Feminist Theology

Recent Publications

Mary Descending:

A Counterhegemonic Return to Mariology

Feminist Theology, Sage Publications - 2027

This article proposes a canonically disciplined hermeneutic of Marian descension, addressing two trajectories in Mariological discourse: Mary's doctrinal elevation in the Latin Western tradition, consolidated in the Assumption dogma, and her counter-hegemonic resignification across feminist, liberationist, womanist, mujerista, ecofeminist, queer, and decolonial theologies. Both enact a logic of displacement, detaching Mary's embodied particularity from the canonical narrative to make her bear symbolic weight the text does not authorize. This critique operates at a different register from existing internal disputes within liberationist Mariology: it targets not which content is assigned to Mary but the interpretive structure that makes unlimited reassignment possible. Patristic constructions of virginal purity, the Assumption, and titles such as Theotokos and Perpetual Virgin function as mechanisms of gendered abstraction; conversely, readings recasting Mary as paradigm of migration or resistance risk reproducing the totalizing logic they oppose. Through close readings of the Annunciation, Magnificat, Nativity, Crucifixion, and Pentecost, the article recovers Mary's significance within her narrative particularity. Marian descension suspends the desire to complete her, returning Mary to Scripture's own spare, interruptive grammar.

Immaculate Conception of Gender: The Marian Phenomenon Among Catholic Women Pilgrims

Feminist Theology, 2024

This research concerns the phenomenological pragmatics of the Marian imaginaries in the study of gender and religion as intersecting and coconstituting themes. The contemporary constructions of antiquity occur in two ways: phantasmatic conceptions of the sacred as indoctrinated gendered catechisms, and embodied forms manifest on the body, thus serving as dogmatic disruptions for human sexuality. Reminiscent of Irigaray, what are the ways in which seemingly sexed bodies shelter the deterritorialized Queen? In what manner do bodies on pilgrimage facilitate the mediation of the mediatrix? This study examines how the queen of virgins, the Regina Virginum, demarcates the visions of womanhood and femininity through fieldwork among the Latina Catholic women pilgrims to the House of the Virgin Mary in Selçuk Province, Turkey. In this context, it further provides an analysis of discourse within the context of Pope Francis’ address at the General Audience held in the Paul VI Audience Hall on Wednesday, 23 August 2023. The research results are set to highlight how women can cultivate empowerment by embracing their inner selves, paralleling Mary’s spiritual influence on women’s agency. Findings demonstrate how women utilize pilgrimage experiences, inspired by Mary’s multifaceted symbolism, to challenge gender norms, reconstruct identities, and assert agency, emphasizing the transformative potential of religious practices in empowering women.

Sacred Space and Self: Feminist Reflections in the Church of Mary

Journal of Global Catholicism, College of the Holy Cross - 2024

This study recontextualizes Mary's obedience and nurturing characteristics as a counterbalance to Eve's disobedience, symbolically representing a trajectory towards reconciliation and redemption. It delves into Mary's multifaceted role as a bestower of life and grace, her intrinsic maternal compassion, and her facilitation of female empowerment. Through this analytical framework, it offers a nuanced perspective on pilgrimages to sacred sites associated with Marian veneration, suggesting that these journeys transcend mere historical and religious connections to become platforms for personal healing, spiritual growth, and the exploration of feminine identity. The research is underpinned by a fieldwork conducted at the Church of Mary in Ephesus, Turkey. This fieldwork involved the organization of a Marian workshop aimed at exploring themes pertinent to women within the context of Marian spirituality. The research findings provide detailed insights into the manner in which the Marian space serves as a unifying force, shaping and reshaping the experiences, beliefs, and identities of women who engage with it. This includes exploring how participation in Marian devotion fosters a sense of solidarity and connection among women, how the rituals and practices within the Marian space influence their perspectives and behaviors, and how their encounters with Mary as a figure of spiritual significance contribute to personal growth and transformation.