Women, faith, and culture : empowering through inculturation theology

Longgeita Pinem, Milda (author), Martasudjita, Emanuel Pranawa Dhatu (author), Simarmata, Petrus (author)

This article explores the critical role of inculturation theology in advancing women’s empowerment within various cultural and religious frameworks, with a focus on achieving gender equality and breaking down the barriers erected by patriarchal and misogynistic norms. A thorough review of the literature traces the development of inculturation theology within Christianity, highlighting its flexibility and applicability across different cultures, as demonstrated by case studies in Zambia and the Philippines. It addresses the persistent challenges women encounter due to deep rooted social conventions, and shows how the fusion of Christian principles with cultural traditions serves as a powerful means for confronting these challenges. This article underscores the theology’s potential to drive societal transformation, champion gender equality, and amplify women’s presence in both religious and wider societal spheres. It stresses the importance of the continued application of inculturation theology to create fairer and more inclusive spaces for women worldwide, calling for further research and application in this field.

• Language: English
• Keywords: inculturation theology, Christianity, women, empowerment, culture, marginalization
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 29.12.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 1015-1028
• Numbering: Letn. 85, [št.] 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177687
• UDC: 2:316.736-055.2
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: 10.34291/BV2025/04/Pinem
• COBISS.SI-ID: 263187715
• Publication date in RUL: 31.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik : glasilo Teološke fakultete v Ljubljani
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Teološka fakulteta
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Ženske, vera in kultura : krepitev moči skozi inkulturacijsko teologijo

Abstract

Prispevek raziskuje ključno vlogo inkulturacijske teologije pri spodbujanju krepitve vloge žensk v različnih kulturnih in verskih okvirih, s poudarkom na doseganju enakopravnosti spolov in odpravljanju ovir, ki jih postavljajo patriarhalne in mizoginistične norme. Podroben pregled literature sledi razvoju inkulturacijske teologije v krščanstvu in poudarja njeno prožnost ter uporabnost v različnih kulturah, kakor kažejo študije primerov v Zambiji in na Filipinih. Prispevek obravnava pereče izzive, s katerimi se ženske soočajo zaradi globoko zakoreninjenih družbenih norm, in prikazuje, kako združevanje krščanskih načel s kulturnimi tradicijami lahko služi kot močno sredstvo za soočanje s temi izzivi. Prispevek poudarja potencial teologije za spodbujanje družbene preobrazbe, zagovarjanje enakopravnosti spolov in povečanje prisotnosti žensk v verskih in širših družbenih krogih. Poudarja tudi pomen nadaljnje uporabe teologije inkulturacije za ustvarjanje pravičnejših in vključujočih prostorov za ženske po vsem svetu ter poziva k nadaljnjim raziskavam in njihovi uporabi na tem področju.

• Keywords: teologija inkulturacije, krščanstvo, ženske, krepitev vloge, kultura, marginalizacija