Out of the Depths: Women's Experience of Evil and Salvation

by Ivone Gebara

Whether understood as sin, as embracing all manner of suffering and injustice, or as the inexplicable human choice of evil over good, evil has historically been described and pondered chiefly through male categories understood as a universal viewpoint. Likewise salvation. Gebara here presents an alternative, feminist approach to evil and salvation. She allows women to voice their personal suffering from their own contexts, thereby manifesting their many differences. She then introduces a perspective on evil and salvation based in gender analysis to address specifically "the evil women do," the evil they suffer, and women's redemptive experiences of God and salvation.

Genres: Theology, Feminism, Religion, Research

224 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2002

About the author

Ivone Gebara (São Paulo, 1944) é uma freira católica, filósofa e teóloga feminista brasileira.

Reviews

[Ashley Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the past two years, I have found my theology torn wide open by the life experiences of myself and the people I love. This book is providing the seeds to create new theology, one that respects and listens to experience as authoritative and creates a pathway to the Divine when evil seems to live in our bones.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting view on sin, salvation, relatedness, resurrection, evil regarding women.

[wes Goertzen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gebara critiques hierarchy and/as patriarchy of the church. Her hermanuetic assumes that if it (whatever theological point) isn't relevant to her neighbor ladies in the favelas, then it is irrelevant, unhelpful or oppressive. I think she has a point but I wonder if we don't need another more creative/imaginative/energizing voice to read alongside her so we get both sides of prophecy (ala Brueggemann). She is good at deconstruction but I felt she didn't offer much direction, though this too is part of her method. She looks to the women, the poor, to provide the critique and the solutions (reminiscent of Paolo Friere and others)

By deconstructing structures she moves towards an ethic or view that doesn't hold up humanity so far above other creation. This consistency in her thought is remarkable and challenging and maybe a bit obvious (thou seeing we're blind to it). So ecology is important b/c oppression is oppression no matter what the sphere and, conveniently, destruction of the environment affects the poor first and most harshly. So even though her eco-theology could be a bit radical and abstract she takes it in a direction that is very pragmatic. I think this make it rather accessible and palatable (unless you own factories, farms, developments that participate in destruction.)

Of course, non of the above mentions the main thrust of the book. She's rethinking salvation and sin through the eyes of women. Its good. Her formulation of sin is a bit weak, I think as it rests mostly as something women experience and participate in. But I couldn't grip what she actually meant by sin. That said, her correction on the cross and male views of martyrdom and suffering is, intuitively at least, invaluable. I'm not sure yet what implications she will have in my thought and practice.

She was silenced by the Ratizinger (Vatican's Inquisitor under Pope John Paul II) back in the 90's which adds to her mystique I think.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate Gebara's work, especially as it remains important to continue the conversation about women's role in Christianity. She is as good in person as she is on the page. I had some reservations because it reinforces her earlier works and I would have appreciated more in depth discussion.