The Process of LoveIn Feminist Approaches to Philosophy of Religion and Theology

In this article, the author addresses the feminist philosophies of religion in order to come to a common stream among diverse feminist philosophical and theological approaches. For this reason, the views of some feminist religious philosophers, such as Anderson, Daly, and Irigaray, have been analyzed. The views of philosophers who can indirectly influence feminist religious attitudes, such as Harding, Radik, Kristeva, Lloyd, and Butler have been also examined. Among different feminist philosophical-theological approaches, this essay achieves the one that is in harmony with Whitehead's process philosophy and Tillich’s theory of love. The author uses the term ‘love process’ to indicate this common trend among feminist theorists, based on the psychoanalytic maternal-feminine characteristics. The epistemology of feministic philosophy has collectivistic and other-oriented characters and establishes an intuitive link with religious issues. In harmony with the characteristics of feminine-maternal, the ontology of feminist philosophy of religion has been also formed in a birth-centered, interactive and dynamic way, and thus proves the power of love and care for God. The characteristics of the process of love and care in the philosophy of religion and feminist theology prevent the discriminationism and self-orientation of matriarchy so that the bitter experience of I/other dichotomy, or the masculinity/femininity of the Enlightenment period does not recur. Also, based on the common principle of the love process in the feminist philosophy of religion and theology, the duality of reason/faith and wisdom/love vanish.