Feminist Theology within the Canadian Mosaic

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A book of essays that reflect the diversity of our country

Feminist Theology with a Canadian Accent is a collection of nineteen essays about feminist theology in Canada, the first of which is mine. These essays reflect the diversity of our great country, stretching from sea to sea, embracing persons with many different accents. As officially bilingual, we have two official languages, French and English, but our reality is multilingual, beginning with First Nations peoples. This mosaic of persons and languages is our context, one that challenges us to learn to listen to many voices.

In my essay, I describe the emergence of Canadian contextual feminist theologies. The feminist awakening of Christian women in Canada was part of the larger women's movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Women gathered and shared their experience. Churchwomen struggled to be both Christian and feminist. Although we were influenced by the work of our U.S. sisters, we realized that our experience and our context were different from theirs. As women undertook theological studies, written works with a feminist perspective appeared. In the 1980s and 1990s, a number of feminist theses and books were published.

Canadian contextual feminist theologies are ecumenical and interfaith. Within the Canadian context, other voices are arising and need to be heard as we struggle to respond to the challenges facing Canada in the 21st century.

Written by Sister Ellen Leonard CSJ
Photo by Gisela Côté

FEMINIST THEOLOGY WITH A CANADIAN ACCENT Author: MARY ANN BEAVIS, ED., WITH ELAINE GUILLEMIN AND BARBARA PELL An examination of the Canadian feminist theology context, its history, its multicultural perspective, its expression of marginal experiences, its commitment to social justice, its exploration of eco-feminism and its embrace of cultures, ethnicities and the unique contribution of Canada's First Nations peoples.

Available through Novalis: https://store.novalis.ca