Can men do feminist theology?

Summary: This conversation explores how men might responsibly engage with feminist theology and how women can encourage men’s involvement in this vital area of work towards justice.

Sarah: Feminist theology has always challenged and reimagined theological thought. Grounded in the wider feminist movement of the 1950s and 1960s early feminist theologians sought to push back against what was a very masculine-centric theological world. Instead, they demanded the experiences and perspectives of women were worthy of theological consideration. Working collaboratively and creatively, often in discussion with one another, they wrote from their own personal experiences. Not content with only challenging the content of theology, they argued for breadth and variety in the practice of theology also.

I am not able to say if these early champions of feminist theology would ever have considered whether or not it is appropriate for a man to ‘do’ feminist theology, but as the field has grown and diversified, a number of questions around this subject arise. The Feminist Theology Network (FTN) promotes inclusive feminism, which means our membership does include a growing number of men. But how can, or should, men relate to a field of theology that is purposefully not about them? The aim of this short paper is to facilitate a conversation which considers these questions. I have invited Will Rose-Moore to ponder these questions with me, bringing his perspective as a man who is an active member of the network. We do not assume to be speaking for all those who consider themselves feminist theologians; instead we speak from our own unique positions, recognising that they come with their own level of privilege. We have wrestled with how to define feminist theology and, for the sake of the following discussion, we have agreed the following: ‘theologies which pay attention to both gender and power.’ 

As a relative late comer to feminist theology, I have found a field of theological thought that feels like home. I appreciate the commitment to exploring how women experience the world, whilst also challenging the damage caused when this doesn’t occur. For me, feminist theology is embodied theology, considering the whole person and resisting any kind of dualistic thinking. Feminist theology gives space for unique perspectives, it gives me a voice and it values my voice. Writing as a feminist theologian, I can unpick the ways in which patriarchal centred theology has influenced my own faith and life. There is a place for me to argue for something better, bringing freedom for those who might have similar life experiences. Why does feminist theology matter to you, Will?

Will: Thank you, that’s really helpful to hear. A lot of what I value in feminist theologies, and in what you have outlined here, should be true of all theologies. Shouldn’t all theologies be about justice? Aren’t all theologies produced from, with, and for bodies? Why doesn’t all theology give voice and value to everyone’s unique perspectives? Feminist theologies push us towards a way of doing theology that should be true for everyone, but the specific feminist perspective unpeels layers of violence, oppression, and silencing that have been disguised and overlooked.

My relationship with feminist theology is similar, in that I learnt very little about it during my initial theology degrees. It was only in meeting feminist theologians, hearing about their work and their objectives, that I became so attracted to their pursuit of justice and calling out of (gendered) privilege and power. Of course, feminist theologies commonly draw attention to women’s experience and so it soon became clear to me that, whilst I loved reading and using feminist scholarship, there were limits to what I could contribute as a man; it would certainly be wrong and irresponsible of me to write feminist scholarship about women’s bodies, voices, and experiences. For me, this is how I wandered upon masculinity studies.  My work and research now furthers the very nascent field of theologies considering masculinities – something strongly aligned with the objectives and description we have proposed of feminist theologies.

Sarah: Yes! You are right, of course, that all theology should be doing the things the early feminist theologians set out to do! I appreciate the way in which feminist theology reaches out into other branches of theology also. The underpinning principles bring a richness to works of practical theology, trauma theology, and ecotheology, for example. Here we can see feminist theologies doing exactly what you describe. 

We must also acknowledge that feminist theology is not without its faults. Perhaps the biggest critique is the way in which it has historically centred the voices and experiences of white, western women; a critique I take seriously. As a cis-het, white woman it is important that I commit to reading, reflecting on, and engaging with the experiences of women from different cultures and backgrounds. My experience is not theirs, and I cannot presume to speak for all women. Will, what are your thoughts on positionality in feminist theology? 

Will: I think this is a really crucial question. I delight in the research and work of feminist theologians, as a man. It reveals to me perspectives, voices, and experiences that I may not have encountered; in fact, as someone with a male body, feminist theologies often describe and analyse experiences I will never know for myself. It’s incredibly important, therefore, that I recognise where I come from as a theologian drawing on feminist theologies – my limits and boundaries, as well as my insights and gifts. If each of us considers these aspects, we might know when to listen and when to speak. 

Positionality is central to the theological imagination. We only construct and create what we do because of who we are. That’s certainly not a deficit or disadvantage when it is acknowledged, but it can become a barrier when our theology – especially when white and patriarchal – is presented as disembodied, supposedly ‘neutral’, and objectively true for all people. Just as you reckon with Whiteness, cisgenderedness, and heteronormativity, so must I wrestle with some of these, as well as my own queerness and my proximity to patriarchy. Really the question is: what can we learn about God from who we are and where we stand, and what can we learn about God from others and what they experience? 

Sarah: This is really helpful, Thanks Will. It is refreshing to hear you express what you both gain from feminist theology and how you approach engaging with it. I wonder if I could push you a little further on this though as I think there are still some points to consider that we haven’t yet covered. How should men approach feminist theology, and is it possible for a man to ‘do’ or write feminist theology? 

Will: And here we come to the crunch! Men should absolutely read and engage with feminist theology. As I’ve alluded to above, to hear experiences other than our own and to be shaped by different theologies is crucial to our own understanding of God and the world – we do not exist in a vacuum! In a recent conversation with Karen O’Donnell and Katie Cross, we discussed the need for men to use feminist theology responsibly: don’t speak as if you know everything, and don’t try to tell women about their bodies or their experiences, but do be attentive, listen, and (humbly) share your own story. It is this dialogical, collaborative engagement with feminist theologies that is critical. But it has to be done whilst attention is paid to the power dynamics and privilege that ensure responsibility and accountability in using feminist scholarship. 

Can men do feminist theology? I’m not sure if that’s my place to say. What I can offer is that I love feminist theology, and if someone described my theological work as feminist I would be honoured! Without doubt, there are men, including myself, who do theological work that pays attention to gender and power. However, it’s right that I don’t claim a voice that isn’t mine to take, or use up a space where someone else could stand. Drawing on the wisdom of feminist scholarship is enough, as I produce my own theological work shaped by the insight of other voices and experiences.

Sarah, I wonder if you have any thoughts as a feminist theologian about who can do feminist theology? In fact, should feminist theologies be more boundaried in terms of who can engage with them or produce them? 

Sarah: I am especially drawn to the idea of doing theology responsibly. Whilst I very much recognise its relevance in the discussion above, again I think this is a point we could apply to all theology. Surely all our theological work should aim to handle that which we engage with responsibly? I would hope so, anyway!

Like yourself, I shy away from making any statements on behalf of other people, and I also recognise my responsibility to the many theologians who have gone before me, forging pathways with their work through often hostile environments. As I mentioned in the introduction, the FTN is committed to inclusive feminism, so I would be nervous of anything that gate-keeps people out of a space. However, I do observe, broadly speaking, that feminist theology has some self-made protection built into its walls due its history, development and ongoing focus. The experiences of women have always been the crux of matter, so anything that deviates from this cause is, by nature, not included. I would hope that any man engaging with, and writing about, feminist theology would do so recognising his own privilege. If a man wants to do feminist theology through discussing his views on the experiences of women, that isn’t feminist theology because his voice is the loudest. This kind of approach goes against everything that demarcates the boundaries of feminist theology. If, like yourself, a man wants to use feminist theology in a careful, considered, responsible way which maintains the voice of the woman, I would consider him a welcome theological companion. Is his work feminist theology? I would push back and ask: why does it need to be? I think the boundaries of feminist theology are strong enough and wide enough to welcome the discussion partner, but also maintain the primary focus and commitment of the field.

Will: Thank you so much, Sarah – that’s such a powerful case for feminist theology, its openness and inclusivity as well as its firm priorities and objectives. Asking all of these questions is so important, but what seems to be underlying all our answers is the recognition and celebration of the gifts offered by feminist theologies and feminist theologians: the experiences shared, the barriers broken down, the idols shattered, and the fresh ways of doing the work of seeing God and the world in new perspectives. Who, of whatever gender, wouldn’t want to appreciate that? Thank God for feminist theology! 

Sarah: Yes to all of this! Thanks so much for your time in considering this topic, Will. The rapid growth of the FTN is perhaps testament to how many of us are committed to ensuring the continued development of the field. Long may it continue!

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© Sarah Pritchard and Will Rose-Moore, 2026. This article is a part of a series in collaboration with the FTN (Feminist Theology Network). FTN social media: https://www.instagram.com/feministtheologynetwork/ and @feministtheology.bsky.social

This work is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).

Cover Image: Woman in Blue and White Plaid Dress Shirt Sitting on Chair, by RDNE Stock Project on pexels.