What is the connection between the cross-cultural phenomenon of the gender subordination of women which has led to domestic violence, genital mutilation, Indian widow-burning, Chinese foot-binding etc., and, on the other hand, the contemporary ‘received’ Christian theological tradition on women? This was the fundamental question underlying the reflections and discussions at the 1989 Maryknoll Summer School on the ‘Global Agenda of Feminist Theology’

This is not a report on that Summer School; rather, it is a presentation of ideas that emerged at it. The 65 participants were drawn from 20 countries and all continents, and were made up of single women, married women, single men, religious sisters and priests. They came from a variety of Christian faith commitments, though the majority were Catholics, and from a variety of academic backgrounds and life experience. From their perspective of involvement with grassroots organisations, local support groups and women church communities, they addressed themselves to many issues which face humankind, but primarily in order to integrate their conversion to Christian feminism into a global discernment on the position of women. They gathered at Maryknoll to look at developments in churches and societies and critique them from a feminist point of view, pointing to the areas where the holistic, inclusive and non-competitive aspects were missing.

Feminism stresses the need to recognise ‘difference as a crucial strength’, to quote Audre Lord. If we do not do this, we will fall into the trap of patriarchy. The terms ‘feminism’ and ‘patriarchy’ are used to encapsulate different cultural and power systems, and ‘patriarchy’ is a system which is dividing and conquering, and doing this as a norm of control.