In this episode, Lauren R.E. Larkin (whom you might remember from a previous episode on dialectical theology), host of Sancta Colloquia, and I introduce our special project: Sacred Seminary Symposium, and talk about what we learned from the Intro to Mujerista Theology. There’s a lot to dig into, including privilege in theology, liberation, the kind of fruit theology produces, and more. Follow along, read along, and let us know what your thoughts are! Here are the excerpts we reference:

“In developing a method to do theology that uses religion of grassroots Latinas as its source, mujerista theology puts into practice a preferential option for the oppressed.” (1)

“Mujerista theology is not a disembodied discourse but one that arises from situated subjects, Latina grassroots women, and, yes, even me.” (3)

“‘In other words, the claim that I can speak only for myself assumes the autonomous conception of the self in Classical Liberal theory--that I am unconnected to others in my authentic self or that I can achieve an autonomy from others given certain conditions. But there is no neutral place to stand free and clear in which one’s words do not prescriptively affect or mediate the experience of others, nor is there a way to decisively demarcate a boundary between one’s location and all others.” (Alcoff qtd in Isasi-Diaz 7)

“The goals of mujerista theology have always been these: to provide a platform for the voices of Latina grassroots women; to develop a theological method that takes seriously the religious understandings and practices of Latinas as a source for theology; to challenge theological understandings, church teachings, and religious practices that oppress Latina women, that are not life-giving, and, therefore, not theologically correct.” (1)

“[...] my liberation is not possible apart from the liberation of grassroots Latinas. I do what I do because I believe it is a liberative praxis[...]”(6)

Seminary for the Rest of Us, a tiny podcast where everyone is welcome to God-talk, is produced by Sabrina Reyes-Peters, occasionally sound engineered by Mason Mennenga, web engineered by Charles Peters, and the theme music is by Matthew Scott. 

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