Women theologizing: the Kenyan case

The preaching and theologizing of ideas of justice, equality, freedom and grace in the Catholic Institutional Church has been caught up in systematic behavioural patterns, which have developed around the concept of women being subordinate. This is clearly seen in the church's ideology on women and the apparatus used to perpetuate this ideology. This research paper will try to analyse the root of women's subordinate position in the church and how the Bible has been translated to suit the patriarchal, hierarchal and rigid state of the Catholic Institutional Church. Yomen in the church are acknowledged as the backbone and are central to the upkeep of the church in Africa. But they are always behind the scenes or left out. Yomen theologizing is a move of women in the church working to reject all patriarchal crusts, that have denied women's full participation in the church. Y.I.N.D.O.Y. (Yomen in National Development of Yomen) a training programme for women leaders in Kenya, is one example of women trying to theologize. This paper focusses on the question: to what extent has Y.I.N.D.O.Y. empowered women to look critically at their situation and take critical actions?