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PDF versionMary Daly, radical feminist theologian, dead at 81
She helped reshape Christian thought through decades
Jan. 04, 2010
Daly in 1987 (Photo by Gail Bryan)
Mary Daly, radical feminist theologian and a mother of modern feminist theology, died Jan. 3 at the age of 81. She was one of the most influential voices of the radical feminist movement through the later 20th century.
Daly taught courses in theology, feminist ethics and patriarchy at Boston College for 33 years. Her first book, "The Church and the Second Sex," published in 1968, got her fired, briefly, from her teaching position there, but as a result of support from the (then all-male) student body and the general public, she was ultimately granted tenure.
According to a 2000 Cross Currents profile, "Much of her work since that time has consisted in blowing exuberant raspberries at the Vatican, Boston College, and the keepers of the patriarchal flame generally -- who may have expected no better outcome from educating a woman, and must feel betrayed and vindicated by turns."
Mary E. Hunt, co-founder and co-director of the Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER), announced the death Jan. 3 online in "The Feminist Studies in Religion" bulletin:
"With a heavy heart, yet grateful beyond words for her life and work, I report that Mary Daly died this morning, January 3, 2010 in Massachusetts. She had been in poor health for the last two years.
Her contributions to feminist theology, philosophy, and theory were many, unique, and if I may say so, world-changing. She created intellectual space; she set the bar high. Even those who disagreed with her are in her debt for the challenges she offered. ... She always advised women to throw our lives as far as they would go. I can say without fear of exaggeration that she lived that way herself."
Daly once wrote: "There are and will be those who think I have gone overboard. Let them rest assured that this assessment is correct, probably beyond their wildest imagination, and that I will continue to do so."
She was an exuberant participant in and shaper of the feminist movement of the 1970s, and 1980s.
The only child of working-class, Irish-Catholic parents in upstate New York, she grew up with a strong sense of her ethnic and religious heritage. As a young woman, she developed a desire to become a philosopher and a theologian. Encouraged by her parents, and especially by her mother, Daly pursued her intellectual dream, eventually becoming a victor over a Catholic educational system that prevented women from earning graduate degrees in philosophy by studying at the University of Freiburg where she earned graduate degrees in philosophy and theology.
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Daly was influenced by thinkers ranging from Thomas Aquinas to French feminist Simone de Beauvoir to Virginia Woolf, according to Who2.com.
In fact, Daly, the feminist, developed a kind of perverse fondness for Aquinas, whom she called “the fat old monk.” She learned to "decode" the thinking of a man who, she cheerfully admitted, conceived of women as "misbegotten males."
Eventually, in her life and scholarship she developed a sweeping analysis of "patriarchy" as the root of women's oppression and of all social ills in which people are treated as objects.
After “The Church and the Second Sex,” she said she moved from "Christian reformist" to "radical, post-Christian" feminist.
Studying archetypal forms and prepatriarchal religion convinced Daly that church doctrine consisted of a series of significant "reversals." She explained these to NCR writer Jeanette Batz in 1996:
- the Trinity, from the triple goddess once celebrated worldwide;
- the virgin birth, from the parthenogenesis that once begat divine daughters;
- Adam giving birth to Eve.
Women operating on patriarchy's boundaries, she once wrote, can spiral into freedom by renaming and reclaiming an ancient woman-centered reality that was stolen and eradicated by patriarchy.
She took great delight in castigating the "eight deadly sins of the fathers": processions, professions, possession, aggression, obsession, assimilation, elimination and fragmentation. "Laugh out loud," she urged, "at their pompous penile processions."
As for God, there's simply no way to rid the language of allusion, she wrote, so, "if you must be anthropomorphic," she preferred “Goddess.”
Daly most often contemplated the divine essence as a verb, Be-ing itself, so that worship is "not kneeling in front of a so-and-so but swirling in energy." Her language echoed quantum physics, and she was flattered if you said so: "I do think about space-time a great deal," she admitted. "It's a kind of mysticism which is also political."
These attitudes toward life and religion were reflected in the Feb. 26, 1996 issue of The New Yorker in which she wrote:
“Ever since childhood, I have been honing my skills for living the life of a radical feminist pirate and cultivating the courage to win. The word ‘sin’ is derived from the Indo-European root ‘es-,’ meaning ‘to be.’ When I discovered this etymology, I intuitively understood that for a woman trapped in patriarchy, which is the religion of the entire planet, ‘to be’ in the fullest sense is ‘to sin.’”
“Women who are pirates in a phallocratic society are involved in a complex operation. First, it is necessary to plunder--that is, righteously rip off gems of knowledge that the patriarchs have stolen from us. Second, we must smuggle back to other women our plundered treasures. In order to invent strategies that will be big and bold enough for the next millennium, it is crucial that women share our experiences: the chances we have taken and the choices that have kept us alive. They are my pirate's battle cry and wake-up call for women who want to hear.”
And so Daly would like to say: “I urge you to Sin. ... But not against these itty-bitty religions, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism -- or their secular derivatives, Marxism, Maoism, Freudianism and Jungianism -- which are all derivatives of the big religion of patriarchy. Sin against the infrastructure itself!"
Daly poured much energy into breaking down age-old boundaries of critical thought. Her work helped set the stage for other feminist theologians who rose up in the 20th century to offer critiques of male-dominated theology that would reshape Christian thought. Several of these groundbreaking women included Rosemary Radford Ruether, Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, and Rosemary Haughton.
Boston College Jesuits worked uneasily with Daly for more than three decades before parting ways. According to Jack Dunn, Boston Colleg spokesman, the university never terminated Daly's contract as a tenured professor.
“In 1999 she attempted to take a leave of absence (as she had in each of the previous instances in which a male student had attempted to gain access to her class) and her request was not granted. She then offered to retire from teaching at BC. A year later, she reneged on her retirement agreement and the case ended up in court where Judge Martha Sosman ruled against her motion for preliminary judgment."
In February, 2001, Boston College and Daly's supporters announced that a settlement had been reached.
Other Daly books include:
"Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism," which defined categories of political theory and philosophy of religion.
"Pure Lust: Elemental Feminist Philosophy," an exploration of patriarchy and feminist vision.
"Websters' First New Intergalactic Wickedary of the English Language," a humor-filled work of words aimed at "freeing the English language" from its patriarchal roots.
"Outercourse: The Be-Dazzling Voyage," a philosophical autobiography.
"Quintessence... Realizing the Archiac Future: A Radical Elemental Feminist Manifesto," another consideration of feminist thought.
"Amazon Grace: Re-Calling the Courage to Sin Big."
New York Times profile of Mary Daly
Cross Currents interview with Mary Daly
Some of the information in this article comes from Who2.com, the online biography Web site.
Fox is NCR Editor.
To think about it, Jesus was
To think about it, Jesus was a feminist too. My girlfriend and grandad, grandma, mom, dad remarked about this too. After all, Jesus said the woman at the well, samarian woman, was a better apostle than the men apostles.
That is a great endorsement of women apostles, disciples, by Jesus for women. After all, it is only women who anoint the anointed one, that is, Jesus, the Messiah. Mary of Bethany and the woman of the city, both while Jesus was alive. Anointed on his head too, not just on his feet by women. The Messiah means 'anointed one.' Jesus praises and defends the women doing this too. He praises the samarian woman for being his apostle too. He praises the anointing women too. He praises women, never shuts up women or stops women from doing great work. Women announce his resurrection, super important start of Christianity, the resurrection of Jesus. Women announce, women witness. Jesus chose women! Yes, Jesus is quite the 'feminist.'
Women publically announce that Jesus is Messiah, Martha and samarian woman. Jesus gives to women very big roles of apostleship.
Jesus even calls himself Bakerwoman making the bread of Life, widow searching for lost coin, Mother Hen gathering her chicks under her wing. Feminist, female images, Jesus talks about himself in these terms too.
There is no divide and no abuse of women coming from Jesus. So why does the pope shut out women, stop women from really serving the church. The pope is certainly not the 'image of Jesus'. The pope is wrong in how he treats women.
Remember that it was also a
Remember that it was also a woman, Mary, who first made the presence of God the son real, tangible, in this world first.
Yes, it is true, Mary is
Yes, it is true, Mary is called "Mother of God" by the Roman Church, yet, hypocritically, no women priests. There are about 50% of parishes in North America with no priest. There is an army of well-trained, well versed Catholics ready to fill this void. They are called: Nuns! No wonder that cardinal Ratzinger (now the Pope) will not even debate this: he was the head of the "Office of the doctrine of the faith" which is the new name for the Inquisition, changed only in 1906-08! And Jesus NEVER claimed to be "God". He always talked of his "Father in Heaven" and when he went to pray in the desert for 40 days, if he was God, to whom did he pray? Himself??? In some quarters, the Pope is regarded as a most evil pereson, as he will not allow condoms to be used. This being the case, he MUST take some resposibility for the spread of AIDS. But the decadent robes, gold trappings continue. The splendiferous papal objects are everywhere while the poor go hungry. Give me the example of the Nazarene who went about in a homespun robe spreading the word of love for humanity. We remember HIM, not any Pope, Pontiff or prelate.
There are so many mistakes in
There are so many mistakes in your comment but I will comment on just one now. The Church, and actually the Bush Administration, have been praised for their work in curbing the spread of aids in Africa. In fact, Harvard University no less, no bastion of conservative Catholicism, recently concluded a study that said abstinence and single-partner education in Africa lowered AIDS while condom distribution RAISED the AIDS rate!
If you don't think Christ was
If you don't think Christ was (is) God, then you are not a Christian! All Christians believe in the Mystery of the Incarnation which states that God became man in Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. When the Person Christ on earth addressed the Father in heaven, it was a situation of a communication between Persons of the Trinity, Second (Son) to First (Father).
There are no gods. you are
There are no gods. you are deluded
I think you need to define
I think you need to define the term "feminist" before you apply it to Jesus. Yes, he treated women well; what else would we expect from the God-Man? He also did not hold himself completely bound to Jewish law & tradition in all cases. Besides speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, he let his disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath due to hunger & he himself cured on the Sabbath due to need. I can't think of any other instances where he went against the strict application of Jewish law. Jesus was a devout Jew & actually a Pharisee since he believed in angels and the afterlife, unlike the Sadducees.
As far as the Samaritan woman at the well, he indirectly called her a fornicator, hardly the quality required in an Apostle which she couldn't be anyway because of her gender & ethnicity. He told her that she had had five husbands & the man she was living with now was not her husband. So she was a fornicator when he spoke to her. He pointed out her sinfulness to her.
It's interesting that you
It's interesting that you think only men can be Apostles (capitalized?). Mary Magdalene is traditionally considered the First Apostle.
Then we have that Gentile woman that Jesus teased around with and learned more about his own mission from. Perhaps it is the Apostles who wrote the gospels who were being feminist, or were in such shock that Jesus could learn from a Gentile woman (what was that about gender and ethnicity?) that they just had to write these things down. YOu may not call all that "feminist" but since it is the feminist that was most buried over the centuries and these things have had to be re-discovered in our times, most people might just call that feminist.
The Samaritans were not
The Samaritans were not gentiles. They were apostate Jews who intermarried with gentiles. They were people of mixed blood.
In your belief system sexual
In your belief system sexual freedom is bad. That has not always been the case. The concept of fornicator as unworthy is a reflection of a systematic insistence that women prove their virginity before marraige and therefore become the property of men. This effectively wrested the political power from the clans (matriarchy) and handed it to royalty (patriarchy).
Well sure sexual freedom is
Well sure sexual freedom is bad. You don't want the bull and cow fornicating with the neighbors' (cattle that is)!!! Patriarchy is OCD for sex-control. Never-mind celibacy is artificial birth-control and priest pediphiala is abortion after the fact.
The RCC? Well, its got everybody by the _alls! Men and women need a sexual liberation team. Three cheers for owning our own bodies! Go Nads Go!!!!
Trumpeter you toot the same
Trumpeter you toot the same old male dominating song. Disparaging women that might be worthy of leadership wont play. Your notes are off key and Jesus can't harmonize.
God bless mary
God bless mary
She does.
She does.
I love it! ;-)
I love it! ;-)
Wow, this is so sad. First,
Wow, this is so sad. First, Edward Schillebeeckx; now Mary Daly. Two great religious thinkers of the past century. Rest in peace.
R.I. P. and THANK YOU, Mary!
R.I. P. and THANK YOU, Mary!
Daly's book, Beyond God the
Daly's book, Beyond God the Father, which I read during graduate school both woke me up and cheered me up. Although it would be 30+ years until I started writing about faith, spirituality and religion, I can easily see Daly's influence on me down through the years. This probably explains why I still get into trouble w/some of those who feminist academicians used to call the "pale patriarchal penis people." Dear God, how I miss the 1970s. Sometimes.
You said it, particularly now
You said it, particularly now with the "great curtaining" of religion behind the iron fist of the pat. Bruno says it all.
Daly's book, Beyond God the
Daly's book, Beyond God the Father, which I read during graduate school both woke me up and cheered me up. Although it would be 30+ years until I started writing about faith, spirituality and religion, I can easily see Daly's influence on me down through the years. This probably explains why I still get into trouble w/some of those who feminist academicians used to call the "pale patriarchal penis people." Dear God, how I miss the 1970s. Sometimes.
Thank you Mary Daly, for your
Thank you Mary Daly, for your prophetic mysticism on this planet
Mary did her undergraduate
Mary did her undergraduate work at the College of St. Rose,
Albany, NY. She graduated in 1950 the year before me. I didn't know her well, but it was evident in those early years that she was much deeper thinker than the majority of us. What a great life.
The Truth of the Gospel Mary
The Truth of the Gospel
Mary Daly did very well her pioneer’s work. The work must continue not only by feminists but also by all who seek the truth of the Gospel.
You have to swim in a small
You have to swim in a small ideological pond to regard her as a big fish. She was playful but not much of a catch.
Interesting choice of
Interesting choice of metaphor to describe Mary Daly - a 'fish'? She and God are probably cracking up at that one.
Especially with the sexual
Especially with the sexual connations of being a "catch". Very interesting.
Your wrong Ken. She was a
Your wrong Ken. She was a whale of a catch! Little Napoleons that need to denigrate powerful women to make themselves feel big are mere fish food to her and those who follow in her wake.
When will our world's
When will our world's religions be forced to acknowledge that women are, in my opinion, superior to men in many ways? They certainly are, at the very least, equal!
The harassment my alma mater, BC, put Mary Daly through was tragic!
Not sure if you want to force
Not sure if you want to force the world's religions to acknowledge that women are superior to men or forced to acknowledge your opinion.
Mary Daly was not pure as
Mary Daly was not pure as driven snow regarding the episode that produced the infamous lawsuit. As I recall, one of her primary reasons for denying the student admission to the class was that he was male and the course was in feminism and, as far as Daly was concerned, for women only. Lack of a first-year pre-requisite was seen by many in the academy as a charade; such pre-reqs were set aside for advanced students with good records on a regular basis. Daly was clearly capable of dishing out that kind of prejudice for which she so roundly berated others. I was a (female) professor in another Catholic university at the time, and while I don't doubt that some of her colleagues (espcially the Jebbies) gave her a hard time, she usually brought no graciousness to the table if there were to be any men seated there. She was a woman of great influence, but I am not persuaded that all of it was good. She made the battle for equality much more difficult for many of us because of her strident manner.
As for when the world's religions will acknowledge your opinion (parse your sentence), I can't say. As for the opinion itself, I would counter that if you seek to establish superiority for women over men, you are no better than the men you chastise. You simply trade patriarcy for matriarchy and leave it all about power. Christ, I think, would opt for equality, which is not all about power -- nor was He, even though he possessed it.
Very well said. I so agree.
Very well said. I so agree.
I think the pre-course would
I think the pre-course would weed out detractors and provide some semblance of what Daly actually intended (unmentioned in your sensationalist letter), which was, that women would, to an extent, have a safe space to really explore the feminist ideas. I studied philosophy and found making any kind of headway was impossible around the theology students at University of Pretoria. As a feminist I have found the same thing in every sphere. Perpetrated by both men (and women on occasion). There's a place for rebellion, a place for argumentativeness, a place for hags and crones. And it was in her classroom. But the brand of dissention on offer by men is sometimes just violence, in all senses of the word. A pre-course sets up a filter. I would have given my right breast to be in her class.
I totally agree with you.
I totally agree with you. Thanks
Men in power often mow their
Men in power often mow their challengers down. Check out what was done to blacks in America or homosexuals. The last on earth to receive equal rights, relevance, dignity, and opportunity all over the world are women. Women in this culture are taught to be submissive, silent, not aggressive. Its not feminine, they say, to be an aggressive powerful woman. You know the whistling girl and crowing hen never come to a very good end crap.
Women in body building get slammed all the time for developing muscles. Yes, women can be muscular and feminine at the very same time. I wonder why the cult of soft women is so pervasive and strong. Men disrespect and exploit soft women and complain about strong women. Sounds like the scylla and the charybdis. But its not. We can sail right thru! Captain Mary Daly was a good sailor.
Mary Daly was not weak or dumb. She didn't want some cute brash boys strategically sent to her class to tactically shout her female students down. Good for her!!!! Mother hens can be fierce in the protection of their chicks giving the rooster some of his own medicine.
Daly knew girls are traditionally taught to be cheerleaders of men not team players with other women. Thats why team sports for women historically are not as popular and as plentiful as men's football, basketball, and baseball. Women don't usually kill, burn, mame, or rape men when they don't do what they want. We hear on the news that that happens often with men.
Mary Daly was correct in her approach. Affirmative action for women and every other historically oppresed group should be in place until the world pie provides sustainance and opportunity for all.
Captain Mary Daly was a great sailor and she left us her chart. The voyage is ours to continue!
How is any particular sex any
How is any particular sex any more or lesser than the other?
Both sexes are equal, but people are certainly not.
Mary,Mary, how I will miss
Mary,Mary, how I will miss you. You pricked the balloon of pompous priests and popes. Mary you are with God(dess). Pray that we may all "Sin" (in your sense of course)
Mary Daly was an inspiration
Mary Daly was an inspiration who gave us a whole new way of thinking about our lives - Spiralling, spinning, swirling. After encountering Mary we could never stay still again. Thank you Mary.
Aquinas didn't write that
Aquinas didn't write that women are misbegotten males; he refuted this proposition, which is found in Aristotle.
ST Ia q.92, a.1, Reply to
ST Ia q.92, a.1, Reply to Objection 1: As regards the individual nature, woman is defective and misbegotten, for the active force in the male seed tends to the production of a perfect likeness in the masculine sex; while the production of woman comes from defect in the active force or from some material indisposition, or even from some external influence; such as that of a south wind, which is moist, as the Philosopher observes (De Gener. Animal. iv, 2). On the other hand, as regards human nature in general, woman is not misbegotten, but is included in nature's intention as directed to the work of generation.
Some refutation.
You're reading into the term
You're reading into the term "misbegotten". The science of Aristotle was primitive but he was no dummy. Both he & Aquinas show a pre-genetic understanding of the difference between male & female conception. It has to do with the XY chromosome. For the ancients the male was the standard and the female the variant. Genetics shows this to be true with the XY chromosome. It doesn't mean that women were defective males or something like that.
"A 46,XY mother who developed
"A 46,XY mother who developed as a normal woman underwent spontaneous puberty, reached menarche, menstruated regularly, experienced two unassisted pregnancies, and gave birth to a 46,XY daughter with complete gonadal dysgenesis." - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Jan;93(1):182-9
So much for the mystical magical masculinising power of the Y chromosome.
As regards Mary Daly - with her dehumanising of so much of the human race, her referral to trans people as "Frankensteinian", and her expressed wish to have so many exterminated, I think her works are as thought-provoking and illuminating as "My Struggle", written in the 1920's.
"For the ancients the male
"For the ancients the male was the standard and the female the variant. Genetics shows this to be true with the XY chromosome."
I'm not sure if you are claiming that genetics "shows" that the male is 'still' the standard? Better check into the biology. All are female (which would make female the "standard") until a hormone, testosterone, destroys much of the intuitive and communicative brain ability in its efforts to make a penis and such. In related gender formation, 'making someone male' largely involves teaching them 'not to be female' creating a variant identity by again deviating from the standard. Me thinketh the experts would say you have it backwards, as did the ancients.
From what I understand,
From what I understand, Aquinas, on his death bed referred to all of his theological works as "it's all straw". Now he was not referring to his writing style to be sure.
Interesting, very interesting indeed.
I heard from a professor of
I heard from a professor of church history that one day during mass in Aquinas' later years he went silent. He didn't speak again or did not say mass again until he died, so the story goes.
The professor seemed to indicate this proably was a result of a realization that what he said and wrote was perhaps not always faithful to Jesus. No doubt because he was older he probably thought Jesus might make a "big time house call" sooner than later.
Perhaps Aquinas felt a little cognitive dissonance.
When one is young and brash, or perhaps a coward, sinning against the church is greater and more threatening than sinning against Christ.
The latter is not the case when your about to meet JESUS IN PERSON
Thank you, Mary, for bringing
Thank you, Mary, for bringing light to our world and helping us see! May you be enveloped in Light now.
She is enveloped, not in
She is enveloped, not in light, but in outer darkness, where she is busily gnashing her teeth. Her reward was obtained in her life; now, she will spend an eternity reaping what she sowed.
Sophistry only gets you so far.
Thank God for the wisdom,
Thank God for the wisdom, courage, and the intellectual stamina of Mary Daly. She laid the groundwork for many feminist theologians who followed. Hopefully, her legacy will give women the courage to continue the fight against patriarchy, especially in the Catholic Church, so that oppression of women will cease.
Mary Daly, receive your eternal reward as good and faithful servant.
A true Saint has gone from
A true Saint has gone from us. Thank you Blessed Mary for opening our minds.
Thank you for your life Mary
Thank you for your life Mary Daly. There is still so much to do.
(and thanks to Thomas Fox for the article)
in 2003, when Mary Hunt,
in 2003, when Mary Hunt, introduced me to Mary Daly's book, Beyond God the Father, I understood that word 'patriarchy' I instantly got interested in Feminism.
Thank you Mary, for your precious gift to the healing of the 'Women World' by your mystical and prophetic writting of 'Beyond God the Father' I pay respect to you by spreading the teachings of this book and your prophetic mysticism.
I am truly saddened that she
I am truly saddened that she didn't see more progress in women's equality before her death, but we are blessed that she offered her insights and confronted the status quo. She has been an inspiration and a mentor for all of time, in my faith and in my life.
"Laugh out loud," she urged,
"Laugh out loud," she urged, "at their pompous penile processions."
Don't worry, Mary. We do! And they're making it easier and easier for us as their silk and lace-laden trains get longer and longer!
Yes,yes. Cardinal Rode is the
Yes,yes. Cardinal Rode is the poster-cardinal for high-ranking clerical fashion. I can just see the long gowns of Cardinal Law as he traipses about his church and palace. Actually it isn't the devil who wears Prada but our Cardinals.
Thank you, Mary. You woke me
Thank you, Mary. You woke me up and freed me to think. We will carry on your work.
She was such a great thinker.
She was such a great thinker.
Mary Daly, if you are not now
Mary Daly, if you are not now with God yet; fret not for you will be shortly. He is making it comfortable for you. Have faith which I know you have. God Bless you and all your writing. Peace and Joy. Fred Farren
Without a doubt, Mary Daly is
Without a doubt, Mary Daly is the reason I decided to pursue my BA in Religious Studies and on to my masters in Theology. 'Beyond God the Father' is her first book I read. It was some many years ago at the age of 25 and it has been on since then.
I was deeply saddened by the
I was deeply saddened by the death of Mary Daly. She was just an amazingly powerful woman who never backed down. I think she saved more women from the curse of male domination than just about any feminist thinker of the 20th century. I loved her because she was 100% in favor of the power and brilliance of women. You knew you could trust her, and that she was not going to say something dreadful or sexist, the way every single male philosopher does. I found a certain irony in Boston College's obsession that she place men in her classes. She always offered a private tutorial to any man who wanted to study radical feminist philosophy. No men took her up on this offer, and yet men expect women to battle it out in the classes, dominated by male professors, and male classmates. Women get raped by men on college campuses, and they dominate discussions in classrooms.
The church no longer has power over women worldwide precisely because Dr. Daly (after all her doctorates people are still calling her Ms. geez). She went into those dusty halls of male learning, she read the texts, and she decoded the deep womanhatred that is the very foundation of all the world's religions. She is my heroine, and I will treasure her autographed books and the photo she posed with me in.
It saddens me that comments
It saddens me that comments like this can be found on a Catholic website:
"...and she decoded the deep womanhatred that is the very foundation of all the world's religions. She is my heroine, and I will treasure her autographed books..."
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Make your case that the
Make your case that the Catholic Church holds women in high esteem and is free from misogyny.
I've heard it all from the
I've heard it all from the Catholic leaders (all men) about the equality of women and men. They try to tell us that the church is not mysogynistic now and never has been. Talk about trying to rewrite history!! "Different roles but equal."
Ofcourse the female role is to be submissive to the all male leadership, not to mention submission in the marital relationship. If power is not shared there is not equality.
The fact that we have a prayer to the Blessed Mother does not in any way negate the facts!
"Women are the devils gateway." is my favorite example of a teaching from one of the great doctors of the catholic church. There are hundreds of quotes that are just as bad but I don't have time or the space to type them all out.
To deny that the Catholic Church has not historical been (and still is today) mysogynistic is total denial of the facts! Before defending this before please do your homework!!! Read the doctors of the church.
Hurrah for her life's great
Hurrah for her life's great work! May her spirit live on.
Blessed Be Mary Daly. You
Blessed Be Mary Daly. You had a profound impact on my life.
Mary, rest in the fullness of
Mary, rest in the fullness of peace and love!
"Beyond God the Father" which I read as a graduate student in theology in the 70s began to radicalize my thinking. May we never stop asking the radical questions and living out the consequences.
What a woman of God, of
What a woman of God, of vision, of courage, Just reading about her
expanded my mind and knowledge of God so controlled by often patriarchal
thought. I pray that God will raise up more women theologians will write and preach to encourage women religious to risk courageously being what God is calling them to be as well as challenging men to be open to the feminist vision of the church so that together we may have a prophetic church.
Wow-Heaven is getting an
Wow-Heaven is getting an education this week. Without Mary I wouldn't 'be' here! God-Ess bless us all, may her radical words live big in us forever.
Reading Mary Daly in college
Reading Mary Daly in college in the 1980s woke me up and inspired me to study religion and gender. Next week I will begin my seminar, "women, gender and sexuality" with Beyond God the Father. RIP, Prof. Daly.
Peace be with you, sweet
Peace be with you, sweet Mary. Your work opened this former-xtian, now atheist mind, too.
Even in death, no dignity or respect is shown for those who challenge male authority...highlighting the continued, essential need for radical feminism in our world and culture.
Those of us who's hearts beat with human compassion will weep, as we always do...both for the loss of a wonderful, powerful, intelligent woman who fought the ultimate fight, and the pathetic and disrespectful male cowardice that can only mock and deride her, even now.
Legions of women (and a sprinkling of men who haven't rotted from the inside out from hatred) remain to carry on your legacy, Mary! We will remember you and keep your wisdom with us, as we continue to fight for the freedom of all women.
Better 'bitter' and 'caustic' than submission to the filthy, disgusting horror of woman-hatred.
Walk a mile in our shoes, penis-bearers. See how it makes you feel to be on the receiving end of your own ugliness.
Radical feminists are womyn
Radical feminists are womyn of inner spiritual power who, inspired by the likes of Mary Daly, move freely in and out of the patriarchy dismantling and altering its core structure in order to free ourselves and humanity from an ancient grip. At Boston College Mary Daly taught us that a mind must be unshackled before it can be free. And Mary Daly taught us to never stop laughing, even when the patriarchy strikes back, which it does, leaving our martyr's to be loved and remembered. Peace in the arms of the Goddess Mary Daly.
I wonder if she was just
I wonder if she was just having a good laugh at everyone, being Irish? Her views are so outlandish; how could they be taken seriously? The right got incensed with her & the left offered her praise. But all the time she knew that she was just spouting nonsence. She probably had a good laugh at it all!