A review by tdwightdavis
The Body of God by Sallie McFague
3.0
I struggle with how to evaluate this book. I clearly have a very different view of theological method and norms than McFague does and that makes it difficult for me to see her methodology here as legitimate. To me, this doesn't feel like theology, and certainly not Christian theology. It feels like new age mysticism/panentheism wrapped in Christian lingo. There's very little here that offers any sort of concrete way of doing ecological theology and creation care, McFague rather prefers to stay abstract in her theologizing and is actually happy to NOT provide any actual concrete ethic for creation care (cf. page 202). So much of this book feels surface level, afraid to delve into the complexities and difficulties involved in actually practicing ecological theology.
I'm also extremely concerned about making the earth and creation a member of the oppressed as McFague does. I'm reminded of a conversation with M. Shawn Copeland at AAR one year where she told me that she often sees ecological theology function as a way for whites to assuage their guilt over not participating in the struggle for liberation because they feel like they're doing their part by helping the environment and I can very easily see McFague's work being misappropriated along these lines despite the fact that she would disapprove of such a misappropriation.
I did really appreciate, however, McFague's articulations of the importance of embodiment. This is where her work is at its strongest and makes a positive contribution to theological studies.
I'm also extremely concerned about making the earth and creation a member of the oppressed as McFague does. I'm reminded of a conversation with M. Shawn Copeland at AAR one year where she told me that she often sees ecological theology function as a way for whites to assuage their guilt over not participating in the struggle for liberation because they feel like they're doing their part by helping the environment and I can very easily see McFague's work being misappropriated along these lines despite the fact that she would disapprove of such a misappropriation.
I did really appreciate, however, McFague's articulations of the importance of embodiment. This is where her work is at its strongest and makes a positive contribution to theological studies.