Together in One Place: Conversations Across Feminist Concerns

A group of international scholars present their work on a range of topics, in preparation for a forthcoming collaborative publication.

Saturday 7th August, 2021

via Zoom

Event Details

“We talk about privilege, but not justice or power…
Feminist theologies are not exclusively Christian.
Theology as a discipline doesn’t see itself and its’ whiteness”
– Janice McRandal

“The land is a wounded storyteller”
– Rebecca Lindsay

“If the arc bends towards justice,
every generation has work to do”
– Mark Brett

“How do you change the culture or story
in relationship with people you disagree with,
moving from reality to vision?”
– Jione Havea

 “Where is it that we hear contrapuntal voices
in these lands known as Australia?”
– Katharine Massam

The Australian Collaborators in Feminist Theologies were pleased to host ‘Together in One Place: Conversations Across Feminist Concerns’ last month hosting an event that spanned time zones, states/countries/continents, and COVID restrictions.

The event occurred in two parts with pre-recorded presentations available to view online from an outstanding line up of keynote speakers including:

Dr Gale A. Yee, Episcopal Divinity School, Massachusetts (USA)
Dr Danna Nolan Fewell, Drew University, New Jersey (USA)
Dr Steed V Davidson, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago (USA)
Rev Dr Miguel de La Torre, Iliff School of Theology, Colorado (USA)
Emmanuel Garibay, Artist, Philippines
Dr Tat Siong Benny Liew, College of the Holy Cross, Massachusetts (USA)
Dr Adele Reinhartz, University of Ottawa, Canada

Followed by a Zoom gathering on Saturday 7 August with live presentations from:

Monica Jyotsna Melanchthon, Pilgrim Theological College, Melbourne
Stephen Burns, Pilgrim Theological College, Melbourne
Janice McRandal, The Cooperative, Brisbane
Rebecca Lindsay, Flinders University, Adelaide
Grace Tsoi, Chinese Theological College of Australia, Sydney
Mark Brett, Whitley College, Melbourne
Jione Havea, Trinity College, Auckland
Katharine Massam, Pilgrim Theological College, Melbourne
Rod Pattenden, The Blake Prize/Uniting Church in Australia, Newcastle
Scott Kirkland, Trinity College Theological School, Melbourne

This event was able to bring together a confluence of voices speaking across themes ranging from intersections to home and garden; from gender and politics to children. Important themes, important conversations, important concerns. Presented papers are now in preparation for a forthcoming collaborative publication.

“In liminal spaces our first instinct is always to re-set the status quo as quickly as we can, and it’s a natural instinct in all of us, and we shouldn’t be ashamed of it, we shouldn’t judge people for that first instinct. But when that continues to be our instinct we need to be having a critical conversation as a church, as a community of feminist theologians, as a nation. How do we acknowledge our anxiety, name it, own it, talk about it, so that we can respond in ways that aren’t driven by it unthinkingly and uncritically.”

Sharon Hollis

Recommended Resources  

TOPIC 1: Zoom Worship and Heteronormative Performativity 

TOPIC 2: Feminist Humanities and the closing doors of Universities  

TOPIC 3:  Pandemic Governance and the war on Women 

Here are some First Nations women and couple of organisations I think are worth a follow on Twitter. Some of them are also likely on FB I just don’t follow them there. All very subjective, just some women I’ve been informed and challenged by:

  • Celeste Liddle Where blackfeministranter tweets. Arrernte, Unionist @EurekaStreet columnist, freelance commentator @Utopiana
  • Jacynta Krakouer Noongar academic and social worker @JacyntaKrakouer
  • Claire G. Coleman  Wirlomin Noogar Black&White Indigenous Writing Fellow Novelist @clairegcoleman
  • Amy Thunig Gamilaroi education Academic, Writer Podcast @blacademia @AmyThunig
  • Naomi Wolfe academic, history tragic, Aboriginal @NaomiWolfeAU
  • Prof Dr M Davis constitutional law professor, expert member and Vice-chair @UN_HRC @mdavisqlder
  • Nakkiah Lui First Nations hedonist, more produced than Shakespeare actor, writer, producer @nakkiahlui
  • Larisa Behrendt Legal academic, film maker, writer, host of Speaking Out on ABC RN (@abcspeakingout) @LarissaBehrendt
  • Amy McQurie Darumbal/South Sea PhD candidate-UQ Curtain Podcast @amymcquire
  • Brooke Prentis CEO Common Grace @bprentis
  • Meriki Onus -Gunai Gunditijmara WAR member @MerikiKO
  • Laura Murphy-Oates Ngiyampaa Wailwan women, journalist @laruamoates
  • @IndigenousX has a different indigenous person tweet with their handle each week. It’s great way to see the diversity of Indigenous voices.
  • Koorie Mail The only National Indigenous newspaper  @kooriemailnews
  • And for some beauty which is also important… APY Arts Centre Collective -11 Indigenous owned and governed Arts Centres @apyacc