It was a joy to chat with Lani Anaya about our shared passion for ecumenical formation this past August.
Lani is a member of the Methodist Church of Mexico. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, a Master of Science in Peace & Conflict Studies from Uppsala University, a Complementary Certificate in Ecumenical Studies from the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. She has also studied at UC Berkeley and the National University of Malaysia and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Ecumenical Studies at the University of Bonn. Lani has taught ecumenics & inter-religious studies in Mexico and brought extensive practical experience to our discussion. As part of her studies at the University of Bonn, she is conducting ethnographic field research under the supervision of Dr. Matthew Robinson (who also supervised my MA thesis) on ecumenical formation in Latin America.
Our conversation was prompted by some of recent work on what I am calling “Liberative Linguistics.” The interview is informal. We did not initially plan to make it public, but I felt that Lani’s insights were too valuable to be confined to an academic paper.
As you will learn from the interview, the concept of “liberative linguistics” is still under construction. I presented a paper that drew upon some of the key points we discussed in the interview at the ‘Reconciliation Post-Graduate Conference’ of the Society for the Study of Theology at Newnham College, University of Cambridge in September.
Currently, I am attempting to clarify my expectation that short-term study and exposure programs like the Global Institute of Theology (GIT) of the WCRC and Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI) of the WCC, along with graduate programs in ecumenical studies like those offered at the Bossey Institute, University of Bonn and Irish School of Ecumenics provide unique opportunities to develop new linguistics around human sexuality, which could empower the global church to discern Christ’s liberating identity anew.
The inability of transnational ecclesial bodies to facilitate constructive dialogue on human sexuality, especially regarding the inclusion of sexual and gender minorities, does not mean that grassroots discussion of related questions has stopped. Ecumenical initiatives like those cited above generate temporary but creative spaces where the lines between grassroots praxis, theological diatribe, and ecclesial bureaucracy are blurred.
International exposure programs open windows through which young theologians can glimpse diverse expressions of Christian identity that supersede hetero-patriarchal, cisgender, nationalist, and neo-colonial norms.
Thus, the goal of liberative linguistics is to liberate the discussion of divisive topics like human sexuality and gender identity in a way that moves beyond the binary between traditional values and sexual liberation. While maintaining a commitment to the preservation and promulgation of human rights, this project seeks to understand how ecumenical formation programs might empower the global church to develop new linguistics that honour contextual specifics and draw upon historically Christian religious symbology to effect positive change in the world.
The ultimate aim of any linguistic that liberates should not only be to carve out space for all of God’s children around the table of grace, but to deconstruct the faulty assumptions that keep us from embracing one another when we gather in anticipation of the feast.
Any Frontier 