Theology can become quite futile if it does not emerge from the day-to-day lives of the people. Theology, on its part, has to be answerable to the church and society and fulfill its noble mission of contributing towards the transformation of the present order of the church and society. This book ultimately has this aim. By identifying the ideological underpinnings that emerge from the perceptions of women, this book indicates possible future directions in the area of theology. The uniqueness of this book lies in its contextual focus and the day-to-day lived experiences of women with their bodies. It is the first of its kind in making a scientific study on the socio-cultural perceptions of women with regard to their bodies in the context of India. The special contribution of this book is in bringing to the fore the elements of agency which women exercise in their everyday lives in spite of their oppressive situations. The unconventional women of this book become possible role models for women who are voiceless, helpless, and victimized to grow in assertion and affirmation of their bodies and identities. This book will facilitate women to deconstruct the age-old oppressive perceptions and construct their identity as women in relation to their bodies and to take hold of their bodies amidst dehumanization. The book will also facilitate a critical look at the present understanding of body in Christian theology and provide future directions for the reformulation of the Theology of Body and Sexuality.

Theology can become quite futile if it does not emerge from the day-to-day lives of the people. Theology, on its part, has to be answerable to the church and society and fulfill its noble mission of contributing towards the transformation of the present order of the church and society. This book ultimately has this aim. By identifying the ideological underpinnings that emerge from the perceptions of women, this book indicates possible future directions in the area of theology. The uniqueness of this book lies in its contextual focus and the day-to-day lived experiences of women with their bodies. It is the first of its kind in making a scientific study on the socio-cultural perceptions of women with regard to their bodies in the context of India. The special contribution of this book is in bringing to the fore the elements of agency which women exercise in their everyday lives in spite of their oppressive situations. The unconventional women of this book become possible role models for women who are voiceless, helpless, and victimized to grow in assertion and affirmation of their bodies and identities. This book will facilitate women to deconstruct the age-old oppressive perceptions and construct their identity as women in relation to their bodies and to take hold of their bodies amidst dehumanization. The book will also facilitate a critical look at the present understanding of body in Christian theology and provide future directions for the reformulation of the Theology of Body and Sexuality.

"In the 2004 Madeleva Lecture, Mary Ann Hinsdale uses the lens of her own life experience to tell the story of how visionary and prophetic women set in motion the important institutional structures that have allowed women to shape Catholic theology in North America over the past fifty years. She pays particular attention to issues and problems facing women theologians in the Catholic Church today, such as the implications of the changing demographics of women theologians; women's impact on the "theological establishment"; the reception of feminism and feminist theology by the hierarchy; and the unmet intercultural challenges posed by those "on the margins," as well as women theologians' response to them. Coming at the beginning of a new papacy, Hinsdale's compelling narrative is especially timely for a consideration of the future of women in the Catholic Church."--BOOK JACKET.

Named by the International Bulletin of Missionary Studies as an Outstanding Book of 2014 for Mission Studies Despite the ongoing global expansion of Christianity, there remains a lack of comprehensive scholarship on its development in Asia. This volume fills the gap by exploring the world of Asian Christianity and its manifold expressions, including worship, theology, spirituality, inter-religious relations, interventions in society, and mission. The contributors, from over twenty countries, deconstruct many of the widespread misconceptions and interpretations of Christianity in Asia. They analyze how the growth of Christian beliefs throughout the continent is linked with the socio-political and cultural processes of colonization, decolonization, modernization, democratization, identity construction of social groups, and various social movements. With a particular focus on inter-religious encounters and emerging theological and spiritual paradigms, the volume provides alternative frames for understanding the phenomenon of conversion and studies how the scriptures of other religious traditions are used in the practice of Christianity within Asia.