The whole ministry of Jesus, as we know about it in the gospels, was one of liberating, redeeming and radical love. Jesus’ ministry was rebellious and scandalous for many reasons, but one reason that emerges regularly is his inclusion of women.
He debated with women, he healed women, he befriended and defended women.
Jesus’ call to love God, love oneself, and love one’s neighbor is the guide for Christian life. Generations of women have been asked to practice sacrificial love on behalf of families and others but have not been empowered to fully realize and embrace their God-given talents and abilities to more fully love their neighbor.
It is an understanding of mutual love that feminist theologians have again revitalized and transformed for the sake of faithfulness to the commandment to love God with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds and all our strength.
If feminism is the radical notion that women are fully people, the gospel is the radical reality that all people are fully children of God.
This message was adapted from “Faith reflections: Faith and feminism” by Elyse Nelson Winger from the May 2005 issue of Cafe.
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