Christian ethics, an experience of diversity. Interview with Brazilian feminist theologian Ivone Gebara.

Abstract

With over thirty published books and hundreds of articles, Ivone Gebara is one of the founders of feminist theology. Her work is recognized worldwide for being disruptive and innovative in feminist literature, while it is still being accessible and deep, two characteristics present in all her writings. Ivone was born in San Paulo, Brazil, in 1944. When she decided to become a nun, Ivone was studying philosophy, a branch of the social sciences in which she received her doctorate degree. In 1967, she joined the Christian congregation Las Hermanas de Nuestra Señora. In 1994 Ivone was punished by the Vatican for her position about abortion and she was sent back to Belgium to return to study. There, she completed her second PhD study in Religious Studies at the University of Louvain. As a doctoral thesis she presented her book "Out of the depths: women's experience of evil and salvation", published in 2002, which summarizes much of her work on women’s pain and ecofeminist understanding of History.

In her writings she says that diversity is the constant in the human world on the illusion of fusionism or unit. This interview aims to deepen and problematize the question of dialogue on diversity, where Ivone links religious traditions and feminist thought. Convinced that the symbolic challenge does not happen only by building a world just in feminine words, but more deeply, into make a world of many who live with common feelings and strive for achieve the common good, Ivone continues to showing us that feminist theory underlies a deeper way to create new modes of human coexistence.

With over thirty published books and hundreds of articles, Ivone Gebara is one of the founders of feminist theology. Her work is recognized worldwide for being disruptive and innovative in feminist literature, while it is still being accessible and deep, two characteristics present in all her writings. Ivone was born in San Paulo, Brazil, in 1944. When she decided to become a nun, Ivone was studying philosophy, a branch of the social sciences in which she received her doctorate degree. In 1967, she joined the Christian congregation Las Hermanas de Nuestra Señora. In 1994 Ivone was punished by the Vatican for her position about abortion and she was sent back to Belgium to return to study. There, she completed her second PhD study in Religious Studies at the University of Louvain. As a doctoral thesis she presented her book "Out of the depths: women's experience of evil and salvation", published in 2002, which summarizes much of her work on women’s pain and ecofeminist understanding of History.

In her writings she says that diversity is the constant in the human world on the illusion of fusionism or unit. This interview aims to deepen and problematize the question of dialogue on diversity, where Ivone links religious traditions and feminist thought. Convinced that the symbolic challenge does not happen only by building a world just in feminine words, but more deeply, into make a world of many who live with common feelings and strive for achieve the common good, Ivone continues to showing us that feminist theory underlies a deeper way to create new modes of human coexistence.

Key Words: Feminism; Christianity; Ethics; Diversity.