The secret of JFSR.(Special Section: JFSR TWENTIETH-ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION)

The "Teaching for Change" conference was an outstanding event, one of the most interesting conferences I have ever attended, and as many of the women attending put it--a historical moment. Superbly moderated by Mary Hunt and made inspiring by a variety of experts from all continents with very different contributions, these days obtained a special meaning in my life. What was the secret behind this conference?

Consciousness-raising, theoretical reflections, and application of theory to practice were cleverly linked with one another. This was a feminist meeting similar to those held in the beginnings of the feminist movement, when we exchanged our individual experiences in order to achieve a theory that was relevant for practice. Conference participants did not deny that there have been differences in the past decades, but they handled matters constructively by pointing out uniting factors, searching for common strategies, and teaching concepts to overcome the difficulties. This conference affirmed and encouraged my feeling that what I do for feminist theology at my university in Germany belongs to a greater context and contributes to a changing and more just world.

Indeed, the …