Humanity has been a holy thing: Towards a contemporary feminist christology

This book explores the development of Christology by major white North American feminist theologians, placing the Christologies of Rosemary Radford Ruether, Carter Heyward, Patricia Wilson-Kastner, and Marjorie Suchocki within the context of their overall theologies. Wondra further examines the meaning and importance of women's experience in feminist theology. This work is self-consciously located at the juncture of contemporary theology and contemporary feminist theory, and uses a conversational method to examine proposals in Christology that are aspects of more comprehensive/systematic feminist constructive theologies. Contents: Preface; Introduction; PART I: THE FEMINIST CHRISTOLOGICAL PROBLEM. Toward an Adequate Feminist Christology: Methodology. PART II: THE RELATION OF WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE TO CHRISTOLOGY. The Construction of Women's Experience in Feminist Theory and Theology; Resistance and Transformation as Religious Experience; The Relation of Women's Experience to Christology. PART III: TOWARD CONTEMPORARY FEMINIST CHRISTOLOGY. The Paradigmatic and Prophetic Christ; The Decisive Representation of Self-Giving Love; The Revelation of God to Us; Christ, Mutuality, and Justice; Wisdom-Logos Christology in Feminist Perspective; The Re-presentation of Renaissance and Transformation; Bibliography; Index. Part I: The Feminist Christological Problem -- 2. The Feminist Christological Problem -- Traditionalist And Androcentric Christology -- Post-biblical Feminist Critique -- The Challenge Of Feminist Christian Religious Experience -- Context In Contemporary Christology -- Summary: The Feminist Christological Task -- 3. Toward An Adequate Feminist Christology: Methodology And Criteria -- Methodology: Conversation -- Criteria Of Adequacy -- Toward An Adequate Feminist Christology -- Part Ii: The Relation Of Women's Experience To Christology -- 4. The Construction Of Women's Experience In Feminist Theory And Theology -- Introduction -- Women's Religious Experience In Narrative Form -- Women's Experience Defined -- The Shape Of Human Experience -- The Difference Difference Makes -- 5. Resistance And Transformation As Religious Experience -- The Experience Of Victims As The Ground For Metaphysics And Ethics -- Religious Experience As Participation And Distanciation --^ 6. The Relation Of Women's Experience To Christology -- The Relation Of Experience And Tradition -- The Shape Of Tradition -- The Recovery Of Traditions Of Wholeness And Freedom -- The Relation Of Women's Experience To Christology -- Criteria Of Adequacy, Revisited -- Part Iii: Toward A Contemporary Feminist Christology -- 7. The Paradigmatic And Prophetic Christ -- The Problem Of Christology In White Feminist Theology -- Christology -- Introduction To Ruether's Christology -- The Character Of Human Existence -- Methodology For Liberation -- Christology And Christian Anti-judaism -- Critique -- The Prophetic Paradigm -- Christology And Christian Misogyny -- Critique -- Corrective: The Full Humanity Of Women -- Christology Reconstructed -- Jesus The Messianic Prophet -- The Iconoclastic, Prophetic Christ -- God/ess As Matrix And Liberator -- Conversion, Liberation, Transformation -- The Shalom Of God/ess -- The Male Savior And The Kenosis Of Patriarchy --^ Summary And Evaluation: Prophetic Iconoclasm As Proclamation 8. The Decisive Representation Of Self-giving Love -- A Feminist Christological Problem -- The Christology Of Patricia Wilson-kastner -- Introduction -- The Character Of Human Existence -- Methodology For Understanding -- Christology -- Critique -- Construction -- Salvation And Wholeness -- Summary And Evaluation -- 9. The Revelation Of God To Us -- Introduction -- The Character Of Human Existence -- Method For Appropriation -- Christology -- Critique -- Construction -- Salvation And Harmony -- The God Who Is Presence, Wisdom, And Power -- Eschatological Harmony -- Summary And Evaluation -- 10. Christ, Mutuality, And Justice -- Introduction -- The Character Of Human Existence -- The Praxis Of Relational Co-operation -- Christology -- Critique -- Corrective: The Liberating Relation With God -- Christic Power -- The Redemption Of God -- God As Relational Power -- The Mutuality Of Love And Justice -- Summary And Evaluation -- 11. Wisdom-logos Christology In Feminist Perspective -- 12. The Re-presentation Of Resistance And Transformation -- Summary Of The Study -- A Constructive Sketch -- Broadening The Conversation: Womanist Christologies. Ellen K. Wondra. Originally Published As The Author's Thesis (ph. D.)--university Of Chicago, 1991. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [353]-368) And Index. This text explores the development of Christology by major white North American female theologians. It operates at the conjunction of contemporary theology and contemporary feminist theory, examining proposals that are aspects of more comprehensive/systematic feminist constructive theologies.