By Sr Henriette Anne
NAIROBI, MARCH 8, 2024 (CISA)- Rev Dr Marcel Uwineza SJ, the principal of Hekima University (HUC), in a luminous gathering at the opening of the African Women Theologian Conference, on the evening of March 7, 2024, extended a heartfelt welcome to scholars, theologians, and esteemed participants from across the globe and hailed the prophetic role that women play in healing society.
Averring that “Women Deliver,” he underscored the pivotal role of women in challenging gender stereotypes and contributing significantly to societal development. Drawing inspiration from Rwanda’s post-genocide reconciliation efforts, where women held key positions in institutions established to deal with the challenges of reconciliation in the aftermath of the genocide against the Tutsi.
“Women helped with the healing of memories. This reconciliation process strengthened their position in society and helped them break the ‘glass ceiling’ in many areas formerly occupied by males. Currently, Rwanda holds 60 percent of women in its parliament. It is not about numbers. Women deliver,” he said.
He highlighted the often-unheard voices of women theologians, noting that the goal of the conference “is to amplify the voices of African women in theological discourses and to prompt the well-deserved respectful listening of African women theologians by the Church and society.”
In his address, Dr Marcel gave a profound reflection on the “Journey of the Interior,” emphasizing the enduring flame that lights from within the self. He said HUC’s 40-year legacy stands as a testament to the commitment to offering holistic formation; spiritual, intellectual, and integral to women.
The conference, a manifestation of this commitment, serves as a testimony to the desire to carry the flame of knowledge and encounter to future generations.
“As HUC celebrates its 40th anniversary, we join the intellectual community alongside our ecclesial leaders to celebrate women theologians who continue to serve the Church and society. We continue to ask: who is missing at our “table”? We hope this international conference will be our Synodal testimony of how HUC joins the Universal Church and Pope Francis in the synod on Synodality,” he said.
Dr Marcel, a member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) eloquently articulated the distinctive nature of a Christian theologian-a disciple first, he said, shaped by a personal encounter with Jesus.
Theology, as he put it, “is not just a profession; it is a vocation, a calling to be with Christ.” The conference, therefore, is not merely an intellectual discourse but a gathering to transcend theoretical boundaries, guided by the experiences of encounter and transformation.
“We gather, therefore, to go beyond theorems, but to be nourished by the experiences of encounter and to be transformed by God who chose to come to us through a woman, the Blessed Virgin Mary. We gather on the eve of the International Women’s Day to celebrate our mothers, sisters, women of our lives, those living and those who have gone,” he noted.
The four-day conference will include a diverse group of women theologians and scholars who will delve into topics centred on various disciplines of Theology, Synodality, Canon Law, Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution, Mission, and Entrepreneurship.
