Tributes to Honorary
Trustee Letty Russell
REMEMBERING AND HONORING
PROF. LETTY RUSSELL
On behalf of the Foundation
for Theological Education of South East Asia and on my own behalf
I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and
dear ones of Prof. Letty Russell. Her death has left a big gap
in the membership of the Board of FTESEA which will not be easily
filled. She has been one of the pioneering feminist theologians
and has been recognized as "one of the world's foremost feminist
theologians'" in the academia. When I read one of her earlier
publications, "Church in the Round: Feminist Interpretation
on the Church", it was an eye opener for me.
Among many of her accomplishments
Letty Russell will be remembered by many for her life long dedication
to theological education. She has been a visionary and implementer
of the Doctor of Ministry in Feminist theologies program supported
by the Program on Theological Education of the World Council of
Churches and the San Francisco Theological Seminary. Through this
pioneering and unique program she was able to strenghten leadership
of more than 60 women in the "third world" countries.
We thank God for Letty
Russell's contribution and echo with her Yale Divinity School
colleague Professor Margaret Farley that, "There is perhaps
no other feminist theologian who has been more dedicated to ecumenical,
interfaith and international theological dialogue."
Letty Russell will be missed at the FTESEA Board meetings and
events, but her legacy will continue in various programs that
she shaped and supported.
H.S. Wilson
Executive Director. FTESEA
*******************
On behalf of the Association
for Theological Education in South East Asia (ATESEA), I would
like to express my deepest sympathy to the family of Prof. Letty
Russell for the death of their loved one. We lost a great feminist
theologian who has dedicated much of her time for theological
education and for women and social concerns. I am so grateful
for Letty's willingness to share her wisdom and concerns with
ATESEA family members through workshops in various occasions as
well as lectures in different schools. I will never forget our
special moment on Re-reading the Bible and Women Concern we shared
together in her beautiful home in Guilford, 2002.
It never comes to my
mind that the FTE meeting held last December in New York was the
last meeting with Letty. Therefore, I am so sorry and sad to learn
about her death. At the same time, I am grateful for the assurance
of life with our Lord Jesus Christ.
May Letty's life continue
to challenge those whom she has touched with her example and ministry.
God's blessings,
Sientje Merentek-Abram, ATESEA
*******************
WHO
IS LETTY?
Who is Letty? What is she,
that all FTE commend her?
Faithful,
wise, and empowering
is she:
With
the marginalized in solidarity
always standing;
Gender,
class, sexuality, race
always analyzing;
For
Asian and Southeast Asian
women's leadership
in theological education
always advocating;
Herself,
like church,
always becoming -
Heaven
such grace did lend her
that she might cherished be.
- A tribute from Greer Anne Wenh-In Ng,,
- denominational trustee from The United Church of Canada
(with apologies to the Bard) -
*******************
Tribute to Dr. Letty
M. Russell
Dr. Russell is my teacher.
She is my teacher in its real sense if teaching means opening
one's mind and transforming one's world view and behavior. I remember
sitting in the class of the Liberation Theology, listening to
Letty's presentation, and seeing how she involved fellow-students
to wrestle with different human suffering situations. I also recall
how she made an arrangement for me to attend a women's conference
to gain a minority experience. I have shared this experience in
many of my sermons. In the last meeting with Letty, I told her
how this experience has shaped my theological thinking, particularly
on the gender issue. When I joined the Board of the Foundation
of Theological Education in South East Asia, it was awesome to
sit with Letty. She encouraged me to take an active role in the
board. She demonstrated to me how to voice for the voiceless,
and to challenge the status quo. She is my teacher - a spiritual
mentor in its real sense.
Benjamin Shun Lai Chan
A student of Letty
and the current Chair of the Foundation of the Theological Education
in South East Asia
*******************
Letty Russell
In memoriam
What a fierce sight
Letty was when I first met her in person! I had heard of her and
read her works before, of course, but in my first FTE committee
meeting with her, she was tough and unyielding, challenging every
statement and every decision she thought to be unjust or unfair.
She was always fighting. It took me some time to realize that
she was actually fighting for me or, better, the Asian cause.
She exerted enormous efforts to the Asianization of the FTE, even
at the risk of antagonizing her longtime colleagues. Looking back,
I can't imagine her doing anything else. The current shape of
the FTE owes a great deal to her resolute determination and uncompromising
character. I have lost an ally, a role model, a friend.
Sze-kar Wan
Professor of New Testament
Perkins School of Theology
******************
Letty Russell's books
gave me my first exposure to feminist theology. She wrote so compellingly
and so passionately that I was immediately drawn to her as a theologian.
My own teacher and now my ccolleague, Katharine Sakenfeld, always
talked of Letty as a great mentor. After having met Letty, I can
see why she is admired not only for her gifts as a theologian
but as a mentor. I have learned much from Letty and will certainly
miss her leadership on the FTESEA board, her wise counsel, and
her ever-supportive friendship.
Choon-Leong Seow
Henry Snyder Gehman Professor of OT Language and Literature Princeton
Theological Seminary
