Can “Theology” Endure as a Practice of Resistance?

Feminist Theology and Queer Theology

Abstract

Although Christianity has deeply internalized patriarchy and heterosexism throughout its history, theological efforts to resist these oppressive teachings have also existed within Christianity. These efforts are referred to as “Feminist Theology” and “Queer Theology.” However, if “theology” is the study of religious faith from an apologetic attitude, is it possible to connect “theology” with “feminism” and “queer”? Arenʼt “feminist theology” and “queer theology” inherent contradictions in terms? Can “theology” be a practice of resistance? To examine these questions, this paper focuses on Christologies of feminist theology and queer theology. This paper presents four types of Christology. First, there are feminists and queer people who reached the conclusion that “Jesus is not the true Christ (anointed one)” and decided to leave Christianity. They identified themselves as “post-Christians” and declared that Christian “theology” could never give birth to a true resistance. The second and third types of Christology recognize Jesus of Nazareth as a true “Christ.” The second type of Christology focuses on the deeds of Jesus and argues that Jesus is “the savior” because he spent a lifetime fighting against the prejudices and discrimination of his time. The third type of Christology finds “queerness” in traditional Christology which focuses on the godly aspects of Jesus. This Christology emphasizes the fluidity and transcendency of “the body of Christ.” Conversely, the fourth type of Christology does not even try to answer the question “Is Jesus Christ or not?” Rather, this Christology attempts to show that Christianity or Christology itself was socially constructed, and thus it should be permanently questioned. Consequently, this Christology tries to unsettle the framework of “Christianity” and “theology” itself. This paper stresses the strong points of the fourth type of Christology, as a potential basis for true resistance.