Thealogy

Thealogy, is a relatively recent term and describes an emerging field of academic interdisciplinary study whose origin and initial use is open to debate. Often attributed to a neologism coined by Isaac Bonewits in 1974, Patricia 'Iolana traces the early use of the term to 1976 crediting both Bonewits and Valerie Saiving in its initial use. While the definition and scope of thealogy is currently being defined by the key scholars in the field, thealogy is generally understood as a discourse that reflects upon the meaning of Goddess and Her relationship to life forms. Situated in the field of theology and religious studies, it is seen as a complementary and relational field to that of theology. It is a discourse that critically engages the beliefs, wisdom, practices, questions, and values of the Goddess community, both past and present. The term suggests a feminist approach to theism and the context of God and gender within Paganism, Neopaganism, Goddess Spirituality and various nature-based religions.

The term, thealogy, increasingly appeared in feminist literature associated with the Neopagan Goddess movement during the 1980s to 1990s. Naomi Goldenberg used the term in 1979. Carol P. Christ used the term in 1987, and further defined thealogy in her 2002 essay, "Feminist theology as post-traditional thealogy," as "the reflection on the meaning of the Goddess" (p79). In her 1989 essay "On Mirrors, Mists and Murmurs: Toward an Asian American Thealogy," Rita Nakashima Brock defined thealogy as "the work of women reflecting on their experiences of and beliefs about divine reality" (p236).

Contemporary Thealogians include Carol P. Christ, Melissa Raphael, Asphodel Long, Beverly Clack, Charlotte Caron, Naomi Goldenberg, Paul Reid-Bowen, Rita Nakashima Brock, and Patricia 'Iolana.

Thealogy can be described as religiously pluralistic, as thealogians come from various religious backgrounds that are often hybrid in nature. In addition to Pagans, Neopagans, and Goddess-centred faith traditions, they are also Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Quakers, etc. or define themselves as Spiritual Feminists. As such, the term thealogy has also been used by feminists within mainstream monotheistic religions describe in more detail the feminine aspect of a monotheistic deity or trinity, such as God/dess Herself, or the Heavenly Mother of the Latter Day Saint movement.

Read more about Thealogy:  Terminology, Interpretations