I had a wonderful opportunity to facilitate a day-and-a-half's sessions on Asian Feminist Theologizing at the second Indigenous Women's Alternative Leadership for Transformation (IWALT), held in Chiang Mai, Thailand on 17-27 April 2006.

Through powerpoint presentation and participatory activities, I went through the five steps of Asian feminist theologizing: (a) naming the oppression; (b) identifying the reinforcing agents; (c) identifying the dominant theology or ideology; (d) making a feminist critique by deconstructing traditional interpretation of texts and teachings; and (e) commitment to action for transformation.

Other resource persons were Anna May Say Pa (Myanmar) who facilitated the reading of the Bible with women's eyes, Cynthia Ca Abdon-Tellez (Philippines/Hong Kong) who made an input on globalization and its impact on indigenous women, Chuleepran Srisoontorn who gave the challenge at the opening worship, and Corazon Tabing-Reyes (CCA-EGY) who led sessions on the ecumenical movements and creative worship.

IWALT is a three-year program jointly done by the Ecumenical Formation, Gender Justice and Youth Empowerment program area of CCA (CCA-EGY) and the World Council of Churches.

This second IWALT gathered representatives of indigenous women from Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Bangladesh. The first one held in Shillong, Megalaya, Northeast India last July gathered Indigenous and Dalit women from India and Nepal. The third will gather indigenous women from the Philippines, Taiwan, Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia this September in Baguio, Philippines.

posted by hope at Sunday, April 30, 2006