Ivone gebara biography of abraham

Writing in a low-key, almost conversational style, Ivone Gebara, a Brazilian Sister of Our Lady, challenges what she calls “the traditional monotheism and anthropocentrism that have characterized and structured Christian tradition.” The underlying philosophical theories, borrowed from the Greeks, have always had a human-centered and male-centered bias, and simple justice requires that we undo the resulting harm.

The male-centeredness has resulted in creating a culture in which “masculine” qualities are exalted to the downgrading of other qualities.

Even the formulations of Christian beliefs have been affected. “This means accepting the fact that none of these concepts is more than a perspective, a tentative point of view adopted in order to deal with everyday life and with the broader sweep of history.” The words are deceptively gentle, but Gebara’s message is clear.

Every Christian formulation of be