Virginia Fabella
# Virginia Fabella

Virginia Fabella, M. M. is a Filipina theologian and Maryknoll sister, known for her works in Asian feminist theology and postcolonial theology.

## Biography

Fabella was born in Manila, Philippines. After graduating from the Assumption Convent in Manila and receiving a BS from Mt. St. Vincent College in New York, Fabella joined the Maryknoll Sisters in 1952. She would later receive an MA in Religious Studies from the Maryknoll Seminary in 1980, a Certificate in Pastoral Studies from Union Theological in Chicago in 1988, and a DMin in Women’s Studies from San Francisco Theological Seminary in 1993. Her doctoral dissertation was entitled "The Development of Women's Theological Consciousness within the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians."

In the 1970s, Fabella was the program coordinator for the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians, later serving as its Asia Coordinator.

## Theology

Fabella is perhaps best known for her authored and edited works on Asian feminist theology and postcolonial theology. In terms of Christology, Fabella has voiced that the maleness of Jesus is not a problem for Asian women, because by being male, "Jesus could more repudiate more effectively the male definition of humanity and show the way to a right and just male–female relationship."

## Works

* Fabella, Virginia; Sugirtharajah, R. S., eds. (2003). Dictionary of Third World Theologies. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. ISBN 978-1-57075-405-0.
* Fabella, Virginia; Oduyoye, Mercy Amba, eds. (2006). With Passion and Compassion: Third World Women Doing Theology: Reflections from the Women's Commission of the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 978-1-59752-500-8.
* Fabella, Virginia; Park, Sun Ai Lee, eds. (2015). We Dare to Dream: Doing Theology as Asian Women. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 978-1-4982-1914-3.
