
Some feminist theologians answer questions of sexism in the Bible by 
contextualizing the texts, others discard some or most of the texts, 
while others go so far as to discard the entire work.  Theologians like 
Trible use references in the Bible portraying God as a woman to redeem 
the text.  Others like Christ believe that the Bible is so sexist, due 
to the patriarchal culture in which it was written, that it is useless 
and irredeemable (Christ 145).  Due to her belief, Christ switched from 
Christianity to a post-Christian belief in the Goddess.

Defining the Goddess
	The Goddess is not a stringent theology and may be defined as one 
or several of the following:              
			A. a being
			B. a sign of womens' strength
			C. energy: its ebb and flow
In general it is the acceptance of womens' power, versus the denial of it 
inherent to Christianity (Christ 122).  Starhawk defines Goddess as the 
power within.  It can been seen in each other and in ourselves.

	Starhawk believes that the definition of a Goddess should not 
exclude God, because that would be typical of a dualist belief of promoting 
the female while rejecting the male (Starhawk 85).  She sees the image of 
Father Earth or hunter as historical and powerful, though she agrees that 
important changes are required to the current male image of God 
(Starhawk 86-88).

Basic Beliefs
	Goddess theology has sharp contrasting values with that of 
Christianity and modern society that favour womens' liberation.  
Starhawk sees the Goddess as the symbol of immanence that we should 
use to replace the current practices of estrangement from which we 
suffer (Starhawk 9).  In contrast to Christianity, the belief in a 
Goddess empowers women, valuing their bodies and nature (Starhawk 11).  
It is absolutely opposed to hierarchy in any form (Starhawk 19).  
It is opposed to dualism, the split between good and bad, the division 
of light/dark, the separation of body and mind (Starhawk 20, 21) so for 
children: "that to their parents, even shit was something sacred." 
(qtd. in Starhawk 16)

Energy and Liberation
	Goddess theology draws upon the energy within us, the Earth, 
places, and objects.  Magic is the summoning of this energy by using 
one's will and releasing it generally to do good, most often done 
in community (Christ 127, 128).  The energy comes from the earth 
flowing up into our bodies, can then be shaped, and then released 
to flow back into the earth (Starhawk 30-32).  Starhawk makes use of 
ritual and this energy in political organizing and events like the 
blockading of a nuclear plant.  This energy from within can be used 
for the liberation of women.

Conclusion
	Goddess theology, as expressed in the writings of Christ and 
Starhawk, is a post-Christian theology that attempts to liberate women 
through complete separation with the sexist Christian tradition.  It 
exposes major injustices and alienation that exist within Christianity 
that all Christians should seek to correct.

Works Cited
Christ, Carol P.  Laughter of Aphrodite.  San Fransisco: 
	Harper & Row Publishers,  1987.
Starhawk.  Dreaming the Dark.  Boston: Beacon Press, 1988.