When I got the idea to hold an event to celebrate the participation and achievements of women in theology, it immediately took off. It was an easy job to convince people to come aboard, to join our committee, to partner with us, to sponsor us, because of the honour and respect that people in society have for women. It also shows how well a community of very diverse people can come together.

On March 8, 2016, International Women’s Day, the member colleges of the Toronto School of Theology celebrated and acknowledged the participation and achievements of women in theology. This inaugural event brought together the family of TST colleges in communal celebration in order to foster a spirit of ecumenism and to be a means of visible and tangible support for women studying, practicing and living theology.

In August 2013, at a World Youth Day press conference, in speaking of women, Pope Francis said “a Church without women is like the Apostolic College without Mary. The role of women in the Church is not only maternity, the mother of the family, but it’s stronger: it is, in fact, the icon of the Virgin, Our Lady, the one who helps the Church grow… A profound theology must be made of women.”

I began to ask myself “What does ‘a theology of women’ mean? Is there anything specific to us as women that allows us to contribute to theology in a unique way? Do we or can we contribute to theology differently simply by virtue of us being women? Out of this curiosity, the idea for WomenTalk emerged. WomenTalk is not a typical panel discussion or lecture. There is no keynote speaker – an expert who speaks while the audience listens.

WomenTalk is a gathering of interesting and diverse women from various denominations who come together to listen, share and explore ideas in an informal, dialogical setting. The stage is a mere 24 inches high so our panelists do not tower above the audience. Instead, attendees and expert speakers get together to communicate, connect with and draw inspiration from each other.

Its purpose is three-fold: to explore ideas, discover answers and to celebrate new understandings together. Our roster of presenters come from diverse secular fields as well as different faiths: law, business, politics & government, ministry, and academia. What draws them together with the audience is their shared desire to inspire others and to be inspired, and to better themselves and the world.

The theme of our WomenTalk panel is “Christian Women: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. We hope that in our panel discussion, together with the panelists, we may discover this unique aspect of women and how this allows us to successfully contribute to theology.

It is a privilege for me to celebrate with all our committee members, our partner TST, our sponsors, volunteers, Hart House, and all those who participated. I hope to continue to walk together in beauty, brightness & splendour.

Claudia Miatello – Chair, Celebrating Women in Theology Committee

Claudia Miatello is the Founder of the Celebrating Women in Theology event. She is Assistant Director for Canada of Risk Management at EY (Ernst & Young) and is a former MTS student at TST – St. Michael’s College. 

Creating this inaugural celebration of women in theology bridges the two most dear parts of her – theology and business.