Limits of Liberation: Feminist Theology and the Ethics of Poverty and Reproduction

(Paperback)

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How far are the real lives of millions of poor women really catered for in liberation and feminist theologies Vuola argues here that traditional liberation theology's notion of praxis (as in L .Boff and E. Dussel) is limited by its essentialist notion of 'poor' and its neglect of the issue of poor women's reproductive rights. Classical feminist theologies, on the other hand, are fraught with their own essentialist notions ('women's experience'). Both discourses are inadequate to deal with poor women's suffering: widespread maternal mortality, high rates of botched, illegal abortions, and an overall lack of reproductive rights. As a response to this lack, Vuola nurtures a form of Latin American feminist liberation theology that addresses directly the suffering and death of these millions of women.

Reviews

"I regard this as an excellent book and one which I have used with great profit in my lectures on Latin American liberation theology. It is a vital resource for understanding the limits of classical liberation theology of the 70-80s and the new wave of liberation theology that deals with women's issues of the 90s. I am delighted that this book is now again available and recommend it in the highest terms."--Rosemary Radford Ruether, Georgia Harkness Professor of Applied Theology at Garrett Theological Seminary, Evanston, Illinois.
"Elina Vuola not only analyzes with competence the presuppositions of liberation theology and feminist theology, but she also raises central critical issues about theological method (for example, the role and criteria to determine "experience," the conceptualization of 'praxis' and the sources of theological knowledge, among others). Perhaps what impresses me the most is her broad approach to the sources for examining/criticizing these theologies, and her coherent presentation of arguments. Her line of thought is highly ordered, coherent, and systematic."--Dr. Maria Pilar Aquino Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies and Associate Director of the Center for the Study of Latino Catholicism, University of San Diego
"An up-to-date systematic critique of both Feminist and Latin American Liberation theologies. The author shows how essentialism and ignoring the experiences of poor women can put the brakes on liberation." --WATERwheel, Winter 2003

Author Bio

Elina Vuola is a Researcher at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Helsinki.