Allison Murray (MTS 2012)
Associate Professor of Feminist Theology and Gender Studies
University of Oslo, Norway
I am Associate Professor of Feminist Theology and Gender Studies at the University of Oslo, Norway. My work combines the study of theology, history, and gender studies to understand how gender roles have been understood in Christianity over time, with a special focus on tracing the roots of anti-feminism in 20th-century Evangelicalism. In my research, I look at why egalitarian and feminist voices struggle to gain traction. Recent studies have shown an up-tick in male participation in church communities, but this tends to be accompanied by rather regressive ideas about gender. Nearly 40% of young American Christian men said that they supported the repeal of women’s right to vote. How can those of us who see the gospel as liberating work to undermine these trends?
My undergraduate degree from Laurier was in History and Religion & Culture, and I often chose gendered topics in my research projects, so in many ways I am on the same track that I have been in since I was 18 (although I didn’t think that would lead to living in Norway!).
My time in the Master of Theological Studies program at Grebel was important to my career direction. The supportive professors encouraged me to consider a PhD, and I could see how theological understanding was going to be crucial to unpacking my subject matter. I took classes on women in Christian history that introduced me to the sub-discipline of gender history. These courses provided important tools and frameworks that I carried into my doctoral work and my ongoing research.
