An Introduction by Timothy Borchers Has Already Given Her Essay

An Introduction by Timothy Borchers Has Already Given Her - Essay Example (Ritchie, J. and Kathleen Boardman 1999). Mary Daly also published many written works, and her second book, Beyond God the Father is of real interest, as this scholar really considers God as a substantive subject. Theoretical perspective In the book Beyond God the Father, Mary Daly lays out a systematic theology that is in line with the example set by theologian Paul Tillich. Daly’s work in the book Beyond God the Father is usually regarded as a foundational work in feminist theology. (Hoagland, S. L. and Marilyn Frye, 2000). She tries to explain and overcome andro-centrism regarding Western religion in this book, and utilizes a more playful writing style. She also attempts to rehabilitate discussions about God by emphasizing and critically building on the writings of existentialist theologians like Martin Buber and Paul Tillich in an effort to rehabilitate the liberation movement for women. Mary Daly’s response to the argument that Jesus was a feminist that this was fi ne and wonderful merits more attention, as any religion or gospel that fails to promote the full humanity of women is questionable, unworthy of public assent. This one legitimate point that must be made in the issue of how the gospel connects with feminist theology. It is notable that the claim that it can help in unmasking a form of oppression that seems, knowingly or unknowingly to have been built into the very fabric of every society that we know much about is the reason why feminism and feminist theology is so significant. Although the publication of some of Daly’s ideas were greeted with considerable furor and she was threatened with losing her job at Boston College, she was finally granted tenure after several months during which students protested vigorously and with widespread media publicity. This experience somewhat radicalized her views about the oppressiveness of prevalent patriarchal structures, led to her being transformed from a reformist Catholic into what can be considered post-Christian radical femininism. Daly also challenged the whole edifice of patriarchal religion. As she notes, the theological constructs and myths of patriarchal religion tend oppress one half of the human race and foster social structures that lead to racism, as well as , as ways of thinking that bring about war and genocide through the legitimization of male superiority and displacement of evil towards females as the proto-typical other. (Daly, M. 1973) Daly rejects the concept of God as a Supreme Being (static noun) rather than a Be-ing (active verb) and also argues against the general gender identification of God as a male. As she notes, â€Å"to objectify God as a being, to hypostatize transcendence, is to envisage transcendent reality as finite. God then functions to legitimate the existing status quo.† (Daly, M. 1973) Mary Daly put a lot of effort into breaking down some well known boundaries of critical theological thought. She was instrumental setti ng the stage for subsequent feminist theologians like Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenze and Rosemary Radford Ruether, who later began to come up with critiques of theology that helped in reshaping current Christian thought. Although many feminists are reluctant to speak of women or the experiences of women as a universal or