Journal: Priscilla Papers
Volume: PP 35:1 (Winter 2021)
Article: YHWH And Marginalization: Israel’s Widows And "Abuelita" Theology
Author: Katrina Armas

PP 35:1 (Winter 2021) p. 3

YHWH And Marginalization:
Israel’s Widows And Abuelita Theology

Katrina Armas

Katrina “Kat” Armas holds MDiv and MAT degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary in southern California. She has published in several venues, including Sojourners, RELEVANT, Fathom Magazine, and CBE’s Mutuality. She is affiliated with Fuller Youth Institute, Missio Alliance, and with CBE as a member of the Priscilla Papers Peer Review Team. Her book, Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us about Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength (forthcoming from Brazos Press), speaks from the intersection of women, Scripture, and Cuban identity. She also explores these topics on her podcast, “The Protagonistas,” which centers the voices of Black, Indigenous, and other women of color in church leadership and theology. Read and listen to more from Kat at www.KatArmas.com.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The idea of human rights—fundamental rights for each human irrespective of his or her gender, social status, or origin1—is a characteristic of our modern world and a fruit of the Enlightenment. However, many scholars believe that the tradition-historical root of human rights is the Hebrew Bible, as its ideas of social justice remained subversively effective, impacting modern views of social justice.2 The theology of the book of Deuteronomy and the anthropology of the creation traditions of the Hebrew Bible had a deep impact on the formation of the modern world, particularly as it pertains to justice for the marginalized in society.

When it comes to human rights, ancient Israel was commanded by YHWH to protect and honor the dignity of one of society’s most vulnerable groups: widows. Today, Christian theology still expects care for the “least of these” (recall Matt 25:40), particularly those who may not seem to have anything to contribute to society. This not only has physical implications, but Christians are left to wonder about honoring the vulnerable theologically. What role do the vulnerable play in shaping theological understandings? Modern theologies, including womanist and mujerista theologies, have attempted to answer these questions.

In our modern contexts, poor, marginalized women or the abuelitas (grandmothers) in our midst are often overlooked for many of the same reasons widows were overlooked in the ancient world. These factors include age, physical vulnerability, social status, and gender. However, these abuelitas have historically served as unofficial t...