Kwok ’n’ Roll

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What does it mean to be a Christian and a person of faith in today’s challenging world? How can we have meaningful dialogue across racial, cultural, religious, and political differences to address the urgent needs of our time? Join Kwok Pui Lan, a pioneering postcolonial theologian, in her conversation with leading intellectuals, courageous religious leaders, fearless activists, and inspiring artists and roll along.

Episodes

Wednesday Jan 21, 2026

How Did Asian Feminist Theology Begin?

Wednesday Jan 21, 2026

Sr. Mary John Mananzan, a Missionary Benedictine nun, is a pioneer in Asian feminist theology. She was a keynote speaker at one of the first Asian theological conferences in Sukabumi, Indonesia, in 1981. An educator and activist, she co-founded GABRIELLA, a federation of women’s organizations in the Philippines, and served as its chairperson for 18 years. She discusses the early beginnings of Asian feminist theology and her awareness of the religious roots of women’s discrimination. As an early member of the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians (EATWOT), she recalls that many male theologians were gender-blind. She shares how women struggled to gain their voices, leading to women’s eruption within the organization. Although women’s organizations and shelters face financial and other difficulties, witnessing women change from being victims to advocates inspires Mananzan to keep on. She hopes that the upcoming generation of Asian feminist theologians will continue to combine theory and praxis and work for the protection of vulnerable women in society.