Journal: Priscilla Papers
Volume: PP 09:4 (Fall 1995)
Article: A Comparison And Contrast Of Womanist And Feminist Theology And Experience
Author: R. Ruth Barton

PP 9:4 (Fall 1995) p. 10

A Comparison And Contrast Of Womanist And Feminist Theology And Experience

R. Ruth Barton

R. Ruth Barton is a graduate of Wheaton College and currently studying/or her M. Div. at Northern Baptist Seminary. She is an author and lecturer, whose most recent book is Becoming a Woman of Strength 14 Life Challenges for Women and the Men Who Love Them (Harold Shaw Publishers, 1995).

My interest in this subject was sparked by the challenging comment of a black woman with whom I shared a class at Northern Baptist Seminary. In the course of our conversations I expressed my growing understanding that racism and sexism were two issues that needed to be dealt with together in the Christian community. More specifically, I asked her how a Caucasian like myself could help to facilitate a greater coming together of black and white women (along with interested men) to work for justice in these matters. Her only comment was, “You don’t even know what the issues are for black women.”

My friend’s comment was not made maliciously and I did not take it that way. Rather, I felt grateful for her honesty because it challenged me to be more proactive in seeking situations that would stretch me in this regard, such as enrollment in this particular seminary class. In addition, her comment fostered within me a desire to listen more deeply to the experiences of black women. For me, this kind of listening would be a prerequisite to the forming of any kind of common bond, be it for the purpose of friendship or working together for a common cause. My thesis is that white women and black women have much to offer one another in terms of the wisdom that comes from the differing experiences that fuel their theological journeys.

Even though I realize that all white women are not feminists and all black women are not womanists, I will use the word womanist interchangeably with black woman and the word feminist interchangeably with white woman solely for the purposes of this paper. Through openhearted listening, my hope is that feminists and womanists can understand their differences and move beyond those differences to become “yoke-fellows” (Philippians 4:3) — those whose lives are bound together for the common mission of spreading the good news of equality for women and men of all races and classes.

Understanding Our Differences

The most glaring difference between the theological quest of white women and black women is the fact that black women are dealing with three levels of oppression (racism, sexism, and classism) while the white women’s struggle with oppression can be one dimensional: fighting the Victorian model of the weak (even pampered) woman who can’t do anything for herself. In contrast, the black...