Prophecy and Group Identity and Purpose: Connecting the Leadership Conference of the Women Religious with the Catholic Legacy of Feminist Politics

<p>While the Second Vatican Council advocates an inclusive priesthood and unified People of God, exclusion of consecrated Roman Catholic women from ministerial priesthood, official church interpretations of the scriptures, and judgments concerning faith and morals continues. This thesis examines creative tactics of resistance among consecrated women on account of hierarchal and essentialist models found in church traditions, including Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), and contemporary American women associated with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. I analyze aspects of three prophetic critiques and hermeneutical tactics of each, appealing to the critical interpretive methodologies of Elizabeth Bucar and Grace Jantzen. The LCWR are “in good company,” contrary to the representations of male superiors in the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith and episcopal hierarchy. The feminist resistance of these women recapitulates forms of what Bucar calls “creative conformity,” which the church has embraced for its forbearers.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - unrestricted

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Liberal Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Fischer, Larry M

• Catholic
• Feminist Politics
• Women's Prophecy
• Other Arts and Humanities
• Religion
• Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright by the authors.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1134

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-2301