Women Theologians of World Christianity

Cuban theologian Ada María Isasi-Díaz writes, “How more invisible than invisible can you be? And yet there is a quality of invisible invisibility . . . Invisible invisibility has to do with people not even knowing that they do not know you.”

Female theologians of world Christianity have been invisible for far too long. But this is beginning to change. Majority World, diaspora, Black, and Indigenous churches and theologies are redefining twenty-first-century Christianity. And much of this new theology and vitality is being led by Majority World, Middle Eastern, Global South and East, diaspora, and First Nations women.

Gina Zurlo writes, “World Christianity is a women’s movement because it was built and is sustained by women, and the majority of its members, participants, and affiliates are women. It is anticipated women will continue this work, likely longer than men, since women’s religious commitment appears to remain high. Christianity is also continuing its global southward shift, with 77% of all Christians likely to live in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania by the year 2050. This combination means that women in the global South will take on increasingly visible leadership roles in the church, despite the barriers they face, grounded by their faith and in service to their present communities and the next generations.” (Gina Zurlo, Women in World Christianity).

Gina goes on to say, “Church history is full of nuns, martyrs, queens, pastor’s wives, mothers, single and married female missionaries, teachers, nurses, indigenous evangelists, and many other women who helped Christianity grow, survive and thrive, Women are central to the faith, not marginal, although they are often treated as such . . . Global Christianity is indeed a woman’s movement, not just because they make up the majority of church congregations all around the world, but they’re also the most active members. And they are utterly critical for continuing the Christian faith into the future.”

Those of us in the West need a new narrative. It’s time to abandon our flawed Eurocentric, Americentric, androcentric worldviews. It’s past time we expanded our theologies, often characterized by the same emphases. We need diverse voices and a new and global narrative. We must turn to the churches and theologies of Majority World, Black, Indigenous, and diaspora (immigrant) cultures. They can help us explore what being a global, vibrant, witnessing community means. Many Christian communities in Majority World and Indigenous contexts have been wrestling with these issues for generations. Marginalization, persecution, and alienation have been their lot. Yet, despite or because of that, they’ve flourished and grown exponentially.

The quality and quantity of material from the Majority World is astonishing. Any theology that ignores the insights of Indigenous and Majority World Christians is deficient and impoverished. And much of this theological work is being done by women theologians.

White, middle-class, European, North American, tertiary-educated men dominate Western theology, theological curricula, and institutions. I know I fit that profile, and I’m calling for change. This group still monopolizes church conferences, seminars, and theological faculty and authors. They get most of the book contracts. This group still controls theology and the church in many settings. But this is changing. New voices are rising. These include women, minorities, the poor, Indigenous groups, and Majority World leaders. Majority World, diaspora, African-American, and Indigenous voice have extraordinary insight and vitality. Openness to other voices needs to happen now. It is time for Western churches, theologies, and missions to mature and reflect God’s global church.

It is time for the global church to hear and honor women’s voices in theology. We must listen and learn from African, Asian, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Caribbean, Latin American, First Nation, diaspora, Indigenous, and Black women theologians. They dare us to examine, decolonize, and reshape our theologies, missions, and churches. They inspire us to renew the worship, community, and mission of Jesus’ church. They stir us to think in fresh ways about what it means to be salt, light, and a city. They help us become a deep and diverse global-local church.

In this series, we profile the work of women theologians of global Christianity. Most of these posts are written by women about women doing theology from their context and culture. We hope this will inspire you to listen and learn from (and be taught by) the women theologians of global Christianity.

As Puerto Rican theologian Juliany González Nieves says. “Women make up more than half of the church . . . It is due time for the wall of invisible invisibility to fall down. It is time that we get to know the faces and hear the voices of the women doing theology across the globe.”