Carter Heyward

Carter Heyward is an American Episcopal priest, feminist theologian, and lesbian activist, known for her work on queer theology and womanist theology. She has been associated with the Jesus Movement and the Civil Rights Movement, and has written extensively on liberation theology, drawing inspiration from Gustavo Gutiérrez and James Cone. Her work has been influenced by Mary Daly, Rosemary Radford Ruether, and Beverly Harrison, among other prominent feminist theologians.

● Early Life and Education

Carter Heyward was born in North Carolina and raised in a Baptist family, later converting to Episcopalianism while attending Sewanee: The University of the South. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Hood College and her Master of Divinity degree from Episcopal Divinity School, where she was influenced by Pauli Murray and William Stringfellow. Heyward's early life and education were shaped by her experiences with racism and sexism, which later informed her work on feminist theology and social justice, as seen in the work of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement.

● Career

Heyward's career as a priest and theologian has been marked by her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and women's ordination in the Episcopal Church, alongside Barbara Harris and John Shelby Spong. She has served as a priest in various Episcopal parishes, including St. Augustine's Episcopal Church in Asheville, North Carolina, and has taught at Episcopal Divinity School and Union Theological Seminary, where she has worked with Katherine Jefferts Schori and Rowan Williams. Heyward's work has been recognized by the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches, and she has been involved in various ecumenical initiatives, including the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

● Theology and Works

Heyward's theology is characterized by her emphasis on embodiment and relationality, drawing on the work of Judith Butler and Marcella Althaus-Reid. Her books, such as Touching Our Strength: The Erotic as Power and the Love of God and Saving Jesus from Those Who Are Right: Rethinking What It Means to Be Christian, have explored themes of erotic theology and queer theology, engaging with the work of Marcella Althaus-Reid and Patrick Cheng. Heyward's work has been influenced by postmodern theology and poststructuralism, as seen in the work of Jean-François Lyotard and Michel Foucault, and has been recognized by the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature.

● Personal Life

Heyward's personal life has been marked by her experiences as a lesbian woman in a heteronormative society, and she has been involved in various LGBTQ+ rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD. She has been in a long-term relationship with her partner, Becky Thompson, and has written about the importance of same-sex relationships and family in her work, drawing on the experiences of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. Heyward's personal life has also been shaped by her experiences with health and disability, and she has written about the importance of accessibility and inclusion in faith communities, as seen in the work of Nancy Eiesland and the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.

● Legacy

Heyward's legacy as a theologian and activist continues to inspire new generations of feminist theologians and LGBTQ+ rights advocates, including Kate Bornstein and Marilyn McCord Adams. Her work has been recognized by the Episcopal Church and the World Council of Churches, and she has received numerous awards for her contributions to feminist theology and social justice, including the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's Lifetime Achievement Award. Heyward's legacy is also reflected in the work of organizations such as the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and the National LGBTQ Task Force, which continue to advocate for reproductive justice and LGBTQ+ rights in the United States and around the world, alongside Planned Parenthood and the Human Rights Campaign. Category:American theologians