Feminist Theologies and Social Engagement: Justice, Inclusion, and Community Practice

Dear Colleagues,

We announce the opening call for contributions to this Special Issue of Religions, titled “Feminist Theologies and Social Engagement: Justice, Inclusion, and Community Practice”. This volume will be dedicated to feminist theologies and their practical implications in a postcolonial and globalized world. Feminist theology emerged in the 1960s as a response to the discrimination against women in the thinking, the feeling, and the knowledge of Christian churches (Daly 1973; Radford-Reuther 1983). Over the last four decades, it has broadened its horizons, coming to be seen as a space for intersectional reflection influenced by different dimensions of the reality in which people live (Kwok 2005). Three dimensions intersect within it: the somatic, the spiritual, and the intelectual (Martínez Cano and Wozna 2025, pp. 35-37). This intersection results in a type of reflection that moves from theory to situated practice. For this reason, today we must speak of feminist theologies in the plural, because from contextual experiences that cut across the bodies and lives of women, these theologies ask questions about women’s identities, their faith, and their commitment to life. To this end, they develop various research methodologies that aim to answer whether the different dimensions of theology (doctrine, pastoral practice, biblical interpretation, theoretical formulation, and ecclesial embodiment) point toward the core of the liberating experience offered by Jesus Christ. How is this core, the equal dignity of human beings and their harmony with God and creation, realized in a finite creation and in societies marked by conflict? The exploration of the different paths proposed by feminist theologies reveals the ambiguity of the religious phenomenon, which participates both in the oppression and in the liberation of women.

For this reason, this Special Issue seeks to address this question through different feminist hermeneutics and epistemologies, as well as from the diverse contexts women face. In this Issue, we are interested in the tensions between theory and practice as embodied in the lives of women. We are also interested in the tension between the common and universal aspects of women’s suffering and the contextual differences that distinguish one theology from another. Lastly, we are interested in experiences of liberation and possible theological formulations that engage in community practice grounded in justice and inclusion, promoting a less ambiguous and more liberating faith.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

1. Sexuality and gender, singular and plural, in the Church and its dialogue with the world.
2. Violence and discrimination in the churches and in the world: Feminist approaches from the theology of the cross and liberation theology.
3. Women’s bodies and dissident bodies in theology: Feminist anthropological perspectives.
4. Community practices of liberation from a feminist theological perspective.
5. Inclusive and feminist pastoral models in the Christian community: Future challenges.
6. Justice, power, and politics in Christian churches and their projection and influence on societies: Diversity and conflict.
7. Art, culture, and feminist theology in community contexts: Beauty and justice.

The aim of this Special Issue to contribute to good ecclesial and pastoral practices by offering, from feminist theologies, various alternatives to patriarchal social and theological models.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200–300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor or to the Assistant Editor, Ms Amity Zhang (amity.zhang@mdpi.com), of Religions. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

References:

Daly, Mary. 1973. Beyond God the Father: Toward a Philosophy of Women's Liberation. Boston: Beacon Press.

Kwok, Pui-Lan. 2005. Postcolonial Imagination and Feminist Theology. Kentucky: John Knox Press.

Martínez Cano, Silvia, and Antonina Wozna. 2025. Hermenéuticas y metodologías teológicas feministas: Cartografías de una diversidad. Estella: Verbo Divino.

Radford-Ruether, Rosemary. 1983. Sexism and God-Talk: Toward a Feminist Theology. Boston: Beacon Press.

Prof. Dr. Silvia Martínez Cano
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.