Roman Catholic feminist scholar to deliver Zerby Lecture

Rosemary Radforth Reuther, acclaimed Roman Catholic feminist scholar of religion, will discuss Are Gaia and God on Speaking Terms? Feminism, Ecology and Religion at 7 p.m. Monday, March 26, in Chase Hall Lounge, 56 Campus Ave. The public is invited to attend the 2000-01 Zerby Lecture in Contemporary and Religious Thought free of charge.

The Georgia Harkness Professor at Garrett Theological Seminary and a member of the graduate faculty of religion at Northwestern University since 1976, Reuther also began the first year of a half-time appointment to the faculty of the Graduate Theological Union at the University of California, Berkeley, in September 2000.

Reuther’s scholarly focus includes history, ecology and culture. Her scholarship and reputation as a gifted teacher have received as much acclaim. A Roman Catholic known for her progressive and inclusive theology, Reuther has lectured throughout the world at more than 900 universities and theological or church conventions during her academic career that spans more than three decades.

Reuther serves as a regular columnist for the independent weekly National Catholic Reporter and as a contributing editor to Conscience: The Journal of Catholics for a Free Choice, Women of Power, Sojourners, The Egg: Ecojustice Quarterly and Cross Current: Journal of Religion and Intellectual Life.

In addition to the hundreds of articles she has published in encyclopedias, anthologies and scholarly as well as popular journals, Reuther has written or edited more than 30 books, including Gaia and God: An Ecofeminist Theology of Earth Healing, Women Healing Earth: Third World Women in Feminism, Religion and Ecology, In Our Own Voices: Four Centuries of American Women’s Religious Writings, Women and Redemption: A Theological History, Reimagining Families: Work, Home and Gender in Christian History and the groundbreaking classic of feminist systematic theology, Sexism and God-Talk: Toward a Feminist Theology.

In addition to pursuing her research and teaching, Reuther serves on the boards of Catholics for a Free Choice, the Grail Institute for Feminism and Religion, the International Network on Religion and Animals, the Chicago Center for Peace Studies and the Centre Oecumenique des Liaisons Internationales. In recognition of her scholarly accomplishments and contributions, she has received numerous honors and awards, including being named U.S. Catholic of the Year in 1983 by U.S. Catholic Magazine, the service award of the progressive Catholic organization Call to Action. Reuther received a doctorate in ancient history from the Claremont Graduate School.

The annual lecture honors the late Rayborn L. Zerby of Lewiston, professor emeritus of religion and dean of the faculty at Bates. Each year, the program brings to campus leading commentators on contemporary religious thought. Previous Zerby lecturers have included Holocaust chronicler Elie Wiesel and the Rev. Peter Gomes ’65, minister of Memorial Church at Harvard University.