Divina et Femina IV:
The Personal is Political
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Canadian Centre for Research on Women and Religion The Fourth Divina et Femina international conference takes place at the University of Ottawa in Canada's Capital: Ottawa, Ontario May 27-30, 2011. The conference brings together scholars, practitioners, artists and researchers in feminist spirituality, Goddess Worship and Women, and the Divine in all its aspects. The conference will include hands-on workshops, academic presentations, video and film showings, artist exhibits and installations, performances and lectures and the best of vendors and artisans dedicated to the arts of the Goddess. |
Celebrating Zsuzsanna Budapest's influence on feminist spirituality
The importance of Z's work on the development of contemporary women's spirituality cannot be overlooked. At a time when women were finding their voice, when the archaeological findings of Marija Gimbutas and Merlin Stone had not yet been published, Zsuszanna Budapest had already drawn the link between feminism and spirituality with her Feminist Book of Light and Shadows, which later became The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries. The Susan B. Anthony Coven No. 1, which she started with a group of other women in 1971, became the springboard and training grounds for many well-known leaders, like Starhawk, Ruth Barrett, Carol Christ, Charlene Spretnak, Barbara Chesser, Susun Weed, Ava Carpenter, Fiona Morgan, Patricia Monaghan, Anne Carson, Vicki Noble, Lunaea Weatherstone, Riane Eisler, Diane Stein, Jade River, Kathy Jones, Kriszta Veres and hundreds of other authors, scholars, artists, musicians and spiritual leaders.
University of Ottawa professors and lecturers, Dr. Naomi Goldenberg and Dr. Lucie DuFresne(both Department of Classics and Religious Studies) have noted repeatedly that Z's works are read, studied and mentioned in students' Master's Thesis and Ph.D. Dissertations, not only at their university, but in universities internationally.
Z's influences transcend the communities of feminism, spirituality and gender studies. Her life's works will be remembered in American History as one of the great foremothers of the second wave of feminism, the founding mother of the Women's Spirituality Movement and an outspoken lesbian woman who fought for women's reproductive rights in Los Angeles at one of the first abortion clinics, who co-founded the Los Angeles Anti-rape Squad (the first rape crisis intervention), who established the Los Angeles Take Back the Night marches for which she received the mayor's proclamation of appreciation. And of course, she will be remembered as the last witch put on trial for her witchcraft and found guilty in the United States; meaning she also blazed a trail for the popularizing of Paganism.
Conference Organisers
| Prof. Lucie-Marie-Mai DuFresne lucieduf@uottawa.ca |
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| Ghislaine Yergeau ghislaine.yergeau@gmail.com |
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