Walking Indecently with Marcella Althaus-Reid: Doing Dissident and Liberative Theologies from the South

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The article is an important contribution to general scholarship in relation to queer theology in a Latin American perspective. It presents and bases its reflection on the work of Marcella Althaus-Reid, certainly a fundamental reference to queer theology in Latin America and globally, and sets challenges to those who seek to “walk with her”. Overall, the article is well constructed, presents important insights and offers relevant information.

Issues to reflect on:

- It is important to clarify what the author understands or intends with the expression “Global South”. From the article’s content, the context the reflection is based and reflects on is Latin America. “Global South” would entail a larger geopolitical and theological approach. I suggest revising the use to be more precise.

- The article moves from “there is queer theology in Latin America” to “we need a queer theology in Latin America”. This contradiction (as it might be seen) should be clarified and make explicit what the author refers to in each case.

- The issue above is an indication that the article does not engage with queer theologies produced in Latin America before and after (particularly) the publication of Indecent theology and the work of Marcella Althaus-Read. Although it mentions the journal Conexion Queer, it does not reflect on how this journal came to be and the people involved in it – besides other important publications and events (academic) that have taken place in Latin American over the last decades. Although the article rightly points to the fact that there is much invisibility in relation to this production and it usually does not follow the traditional academic paths (in Latin America or other contexts), not mentioning and acknowledging might further its invisibility. If the author is not familiar with such a production a rephrasing would be important not to give the impression that it does not exist or took place.

- This also relates to how the author deals with the work of Marcella Althaus-Reid. While her work and the visibility she reached (particularly in Northern contexts) are undoubtedly a benchmark for all queer theologians in Latin America, it is not possible to say (as is stated in the text) that she initiated or originated a queer theology from nothing or just by herself. In many ways she is part of a movement and would probably not agree with this presentation as she most commonly engaged and sought the give visibility to other theologians, scholars or activists working in this area in Latin America. Without taking out or away her importance and protagonism, the text should be rephrased where it (again) might make invisible other initiatives and work.

- The way in which the work (and challenge) for queer theologians is presented in the article sometimes seems to contradict a liberationist perspective – that was part of Marcella’s work as pointed out in the article. As in classic liberation theology, the theologians work (and queer theologians included), is not a merely speculative task, but it raises from the experience with the poor – theology is a second act; reality comes first. In some passages the articular the “doing theology” seems to be assumed as a individual task by someone highly inspirated and not the systematization of what is already lived out and practiced in community. So, theology itself is a communitarian task and work.

- In the same way, as the article focuses on Marcella’s work and the reality she dealt with, when thinking about the future of queer theologies in Latin America the article falls short in reflecting on the current Latin American context; particularly the changes in the religious and political landscape. In the last ten years the geopolitical context and how religion is part of it have changed dramatically and this should at least be mentioned when thinking of what it means to do queer theology in Latin America in the current context.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer: 

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my text. I know that dedicating personal time to the work of academic review is tedious; that is precisely why I am grateful for your comments. 

I have made numerous corrections and re-readings of my work, in order to make evident in my writing all the recommendations that you, very kindly, had with me. I have used "change control" so that you can see all the corrected aspects, both in form and content. Undoubtedly, at the end, I clearly understood why you made the comments, since I was able to notice several inaccuracies I had. 

In this order of ideas, I would like to make this corrected version of the text available to you again for a new revision. I will be very attentive to your response and comments. 

I hope I have been much clearer and more precise in the enunciation of my ideas; but, above all, I hope I have been very faithful to Marcella Althaus-Reid's thinking. Undoubtedly, I would have liked to develop many other ideas, but the length of this text exceeded them. I believe that you and I know very well that "walking with Althaus-Reid" is a titanic task, but not an impossible one. I hope to improve my research, as I continue to walk with her.

Thank you for your attention,

Anderson Santos.

Reviewer 2 Report

This is an excellent paper within the queer theological discourse.  It carries forward the legacy of a leading queer theologian, Marcella Althaus-Reid, and helpfully situates it/updates it in post-colonial concerns today.  In many ways, leftist theological discourse is only now catching up to Althaus-Reid's innovations and this paper makes an excellent case for doing so. 

The paper could do a better job citing more recent queer theology, especially by Black and Brown writers; there's a bit of a North/South oversimplification in the paper that unintentionally flattens the contribution of marginalized voices within the 'North.'  Work by BIPOC and API figures in particular would complicate that analysis in a good way and perhaps inform the retrieval and advancing of Althaus-Reid's work.  Finally, the paper had a bit of a utopianism of the liberating potential of queer theology; some more grounding in contemporary contexts and debates might dampen the enthusiasm but strengthen the project.

Overall, however, a much-needed reassessment of a central figure in leftist and queer theology.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer: 

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my text. I know that dedicating personal time to the work of academic review is tedious; that is precisely why I am grateful for your comments. 

I have made numerous corrections and re-readings of my work, in order to make evident in my writing all the recommendations that you, very kindly, had with me. I have used "change control" so that you can see all the corrected aspects, both in form and content. Undoubtedly, at the end, I clearly understood why you made the comments, since I was able to notice several inaccuracies I had. 

In this order of ideas, I would like to make this corrected version of the text available to you again for a new revision. I will be very attentive to your response and comments. 

I hope I have been much clearer and more precise in the enunciation of my ideas; but, above all, I hope I have been very faithful to Marcella Althaus-Reid's thinking. Undoubtedly, I would have liked to develop many other ideas, but the length of this text exceeded them. I believe that you and I know very well that "walking with Althaus-Reid" is a titanic task, but not an impossible one. I hope to improve my research, as I continue to walk with her.

Thank you for your attention,

Anderson Santos