The role of women in the Bible and theological teaching has been an ongoing topic of discussion and debate among theologians and society for a long time.
At the bi-annual Dawid W. de Villiers Memorial Lecture, Prof Allan Boesak gave some new insight on the role of women in theology, which he believes has led to many misinterpretations and the world's patriarchal traditions of today. The memorial lecture was held on Tuesday (18 September 2018) at Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Theology, which honours the life and teachings of the late Prof Dawid de Villiers. A former lecturer at the faculty Prof de Villiers played a leading role in church life and theological training at the university.
Prof Boesak's lecture series titled: Learning, Unlearning, and Re-Reading: Black Liberation Theology and Lessons from the Women largely focused on the analysis of the biblical scriptures in the Old Testament where the woman Miriam challenged the patriarchal traditions and the leadership of Moses, one of the Bible's most iconic early prophets.
In his lecture, Prof Boesak challenged the patriarchal roles and suggested that many traditional theological teachings have been used to oppress others and been used to portray a God that is not for all humankind.
“Until we know what kind of God we worship we cannot begin to fathom what kind of people we should be, let alone who we are now. Unless we all learn the worth of our common humanity and cherish the ties that bind us, in all our actions and embrace the cry of the campaign against gender-based violence, that says 'This ends now!' Every time we say these things it creates a new lie and every time a lie is created we offer pre-emptive justification for the next killing, the next rape and the next racist act. There has always been the notion that God only speaks to and through men, which excludes women, but the story of Miriam in the Bible should challenge us to think about this differently," said Prof Boesak.
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MORE ABOUT PROF ALAN BOESAK
Prof Boesak Allan Boesak studied Theology at the age of 22 years old at the Theological Seminary of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church. He continued his studies at the Theological University at Kampen in the Netherlands where he was awarded a Doctor's degree in Theology in June 1976, a week before the Soweto Uprisings.
When he returned to South Africa, he served the church in various ecumenical positions, including as Moderator of his church, Senior Vice President of the South African Council of Churches, and President of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.
Boesak's involvement in public life and South Africa's freedom struggle began in 1976. In 1983, he called for the formation of the United Democratic Front, which would grow into the largest, nonviolent, non-racial anti-apartheid formation in the history of the struggle. He became their most visible leader at home and abroad. He worked with Mr Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Tutu, Rev. Frank Chikane and a whole array of world leaders to end apartheid.
Prof Boesak is the recipient of thirteen honorary Doctor's degrees and several awards among those, the Robert Kennedy Human Rights Award and the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Award. Recently he was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. International Board of Preachers at Morehouse College. He is also the author of 22 books and has been teaching across the world. Prof Boesak continues his teaching and preaching while remaining active in global struggles for human rights.
Photo: Stefan Els
