MYTH, MIMESIS AND MULTIPLE IDENTITIES: FEMINIST TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMING THEOLOGY

Abstract

Mythical configurations of a personal deity and a dominant sexual identity are part of our western history. In particular, the religious myths of patriarchy have privileged a male God and devalued female desire - and, with her desire, sexual difference. There can be no facile way beyond these myths. Instead the proposal here is for feminist theologians to attempt new configurations of old myths and disruptive refigurations, i.e. transformative mimesis, of biased beliefs. Myth and mimesis can enable expression of multiple identities. Only identities-in-process preserve the possibility for a peaceful revolution of our desires and our differences, religious and sexual.