WOMEN TRAINING
IN PROTESTANT THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS:
A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF CONTEXTUAL CHALLENGES IN KERALA, INDIA
JESSY JAISON B B S., M Div., M Th.
Thesis for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph D)
The Faculty of Humanities (Institute of Theology)
The Queen’s University of Belfast
May 2008
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(iii) The work for the thesis is my own work and that, where material submitted by me for another degree or work undertaken by me as part of a research group has been incorporated into the thesis, the extent of the work thus incorporated has been clearly indicated.
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WOMEN TRAINING IN PROTESTANT THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF CONTEXTUAL CHALLENGES IN KERALA, INDIA.
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Name JESSY JAISON
Home Address:
NEW INDIA BIBLE SEMINARY,
PALLICKACHIRAKAVALA POST,
CHANGANACHERRY, KERALA
PIN CODE 686 537, INDIA
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ABSTRACT
While liberationist perspectives in feminism have galvanized much attention in theological education in the past 20-30 years around the world, Kerala, India stands as a ‘different case’ with its inherited cultural biases. Theological seminaries in Kerala default to an unhealthy hierarchical attitude and structure in spite of the influx of women in seminaries and the remarkable educational development of women in society at large. This study investigates the cultural and ecclesiastical challenges of women students and attempts to make a hermeneutical inquiry into the theological and cultural issues involved. Having incorporated the relevant methodological contributions of feminist scholarship, the research followed a practical theological approach based on a social scientific methodology in which diverse constituencies in seminaries provided the data.
The research identified hidden cultural and theological factors that reinforced the marginalisation of women and that resulted in most women students having only very low expectations. It demonstrated that seminaries in Kerala not only failed to be cohesive and cogent in corresponding to the experiences and aspirations of and limitations put upon women, but also lacked both a theological vision and the openness to see the decisive role of theology in advocating transformation. The study proposes a theological-cultural hermeneutical equilibrium as exemplified in the Scripture and grounded in practical theology. The transformational mission of seminaries, however, should be gradual rather than abrupt, in order to prevent chaos and a further alienation of the women constituency while at the same time facilitating sustainable organizational learning. Theological education should hence become a transformative discursive praxis that critically reviews the contextual struggles of students. Despite the geographical limitation of the research, this thesis will have an extensive utility in similar contexts in Asia and elsewhere not only to theological schools but also to course designers, accrediting agencies and policy makers.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I dedicate this thesis to the glory of God, the source of all wisdom.
My heartfelt thanks are also due to,
· Dr. Graham Cheesman, the Director of the Centre for Theological Education in Belfast Bible College (BBC) and my principal supervisor, for his exceptional sense of commitment as a theological educator and the sincere academic support extended to me all through the research.
· Dr. David Emmanuel Singh (Oxford Centre for Mission Studies), the external examiner of this thesis, for his professional analysis and commendation on this work.
· Dr. Myrtle Hill (School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work- Gender Studies, Queen’s University of Belfast (QUB), the internal examiner, for her proficient analysis of the methodology and recognition of the cross-disciplinary approach and contributions of this research.
· Professor Hugh Magennis, the Director of the Institute of Theology at QUB for his commendable support during all the major academic events related to this research and Ms. Kim Mahon, the Secretary for Theology for her selfless assistance in every formal procedure of the course.
· Dr. James McKeown (my second supervisor), Dr. David Shepherd (Principal, BBC), Dr. Robert Keay (the Senior Advisor of Studies for Theology at QUB) and all the academic and administrative staff in Belfast Bible College for their unreserved support for this research.
· Dr. Brian Marshall (Oxford Brookes University), Dr. Heather Morris (Edgehill College, Belfast), Dr. Karen Trew (School of Psychology, Queens University), Dr. Clifford Stevenson (Irish Studies, Queens University) for sharing their academic expertise at various stages of my research, especially for the empirical research design.
· Dr. V J Samkutty (All Nations Christian College), and Dr. Sharon Heron (my colleague and friend) for their academic reflections on my work.
· All my students in India, especially at the New India Bible Seminary, Kerala for inspiring me to learn more closely on people’s cultural struggles
· The Principals, Deans and students in all the sample institutions and the theologically trained women for their sincere cooperation in the gathering of empirical data.
· Dr. Siga Arles, the Director of Indian Institute of Missiology, for his invaluable suggestions.
· The library staff at- the Belfast Bible College and Queen’s University. In India- The United Theological College, South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, Gospel for Asia Biblical Seminary and Faith Theological Seminary.
· Belfast Bible College for funding my stay and research.
· The Ballee Baptist Church, Pastor Lawrence Kennedy and all my friends there.
· My parents and all my prayer partners without whose constant support, this research would not have been possible.
· Abraham and Aquil, whose love, fun and responsible lifestyle have been a great blessing to me all through these days of my hard work.
· Jaison, who has been my closest friend in my theological journey up to Ph D. I will never be able to thank him for being such a great source of encouragement to me in family and ministry.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
AETEI Association of Evangelical Theological Education in India
AFER African Ecclesial Review
ATESEA Association of Theological Education in South East Asia
ATS Association of Theological Schools
ATTWI Association of Theologically Trained Women in India
BD Bachelor of Divinity
BTE Board of Theological Education
BTE-SSC Board of Theological Education- The Senate of Serampore College
B Th Bachelor of Theology
CSWI Committee on the Status of Women in India
EATWOT Ecumenical Association of the Third World Theologians
EEAA European Evangelical Accrediting Association
ES Episcopal Seminaries
ICAA International Council of Accrediting Agencies
ICETE International Council of Evangelical Theological Education
ICSSR Indian Council of Social Science Research
INATE International Network in Advanced Theological Education
ISST Indian Institute of Social Studies
LMS London Missionary Society
M Th Master of Theology
NCCI National Council of Churches in India
NES Non-Episcopal Seminaries
RCWS Research Centre for Women’s Studies
SAIACS South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies
TAFTEE The Association of Theological Education by Extension
TBT Theological Book Trust
TE Theological Education
TEF Theological Education Fund
TTS Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary
UGC University Grants Commission
UK United Kingdom
UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization
US United States
UTC United Theological College
WCC World Council of Churches
WEA World Evangelical Alliance
WHO World Health Organization
WIA Women India Association
WOCATI World Conference of Associations of Theological Institutions
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1- Men-Women Distribution in Sample Institutions 2005-’06 139
Table 2- Responses on Acceptance of Women Students in Training 141 Table 3- Responses of Seminary Leadership on Church’s Lethargy
towards Women’s Ministry 142
Table 4- Responses of Leaders on Factors Affecting Full Acceptance
of Women in Training 143
Table 5- Responses Supporting the Secondary Status of Women
in Theological Education 145
Table 6- Responses Regarding Marriage, Family and Safety concerns 146
Table 7- Men’s Views on the Possible Ministries of Women 152
Table 8- Men’s Assessment of the Current Status of Women in Seminaries 153
Table 9- Men Students’ Definitions of a Virtuous Woman 154
Table 10- Factors Motivating Women to Join Theological Education
According to Men Students 155
Table 11- Men Students’ Views on the Attitudes and Practices of the Church 156
Table 12- Men Students’ Views of the Practice of Seminaries 157
Table 13- Men Students’ Views on Women Students 159
Table 14- Criticisms by Men Students at the Attitudes and Practices of Parents 161
Table 15-Men Students’ Views on Cultural Attitudes towards Women 162
Table 16- Men Students’ Personal Views on the Role of Women 164
Table 17-Women’s Ministries as Perceived by Women 167
Table 18-Women Students’ Comments on Seminary Education 168
Table 19- Women Students’ Comments on Seminary 169
Table 20- Women Students’ Comments on Church’s Attitude 175
Table 21- Culture Related Responses by Women Students 177
Table 22- Personal Concerns of Women Students 180
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1-Seminary Leaders’ Views on Married Female Students in Training 149
Figure 2-Seminary Leaders’ Views on Unmarried Female Students in Training 150
Figure 3-Suggestions by Men Students to Better the Status of Women 165
Figure 4-Women Students’ Suggestions to Seminaries to Improve their Status in Training 182
Figure 5-Cultural Situation: Three-fold Process 238
CONTENTS
Page No.
Title Page i
Declaration Page ii
Library Form iii
Abstract iv
Acknowledgements v
List of Abbreviations vii
List of Tables ix
List of Figures x
Contents xi
INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER 1: Women in Theological Seminaries – A Literature Review
Raising Prospects and Concerns 4
1.1 Foundational Textual Resources 5
1.2 Influx of Women into Seminaries 6
1.3 Theological Education for Women in the US and the Firsthand Challenges 9
1.3.1 A Broader Concept of Ministry 10
1.3.2 A Plea for Equality 10
1.3.3 Higher Positions of Power 12
1.4 Student Orientation in Accrediting Policies 13
1.4.1Outcome Oriented Educational Strategy of ATS 13
1.4.2 Shulman’s Taxonomy in Educational Assessment 15
1.4.3 International Council for Evangelical Theological Education 16
1.4.4 Learner-Oriented Theological Education: EEAA 18
1.4.5 EEAA’s Use of Dublin Descriptors in Educational Designing 20
1.5 Major Debates Relating to Women’s Theological Education 20 1.5.1 Hierarchical Structures 21 1.5.2 Traditional Concept of Teaching and Teacher 24 1.5.3 Criticism of Inclination to the University Model 26 1.5.4 Criticism of the Use of Sexist Language 29
1.5.5 Consciousness-Raising at Male Stream Epistemology 30 1.5.6 Segregation of Women 32
1.5.7 Divorce of Theory and Practice 34 1.5.8 Neglect of Experiential Learning 35
1.6 Women’s Major Struggles in Theological Education 38
1.6.1 Structural Issues 38
1.6.2 Discriminatory Issues 39
1.6.3 Vocational Issues 40
CHAPTER 2: Contextual Distinctiveness -Women’s Education and
Theological Education in India 42
2.1 Women in India 42
2.2 Women’s Movements in India 45
2.2.1 Committee on the Status of Women in India 48
2.3 Indian Educational Setting for Women 49 2.3.1 Sharp Distinctions 49 2.3.2 Towards Emancipation through Women’s Studies 51
2.3.3 Challenge of Contextual Orientation 53
2.4 Women’s Concerns in Theological Education 54 2.4.1 Downgraded Mission Involvement, Private Learning of the Bible 55 2.4.2 Women in Seminaries and Women’s Studies Programmes 57
2.4.3 Awareness of Marginalization of Women 59
2.4.4 Churches’ Attitude towards Women 61
2.4.5 Attitudinal and Practical Base of Denigration 62
2.4.6 Women’s Concerns in the Context of Theological Education 64 2.5 The Status Mystique of Women in Kerala 66
2.5.1 High Profile but in Flux 69
2.6 Observations Connecting Background Literature to Empirical Data Theory 72
CHAPTER 3: Christian Feminism, Cultural Hermeneutic and the Bible 77
3.1 Christian Feminist Thinking 77
3.2 Feminist Contribution to Contextualization and Biblical Hermeneutics 84
3.3 Impact of Culture on the Biblical Interpretation of the Ministry of Women 85
3.3.1 Cultural Embedding in Scripture as and when it was written 86
3.3.2 Cultural Embedding of the Readers of the Scripture 87
3.3.3 Culture in which the Conclusions are applied 89
3.4 Women in the Bible- A Distinctive View 91 3.4.1 The Old Testament and Women 91 3.4.2 Jesus’ Approach to Women 93 3.4.3 No Woman among the Twelve 95 3.4.4 Apostle Paul’s Attitude towards Women 96
3.4.5 Central Issues of Authority and Submission 99
3.5 Summary Observations 101
CHAPTER 4: Contextual Challenges of Women in Theological Education
in Kerala: Methodology and Conduct of Research 105 4.1 Qualitative Inductive Approach- A Practical Theology Focus 105
4.2 Influence of Feminist Scholarship on the Research 108
4.3 Feminist Epistemologies 110
4.3.1 Empiricist Epistemology 111
4.3.2 Standpoint Epistemology 112
4.3.3 Post-Modernist Epistemology 114
4.4 The Interpretive, Critical Social Science Approach 116
4.5 Limitations of the Study 121
4.5.1 The Contextual Limitation-Kerala 121
4.5.2 Seminaries 122
4.5.3 Women Students 122
4.6 Sources and Tools of Data Generation 123
4.6.1 Personal Interviews 123
4.6.2 Focus Groups 124
4.7 Sampling Pattern and Selection of Institutions 124
4.7.1 Non-Probability-Purposive Technique in Sampling 124
4.7.2 Sample Institutions 126
4.8 Data Gathering and Processing 126
4.8.1 Description of Sample Seminaries 127
4.8.2 Data Generation Tool-1 129
4.8.3 Data Generation Tool-2 130
4.9 Sampling and the Question of Bias 131
4.9.1 Analytical Induction 131
4.9.2 Combination of Methods 132
4.9.3 Triangulation of Methods and Cross Checking 134
4.9.4 Reliability and Validity 135
4.10 Data Analysis Method 136
4.10.1 Data Description and Interpretation 136
4.11 Summary 137
CHAPTER 5: Scenario of Women’s Theological Training in Kerala:
Presentation, Analysis and Findings of the Data 139