Some reflections on readings for seminary class: Global Theologies of Women of Color
African Women, Religion, and Health Ch. 9-13
Ch.
9 – “Women Poverty, and HIV in Zimbabwe: An Exploration of Inequalities in
Health Care” by Sophia Chirongoma
Chirongoma
introduces the reader to the reality of living in Zimbabwe as the health of its
citizens is threatened by poverty, insufficient health services,
malnourishment, and the continuous spread of HIV/AIDS. She calls upon the
church to provide the presence of God and Jesus in the lives of those
suffering. She suggests they emphasize sharing one another’s burdens and
“seeking corporately to correct injustices that deny access to health care or
food security for the poor” (184). My favorite part of her theological reflection
was her Christology for women. “Women and all those who suffer from deprivation
should find encouragement and consolation in Jesus as the caring compassionate
healer who is outraged by the injustices of poverty, violence, inequality, and
sickness” (183). Having read Carroll Watkins Ali’s Survival and Liberation this week, I see similar themes of survival
and liberation within the stories of these African women. , I’m thinking about
the Christology Watkins Ali lifts up from Jacquelyn Grant’s work. The Christ
who saves souls is inadequate for people in the midst of suffering. Jesus must
be made real through not only being a compassionate healer, but also a
co-sufferer. Chirongoma calls the church in Zimbabwe to represent such
Christology. Just as in Watkins Ali and Grant’s work, pastoral care and church
care in such settings is not only to ease the physical suffering, but to
accompany and walk with those who suffer
Ch.
10 “Women and Peacemaking: The Challenge of a Non-Violent Life” by Susan
Rakoczy, IHM
Evelyn
Underhill became an inspiration to me during my own time in the wilderness,
rediscovering what my faith and God looked outside of my fundamentalist and
harmful upbringing. She intrigued me on many levels, but mostly the pursuit of
spiritual and theological understanding on her own terms. The way Rackczy
summarizes Underhill’s transformation into pacificism exemplifies what I
continue to admire about her. Seeing faith life as a journey, a process that is
ever unfolding as our own self-realization develops was transformative to me
and helped me return to Christianity. Without her influence, one that wasn’t
only cognitive nor only affective, but both, I probably would have never
entered seminary. Pacifism is a concept that I struggle with and cannot claim
as my own, despite, admiring so much of its goals. I struggle with it because
pacifism would not participate in the culture and society, the capitalistic
systems within which I live. I cannot claim to be a pacifist if I participate
in the structural destruction of others.
Ch. 13 "Navigating Experiences of Healing: A
Narrative Theology of Eschatological Hope as Healing" by Fulata Lusungu Moyo
Such
a beautiful piece, one with depth of expression combined with theological
thinking. Moyo and I disagree upon some fundamental metaphysics, about the
nature of God and creation, but the conclusion we get to is similar… healing
takes on multiple forms and we may or may not have control over the form of
healing that takes place. I would love to hear more of her musings about prayer
and faith healing vs. miracles. She
summarized the premise of chaplaincy and chaplain training in pastoral care
when she speculated what kind of healing, what kind of prayer would Solomon
have requested if they had only thought to ask. Death is a communal event in
some ways, but it is also a personal journey, one that is taken alone, or at
least, between God and person. As a hospice chaplain, I’ve helped many people
who believe in faith healing and miracles process what it means when death
still comes. It is not easy and definitely shakes up faith in God, but mostly
faith in oneself. I see myself giving this article to people who struggle in
similar ways, to see how one woman processes such a journey.
