From the discussions in the session 7 about what is womanist, I learned many things from group discussions. I learnt the three definition of womanist: A black feminist or feminist of color. A woman who loves other women sexually and/or not sexually. A woman who loves music, loves dance, loves the moon, loves the spirit, loves love, loves food and loves struggles.
However, I consulted other books for other views to make a comparison. According to Leona (p180), feminism or the marginalization of women, is not just one more theme but that appearance of women on the public stage history had to change the very structure of the theological enterprise, taking this new problematic into accounts. According to Augustine, a famous and influential fourth- and fifth- century thinker, believed that males alone were made in the full image of God, and that women could be in the image of God only when joined to males as “helpers”. For Augustin, women were equated with body and men with the mind. This made women sexually dangerous to men.
I am trying these two different perception to see if I can find where womanist is situated in Theology. In my understanding, defining womanist as limited to liberation of Black or African women will be limiting its impact. When we understand theology, it means the studies related to God. Not only African Women needs liberation. All oppressed women must liberate from oppression.
Womanist theology have to be adapted and be linked to the Church or Ministry. There are indications that women occupied leadership roles in the early Christian community. Women are called “deacon” and “apostle” (Romans 16:1,7). Women preach. Women have churches in their houses. Women are in other ways patrons in the new Christian community. Hope that further readings will clear the issue that I have in mind.
To conclude, it is not my power to come over a person and judge him/her about what she believe. Her/his identity and feeling is his own business. People have to respect others choices. You either support or you keep silence. Unless what someone is doing is evil.