“Prophetic offering”: Catholic Sister in Review of Newly Launched Book at Conference of African Women Theologians

Nairobi, 05 September, 2025 / 10:13 PM

The new book, “African Women Theologians & Synodality,” unveiled at the September 2-6 African Women Theologians Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, is a prophetic call for the Catholic Church on the continent to embrace inclusivity and justice.

In her review of the book that lends itself to the  Synod on Synodality, Sr. Mumbi Kigutha who is Director at Watawa wa Taa (Consecrated Women of Light) said the book asserts the place of women in Church and society.

“This book blends theological concepts with African cultural wisdom and offers a prophetic offering of both critiques and hope,” the Kenyan member of the Sisters of the Precious Blood (CPPS) said on the second day of the conference held at Hekima University College (HUC).

She added, “Synodality cannot be realized without gender inclusivity. African women's theological voices are indispensable for the church's renewal.”

“The church must move from token inclusion to authentic shared leadership. African cultural models of dialogue, listening, and consensus can enrich global Catholicism,” she said in her address on Wednesday, September 3 at the event that HUC convened in collaboration with Watawa wa Taa.

The CPPS member, who also serves as President of Friends in Solidarity (FiS) highlighted some of the themes and ideas in the book, including women’s voices in theology, patriarchy and exclusion, cultural and spiritual integration, as well as hope and transformation.

The book, which brings together contributions of several African women theologians, is also “grounded in the lived experiences of the contributors” and draws heavily from the fruits of the First Women Theologians Conference that was held in March 2024 on the theme, “Celebrating decades of women’s theological empowerment”, according to Sr. Mumbi.

The authors include Sr. Jacinta Auma Opondo, Sr. Josee Ngalula, Dr. Lisa Cahill, Prof. Mary Getui, and Prof. Shawn Copeland.

Sr. Opondo authored the first chapter published under the title, “Hekima University College and the Call for a Theological and Synodal Empowerment of Women.” In this chapter, the Kenyan member of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Anne (FSSA) who serves as Deputy Principal of Academics at HUC explains the need for African women's voices in “reimagining church structures.”

Sr. Opondo highlights other contributors’ quest to “critique, reinterpret and propose new pathways for inclusion” in the book.

In chapter two of the book, Sr. Ngalula focused on the “biblical and theological roots of Synodality,” emphasizing “community, listening and shared responsibility,” under the title “Working Together as a Listening Church.”

The Congolese member of the Religious of Saint Andrews, who was one of the delegates representing the Church in Africa at the multi-year Synod on Synodality “critiques a patriarchal interpretation of theology that excludes women”, calling for a feminist and African-centered interpretation and application of Synodality.

Dr. Cahill of Boston College contributed to chapter three, which deals with African Women's Theology, Appreciation, and Dialogue.

“This affirmation of the significant contributions of African women theologians draws on African traditions like Ubuntu, consensus building, storytelling, and communal rituals, showing how African culture offers models of inclusivity and participation often missing in hierarchical church systems,” Sr. Mumbi said.

According to Sr. Mumbi. Dr. Cahill highlights explicitly women's roles in traditional African spirituality as parallel theological resources.

Prof. Getui, a lecturer at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), wrote Chapter 5 of the book, which calls for “equal participation of women at all levels of church life.”

Professor Getui, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, on the title “Speak, Listen and Speak Again,” emphasizes the need for the people of God to learn from the “African women's communal wisdom and prophetic critique,” calling for “transformative Synodality rooted in justice, inclusivity and dialogue.”

Other sections of the book are a reflection on Synodality from a decolonial and political perspective.

Authors draw from testimonies of African women theologians to critique marginalization, gender-based violence, and the lack of spaces for women to make decisions.

In an interview with ACI Africa on the sidelines of the book launch, Sr. Opondo described the September 2-6 conference of African women theologians as timely and necessary.

“When Pope Francis announced Synod on Synodality, it was well received among some of the women, and we realized that this is something that is going to make the mission of the Church very effective, because we always want to collaborate in this mission, but we experience certain challenges,” Sr. Opondo said.

She added, “We realized that when we come together and share our stories through this kind of conference, we will encourage those who can actually give great service to the Church, but fear coming up and rendering their services.”

She lauded the multi-year initiative that the late Pope Francis extended to 2024 and expressed hope that the fruits of the Synod would inspire the spirit of inclusion and walking together in Church.

“We have to work together,” the Kenyan FSSA member told ACI Africa, and added, “One way of working together is to come to a forum like this.”

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