Miranda N Pillay
Currently, I am Extraordinary Professor at the Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice, University of the Western Cape (UWC). I continue my works as a theo-ethical feminist biblical scholar who investigates the social ramification of particular oppressive readings and understandings of the Christian Bible, and the influence such readings have on the shaping and justification of racist, classist and sexist views and practices in systems of politics, culture, healthcare economics, etc. With insights gained from Feminist Biblical Hermeneutics, Socio-rhetorical Interpretation, Womanist Ethics, and the Circle of Concerned African Woman Theologians, my writings, advocacy and activism focus primarily on identifying the dynamics between skewed gender power-relations in ancient biblical texts and contemporary context. In this regard the main foci of my research, publications, teaching and community engagement are to read biblical texts including “texts of terror”, so often used to justify heteronormative male privilege, status and position as “God-ordained”. The connections between such readings and gender-based violence (GBV) as the lived-reality in many families, faith communities and society at large are explored, by uncovering the patriarchal embeddedness of biblical texts as well as the pervasive, systemic, often obscured, palatable patriarchy and paternalism operative in contemporary contexts, before embarking on re-reading biblical texts with the aim of exploring their liberative potential for the promotion of just social relationships that could promote the flourishing of all and be life-giving to all creation.
A lay leader in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, I advocate for gender justice in the church at Provincial, Diocesan and Parish levels where the “holy-hierarchy” of patriarchy continues to be pervasive in its structures, language, rituals, Canons and Constitutions, liturgies. (See for example, https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/5820; https://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol38/iss1/10/
I write and facilitate ecumenical Bible Studies with a specific focus on contemporary societal challenges such as gender-based violence, sexism and homophobia and their complexities and intersectionality. (See https://www.stoswalds.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-FINAL-Pause-Pray-Pledge-Daily-Programme-for-16-Days-of-Activism-nov2019.pdf; https://mirandapillay.co.za/uniteinactivismpillay2020.pdf)
A lay leader in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, I advocate for gender justice in the church at Provincial, Diocesan and Parish levels where the “holy-hierarchy” of patriarchy continues to be pervasive in its structures, language, rituals, Canons and Constitutions, liturgies. (See for example, https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/5820; https://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol38/iss1/10/
I write and facilitate ecumenical Bible Studies with a specific focus on contemporary societal challenges such as gender-based violence, sexism and homophobia and their complexities and intersectionality. (See https://www.stoswalds.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-FINAL-Pause-Pray-Pledge-Daily-Programme-for-16-Days-of-Activism-nov2019.pdf; https://mirandapillay.co.za/uniteinactivismpillay2020.pdf)
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Papers by Miranda N Pillay
characterized as “exceptional”. As already pointed out by some feminist
scholars, exceptionalism discourse valorizes women’s achievements to the benefit of institutions and their patriarchal culture. While such valorization might enhance gender representation in spaces previously reserved for men, it also commodifies women’s capabilities. This, I argue, calls for resisting the subtle, less visible, often unintentional, and sometimes patronizing forms of discrimination that sustain the patriarchal culture of institutions such as “the church”. Many feminist theologians have repeatedly named “the cultural-political power at work in our world as patriarchy”. Questions about the relationship between patriarchal institutional culture and the legitimate presence of women leaders are central to the argument presented here.
“Pillay reads against the grain to interrogate how Revelation serves to sanctify many hierarchies of power. In a postapartheid setting in South Africa, she argues that gender hierarchies are cast as a “God-ordained” necessity “for order, favour, and benevolence in a time of chaos, crisis, and despair.” Thus, she is critical of the holy halos accorded to patriarchy in times of crisis. Although apartheid is long gone and women seem to have access to various leadership positions in secular as well as religious institutions, Pillay laments that these women ultimately remain trapped within existing patriarchal structures. Indeed, she decries the “triumph of patriarchy” and calls to account for any complicity and guilt in it. This reading from the margins not only reads against the grain but reflects on how peoples and groups turn to Revelation to legitimate their hold and claims to power (Roberto Mata: excerpt from ‘Engagement Section’, p 494).
characterized as “exceptional”. As already pointed out by some feminist
scholars, exceptionalism discourse valorizes women’s achievements to the benefit of institutions and their patriarchal culture. While such valorization might enhance gender representation in spaces previously reserved for men, it also commodifies women’s capabilities. This, I argue, calls for resisting the subtle, less visible, often unintentional, and sometimes patronizing forms of discrimination that sustain the patriarchal culture of institutions such as “the church”. Many feminist theologians have repeatedly named “the cultural-political power at work in our world as patriarchy”. Questions about the relationship between patriarchal institutional culture and the legitimate presence of women leaders are central to the argument presented here.
“Pillay reads against the grain to interrogate how Revelation serves to sanctify many hierarchies of power. In a postapartheid setting in South Africa, she argues that gender hierarchies are cast as a “God-ordained” necessity “for order, favour, and benevolence in a time of chaos, crisis, and despair.” Thus, she is critical of the holy halos accorded to patriarchy in times of crisis. Although apartheid is long gone and women seem to have access to various leadership positions in secular as well as religious institutions, Pillay laments that these women ultimately remain trapped within existing patriarchal structures. Indeed, she decries the “triumph of patriarchy” and calls to account for any complicity and guilt in it. This reading from the margins not only reads against the grain but reflects on how peoples and groups turn to Revelation to legitimate their hold and claims to power (Roberto Mata: excerpt from ‘Engagement Section’, p 494).