Professor Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza,

Monday evening, 28th August, 1995, we find ourselves on Campus at the Australian Catholic University, McAuley Campus, Brisbane. Two of us, from Despatch, are attending a lecture by ELISABETH SCHUSSLER FIORENZA, a leading international feminist theologian, a PRO-ABORTIONIST, which has been sponsored by Churches Together in Solidarity With Women, “WITH WOMEN” in short, World Council of Churches, National Council of Churches.
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The university’s gates and yards are being picketed by Right to Life activists, when we arrive, probably Imagesly Catholics. They are holding aloft large, horrifying pictures of aborted babes, in dramatically bright colours, handing out leaflets which denounce Fiorenza and abortion. They hold placards which state that Fiorenza is desecrating Catholic property! Another group of picketers stand in a crowded courtyard outside the lecture auditorium, along with more abortion picture holders, we all shuffle around them, the “With Women” “ladies” avert their eyes piously. The second protest group holds placards denouncing the goddess worship and neo-pagan activities of “With Women” and Co. people smile smugly and politely ignore these dissenters.
 

THE ARCHBISHOP AND THE GOVERNOR.

The auditorium is packed beyond capacity, (they have set up closed circuit tele. in an adjacent facility). There is a thrill through the crowd, the Governor of Queensland, Leneen Forde, and her minders, are already seated down near the front. They are joined by the Anglican Archbishop, Peter Hollingworth and his wife. Hollingworth is a patron of “With Women”, so is the Catholic Archbishop. Hollingworth was at the BISHOP JOHN SELBY SPONG lecture, June 1994, we remember, in the same venue. Spong spoke then on “Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalists.” Hollingworth seemed to me to be delighted by that lecture, Will he agree with this one, we wonder? The answer is a foregone conclusion really.

Is this Feminist Theologian speaking around the globe because of the Beijing Conference and a Global Focus on Women?
To quote the Catholic Leader, 30-7-95:

"...One of her [Fiorenza] most recent achievements was to bring together the voices of women from
diverse backgrounds from around the globe into a two-volume work titled `Searching the Scriptures', Dr. Wainwright said. She [Wainwright] said it was a significant contribution to this year of the Beijing Conference and a global focus on women..."

.......Membership in W.O.C., the Women’s Ordination Committee, and the pro-abortion group,
..........“Catholic Committee on Pluralism and Abortion”.
.......She has ties with witchcraft and neo-pagan organizations, and was featured on a video tape, titled,
“Women, Ritual and Religion”. This tape was shown at the 1985 annual Women and Spirituality Conference at Mankato University, Minnesota. The discussions included topics like neo-pagan rituals and magic, the only original sin is sexism, Jesus was mentioned as only a symbol “some may want to retain”, the rejection of the Father in Heaven, the God who is transcendent, in favor of the pantheistic “goddess within everyone” and GAIA, the pantheistic, impersonal EARTH GODDESS.
.......Her stated belief is that Biblical interpretation is a political act. She considers that GNOSTIC writings, so beloved in the New Age, are more reliable than the “patriarchial” Scriptures.
.......She denies that the Holy Bible is the Word of God because it is “patriarchial”, “discriminatory racially” and “exclusive”. Scripture must be “improved” with “feminist reconstruction”. Her criticism of the Bible includes denouncement of Peter, Paul and even Jesus Christ for being “sexist”. She has openly criticises other feminists
for not condemning “the repression of the cult of the goddess”.
.......She has membership in the recruiting committee for the pro-abortion group, “Catholics for a Free Choice” (C.F.F.C.) which believes it is free to choose to kill the unborn. This group is essentially a lobby arm of the abortion movement and is funded by sex industry trade groups (such as the Playboy Foundation) and advocates of POPULATION LIMITATION. (Acknowledgement is given to the info. source, “Pro-Life Catholics.”)

(See end of article for more on the Fiorenza history...and latest Stop Press)

FIORENZA SPEAKS.
We sit with the rest as the international feminist speaks in that auditorium. I watch the Archbishop and the Governor periodically, Hollingworth is on the edge of his seat, in what seems to be complete agreement. The Governor, it appears, is equally not in opposition. She smiles, paying strict attention.

THE CONTENT OF THE LECTURE.
This is the third Australian centre where Fiorenza has spoken on this tour. The ECUMENICAL COMMITTEE has sponsored her visit to Brisbane she says. In Melbourne she was welcomed by the Catholic Aboriginals. Fiorenza begins by making a few amused remarks about the picketers and their placards. There seems no embarrassment about the ghastly forest of aborted children’s photographs which we all had to struggle through to get in. She says the last time she was picketed was at a Protestant Uni, where she was denounced for desecrating the Bible. Roars of laughter from an amused audience follow. We feel deep shame at having to be with these people at all. There are many men in the audience, and many women who appear to be extremely masculine. Is“With Women” is pro-lesbian as well? No more comment!

She speaks as though she is a Christian, a Bible scholar, a reputable theologian, a dignified academic. The audience treats her with deep respect. The content of the lecture, delivered with a German, American accent in words a yard long, is anti-fundamental Christian; anti-patriarchial; anti-Scriptural; anti-capitalist and disgustingly insulting to the Lord Jesus Christ! She shows she is a GLOBALIST, a NEW AGE ACTIVIST. She uses many New Age buzz words.

Her lecture is socialistic, she regards the Bible as a potential tool to help bring about the redistribution of the world’s goods. The “privatization” of the Scriptures she sees as reprehensible. In other words, it is not the work of scripture to bring personal blessing to individuals, or to bring personal salvation, in her understanding. The Global interpretation of the Bible should bring POLITICAL and SOCIAL CHANGE. She keeps on and on blasting the fundamental Christians, almost as though we were the enemies of the whole planet. She accuses us of denying RIGHTS. She declares we are against free speech, women’s rights, homosexual and lesbian rights, the sharing of power, multi-religious rights, the rights of the marginalised, the rights women have over their own bodies, the rights of black people, we are anti-semitic, against the changes in the “Global Village” - the list was long, too long to take down. FUNDAMENTALS HAVE ENTERED A GLOBAL VACUUM, says Fiorenza.

The feminist theologian continues, warming to her global theme. She speaks often of the “GLOBAL VILLAGE.” The Bible is an open-ended “paradigm”, ready to be interpreted in a way that gives global liberation, she says. The Bible passages are not fixed together in unmoving paradigms, we need to change the meaning of scripture by changing the very paradigms in our own minds as we read the Bible, she enthuses. We must expose, with new paradigm interpretation, fundamentalistic exclusivity, elitism, feminist theological dogmatism. A revival of ‘spirituality” is not a “privatization” or personal, it is a social change.

Fiorenza is presenting a “gospel” of “spirituality” which sits well with the W.C.C., N.C.C.. The object of “evangelism” as seen by these liberals is the salvation of society, not the proclaiming of the gospel of Christ. The National Council of Churches in the USA with a membership of 32 denominations, representing 48 million people, with a budget of $50 million, in concert with the W.C.C., is very active with its “human rights” agenda. The N.C.C. and W.C.C. claim that the USA has “increasing social injustices and acts of racist violence”. They have launched a formal investigation of USA iniquities, but ignore communistic countries, China, Cuba, and Islamic oppression in such places as Sudan and Iran. Keep in mind that “With Women” is W.C.C..

Fiorenza speaks of proliferating interpretations, we must do this in order to defeat the fundamentalists with their dogmatic assertions of there being one Interpretation of the Bible, she insists sternly. The “new paradigms”, she speaks of, seem to me to mean new inventions, not just taking a Greek manuscript and reinterpreting with it, such as with the Westcott and Hort versus Textus Receptus debate. The “new paradigms” seem to be much more radical changes. The “proliferation of interpretations” idea seems to be along the same pattern. Simply put, she seeks to implement global change by “new prophecy”, “new paradigms” or models, “new interpretations” which are multiple, in order to bring a Bible which is a religious book which is feminist, and globally inclusive of all faiths and cultures. This is to be accomplished by the “new prophecy” which means simply, not a spiritual revelation from God or a “god” or even a spirit, rather just a humanistic, gifted, academic insight. She, and others, many, many others, want to do this with as many ideas from individual people, other faiths, gnostic material and pagan religious beliefs as possible! Still called “Bible” it will bear no resemblance to the true Word of God.

Do you see, believer, how important it is for we simple people of God to conserve the authentic Gospel and Word of God? We are the priests of God in this Church Age, and a part of our service is to honor and keep pure the Scriptures. If we do not do our task, there will be no Scriptures left intact! Yes, I know that GOD preserves His Word, but we are the Body of Christ on earth. To preserve the Truth, we must correspondingly expose the errors.

A LIST OF FIORENZA'S INTERPRETATIONS

....“inspiration” means, not in the text itself, but in the hearing of the text, or an involvement in the text.
....“salvation” means well-being, to her it means feminine well-being.
....“ecclesia” means a society of equals, a society of fully gifted liberated citizens. It does not mean “Church”.

We get the distinct impression, my companion and I, that these people as a whole do not believe at all in the reality of Jesus, in the historical life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God come in the flesh. They all affirm that the Biblical record is a sort of series of traditional myths, which can be rewritten in these days in a more politically correct, academically acceptable manner. If any of the original Bible reImagess, it won’t be intentional. THIS IS THE ONE WORLD CHURCH!

“And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God,
and this is that spirit of antichrist...” (1 John 4:3).

A woman from Alice Springs closed the lecture with the words:

“The only grace we can ever have is that which we can imagine ourselves.”

We go to our car, thankful indeed that we know Christ Jesus as Saviour. (We hand out Gospel tracts as we push our way through the crowd). The Governor left first, still seemly pleased with the night. The Archbishop and his wife are still chatting contentedly as we wipe the dust off our feet.
 

MORE DETAILS ON ELIZABETH SCHUSSLER FIORENZA.
The references below were kindly faxed to Despatch by BERIT KJOS, well loved Christian writer and investigator who resides in California, USA. It is a joy to fellowship with the remnant Church from overseas, by telephone, letter, Internet and fax machine. She writes, “In Him we are all close, aren’t we.” We are truly, Berit.

From the book, “The Goddess Revival”, by Aida Besancon Spencer, p.96:

“Many Christian feminists have noted that to talk to God as male or masculine is idolatry ....Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza agrees that the Old Testament prophets considered idolatry whensoever any definite
form was fixed to God, whether god or goddess, divine couple, or masculinity or femininity as ultimate absolute principles. (10) Note 10: However, she thinks wisdom theology integrated elements of the
“goddess cult’ especially ISIS WORSHIP, into Jewish monotheism. ‘DIVINE SOPHIA is ISRAEL’S GOD in the language and Gestalt of the goddess.” Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins. 133.” (Emphasis added).

“FEMINIST HERMENEUTICS AND THEOLOGY. In the early nineties, feminist hermeneutics of the New Testament continues to be led by the magisterial Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza at Harvard University Divinity School. Schussler Fiorenza’s hermeneutical principles both demand a dismantling of claims to scriptural authority by patriarchial readings of the text and also call for creative discovery of women’s experiences as normative for the gospel, both in the early church and today. Woken-church, the discipleship of equal of women and men, is the context from which the liberating potential of the text discerned.

Schussler Fiorenza’s work is jointed by that of a host of other feminist biblical exegeters....” (429)

A quote from an essay of Fiorenza:

“In a patriarchial society or religion, all women are bound into a system of male privilege and domination, but impoverished Third World women constitute the bottom of the oppressive patriarchial pyramid. Patriarchy cannot be toppled except when the women who form the bottom of the patriarchial pyramid, triply oppressed women, become liberated.”

"A Prophetic feminist Spirituality - Like the prophets of the Old Testament, Fiorenza is signalling to the Church that all is not well, that there is something wrong in the Church when women are discriminated against because of their sex. `No tradition was too sacred to be questioned. No authority was too great to be contradicted. No assumption was too fundamental to be changed'. Albert Nolan [`Jesus Before Christianity' p.117] speaks these words of Jesus. They are easily applied to Fiorenza who realizes that women are deprived of power simply because there is no recorded memory have acted in the power of the spirit... A sharper focus is given to Fiorenza's spirituality when W. Brueggemann (The Prophetic Imagination) states: `The task of prophetic ministry is to nurture, nourish and evoke a consciousness and perception alternative to the consciousness and perception of the dominant culture around us.'..." pp15,16.

"There is a need, for the prophetic role...", quote form the National Council of Churches of Australia [N.C.C.A.], Archbishop, Keith Rayner - Inauguration.

Does he mean the "prophets" should give "biblical re-interpretation?" Perhaps.

THE NETWORK’S BELIEFS.
p. 165, “Ungodly Rage”:

“In her “Women-Church”, [Rosemary] Ruether (leading feminist theologian) refers to the Beguines and the Fraticelli as “spirit-filled” predecessors of current religious feminists. Like those groups, she says, Women-Church is a movement of ‘radical Christianity’ that ‘tends to see the traditional religion as false or fallen’ and that ‘anticipates the New Age, expecting it soon to dawn upon the earth and seeking to pattern itself after what it believes to be the social order of redemption.’ Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, like many feminist theologians, draws on gnostic apocrypha as if they were legitimate sources of information about the role of women in the primitive Church.”
“...the New Age movement is a manifestation of the same revolutionary rejection of monotheism and Christianity found in goddess feminism. Indeed, its ingredients, including spiritualism, fanatic environmentalism, zeal for abortion, sexual permissiveness and leftist politics, are almost entirely interchangable with that phenomenon.”

THE NETWORK’S ASSOCIATES.
Steichen shows the connections between many New Agers, modern-day witches, radical Catholic and Protestant NWO facilitators and Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza. We have had a “big name” in global circles visiting our country yet again, with the media as mute as ever on the visit. Some of the names mentioned in connection with Fiorenza:

STARHAWK, the witch;
JEAN HOUSTON, global educator, seen by some as the ‘goddess rising’;
ZSUZANNA BUDAPEST Starhawk’s mentor ;
CAROL CHRIST pioneer goddess “theologian” ;
MATTHEW FOX, apostate ex-catholic priest, writer of “The Cosmic Christ” and
JOANNA ROGERS MACY, a contributing editor for Fox’s magazine, “Creation”, a “Buddhist scholar.”
Jean Shinoda Bolen, author of “Goddess in Every Woman”, which was the textbook for the Mankato conference, is another
of the women who figures highly in the feminists’ Network. Many others are mentioned, Catholic and New Age, too numerous to comment on.

The book, “Megatrends for Women” by Patricia Auberdene and John Naisbitt, can be purchased in Australia at large bookshops, and the ABC shops. It shows the enormous world movement of the International witches, Goddess Rising!

THE NETWORK’S EXPANSION.
The Feminist Network is immense in size, Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza is a powerful, leftist, global leader in this Network. Spiritualism, paganism and witchcraft in the feminist Network runs riot! Writes Steichen: “Rosemary Ruether led a conference there (Grailville) on building Women-Church in November 1986. Another popular retreat leader has been Rev. Carol Parrish-Harra, identified by New Age journalist Ruth Montgomery as a ‘walk-in’, a spiritual entity living - by invitation -
in a ‘host body’. In a more mundane view, Parrish-Harra is the formerly Catholic mother of ten who, since the arrival of her ‘walk-in’ personality, has divorced, remarried and founded a New Age church and community in Sparrowhawk village, Oklahoma, where she teaches ‘new spirituality’.”

The Catholic side of Women-Church, feminism rooted in Catholicism, is very strong. At a conference held in Cincinnati, there was a coalition of twenty-six feminist groups. The abortion lobby Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC) had a leading role. Others, Catholic Lesbians; Grail Women’s Task Force; Loretto Women’s Network; New Ways Ministry; Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER); and Quixote Center to Women’s Ordination Conference; BVM Network for Women’s Issues; Catholic Women for Reproductive Rights; Chicago Catholic Women; Sisters for Christian Community; National Assembly of Religious Women; National Coalition of American Nuns; the Wheaton Franciscans and the Racine Dominicans.

DO NOT IMAGINE ALL THIS DOES NOT CONCERN YOU!
Those in Australia who are part of the Goddess Networks include, (women and men), Uniting Church, Lutheran, Anglican and Catholic. The National Council of Churches was founded by the Catholics, it is still W.C.C.. “Queensland Churches to Together in Solidarity With Women” are behind “With Women”. Our CHURCHES here are doing this “goddess/feminist” horror! The ecumenical movement has strengthened ties with the Catholics and Protestants under W.C.C.. The Feminist, Goddess Movement should concern every member of every church in Australia! GAIA EARTH GODDESS WORSHIP is a major part of this movement. When you march “for Jesus” the major organizers are Queensland Churches Together, when Billy Graham does his thing here the organizers will be the supporters of “With Women”. This is a matter for ALL who are Christians, who truly love the Lord Jesus Christ.
 

'THE CATHOLIC LEADER", September 17, 1995.
Chris Christensen comments, page 10:

“Brisbane produced an enthusiastic and appreciative audience for Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza’s final lecture of her New Zealand-Australian tour....[present were] dozens of past and present theological students ....Christian fundamentalists support biblical fundamentalism that the Bible contains literally the correct and inerrant word of God. Even the liberal paradigm, taking a traditional and historical perspective, believes that it is possible to establish the ‘true’ meaning of the Biblical text. The emphasis on inerrancy
of the text reduces faith to intellectual assent rather than to a way of life. Neither of these interpretations addresses the problems of the global context. The situation of increasing globalisation and the fundamentalist response to it cries out for alternative liberating religious visions. It calls for a ‘liberating spirit centre’ of worldwide dimensions that can give meaning and hope to people’s lives. As new global interdependence grows’ progressive liberalists are unable to address it because of their belief in secularisation, and that religion has nothing to do with the public realm. ...Christian theological discourse are seen by Professor Schussler Fiorenza as challenged to seize the Grace of the cosmological moment.”

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