Videos

I gave a talk in 2014 at the AJC Conclave in Chicago about five women theologians who have particularly influenced me. Here’s the original description:

In the last twenty years, some of the most interesting, challenging and spiritually enlivening work in Christian theology has come from women. Initially, in challenging patriarchal traditions in theology, feminist theology has opened greater space for the participation of all people in the discourse of the tradition. Recently, women, particularly women contemplatives, have opened further space at what has classically been the edge of acceptability with thinking and approaches characterised by a fiery courage and a willingness to challenge orthodox thinking.

This talk will give a brief overview of five contemporary women theologians who have touched my own journey: Cynthia Bourgeault, Bernadette Roberts, Maggie Ross, Mary Coloe and Margaret Barker. Each of these women simultaneously reaches deeply into the history of Christian tradition as well as generating a sense of the freedom and possibility of genuine newness. I hope to share some sense both of the richness of their thinking as well as the effect they have had on me and my view of the tradition.

 

A talk in Sydney about two books by Dr Mary Coloe which explore the deep patterns of symbolism in the Gospel of John.

The Gospel of John, according to Australian scholar Dr Mary Coloe, pivots on two key symbols: the Temple and the Household. The symbol of the Temple lays out a narrative through the Gospel explaining that God dwells amongst the members of the community. The symbol of the Household details the forming of the community as a kind of divine household. This session gives an overview of Dr Coloe’s theology of the Johannine community and reflects on its relevance for a Johannite church in the 21st century.