Isabel Apawo Phiri

Phiri, a Chewa person,{{cite journal|url=https://euppublishing.com/doi/pdfplus/10.3366/swc.1999.5.2.245|title=Review:Phiri, Isabel Apawo. 1997. Women, Presbyterianism and Patriarchy: Religious Experience of Chewa Women in Malawi. Blantyre: A Kachere Monograph|first=Sophia|last=Marriage|journal=Studies in World Christianity|publisher=Edinburgh University Publishing|year=1999|volume=5|issue=2|pages=245–246|doi=10.3366/swc.1999.5.2.245|access-date=21 May 2021|url-access=subscription}} was born in Malawi and brought up in the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian. She has a bachelor's degree in Education from the University of Malawi,{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ExUm1hB1XxoC|title=Africa Bible Commentary: A One-Volume Commentary Written by 70 African Scholars|publisher=Zondervan Academic|date=2010|isbn=9780310871286|editor=Zondervan}} a Master's in Religious Education from the University of Lancaster in England and a PhD from the University of Cape Town in South Africa.{{cite web|url=https://theglobalchurchproject.com/african-women-theologians-you-should-know-about/|title=9 African Women Theologians You Should Know About|first=Stephanie A.|last=Lowery|publisher=The Global Church Project|date=2020|access-date=21 May 2021}} It was in South Africa that she was first exposed to feminist theology and liberation theology. Her doctoral thesis looked at the religious experience of Chewa women in Malawi. It was re-worked into her first book, which was the first book published by a Malawian woman theologian.{{cite web|url=http://africultures.com/livres/?no=10465|title=Women, Presbyterianism and Patriarchy. Updated Edition|publisher=Africultures|date=January 2007|access-date=21 May 2021}}

Phiri lives in Geneva, where she is an elder in the Church of Scotland. She is married to Maxwell Agabu Phiri, a professor in marketing.{{cite book |last=Kaunda |first=Chammah J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AsEsEAAAQBAJ |title=Religion, Gender, and Wellbeing in Africa |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2021 |isbn=9781793618030 |page=4}} They co-authored a 2017 paper entitled "HIV and AIDS, Gender Violence and Masculinities: A Case of South Africa" which examined a curriculum used by church going couples, finding there had been an increase in communication about sexuality and a decrease in gender based violence, but confirming a need to re-examine the theology of marriage in African churches.{{cite journal |last1=Apawo Phiri |first1=Isabel |last2=Phiri |first2=Maxwell Agabu |year=2017 |title=HIV and AIDS, Gender Violence and Masculinities: A Case of South Africa |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09709274.2016.11906958 |journal=Journal of Human Ecology |volume=53 |pages=74–86 |doi=10.1080/09709274.2016.11906958 |s2cid=158391037 |number=1|url-access=subscription }} They have three children.{{cite thesis |last=Phiri |first=Maxwell Agabu |title=The Challenges and Implications of Corporate Re-branding:A Case Study of Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI) |publisher=University of KwaZulu-Natal |url=https://ukzn-dspace.ukzn.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10413/3843/Phiri_Maxwell_Agabu_2006.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |year=2006}}

Phiri is a teacher by profession. She is regarded as one "mother" of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians in Malawi.{{cite web|url=http://www.scielo.org.za/pdf/she/v37n2/04.pdf|title=The birth and growth of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians in Malawi 1989-2011|first1=Rachel NyaGondwe|last1=Fiedler|first2=JW|last2=Hofmeyr}} She participated in the convocation of the Circle in 1989 and established the Circle in Malawi in 1993, with its first conference held at her home in Chirunga in 1994. She joined with three other women academics at the University of Malawi to research and write on women's issues. In 1995, she presented their research findings on sexual harassment and rape on campus at the university and was the victim of violent attacks from students and staff in response,{{cite web|url=https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2018/03/scottish-parliament-hosts-faith-based-gender-justice-exhibition-showcasing-women-activists.aspx|title=Scottish Parliament hosts faith-based gender justice exhibition showcasing women activists|date=8 March 2018|access-date=21 May 2021|publisher=Anglican Communion News Service}} for speaking about such a taboo topic. Her house was stoned and her office damaged. She was later threatened with excommunication from the Blantyre Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Central Africa for "inciting church women to seek gender justice." Due to these incidents, Phiri left Malawi for Namibia in 1996. Phiri was also involved in promoting the ordination of women in the Blantyre Synod, marching against the Synod's policy of barring women from ordination in 1995.

Phiri was a lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Chancellor College of the University of Malawi, before becoming Professor of African Theology and Dean of the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg. She has also taught at Zomba Theological College and served as editor of the Journal of Gender and Religion in Africa. From 2002 until 2007 she was the general coordinator of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians. She also served as moderator of the World Council of Churches' Commission on Education and Ecumenical Formation.

Phiri's research interests are in African theology, feminist theology and HIV/AIDS. She was a theological advisor for the Africa Bible Commentary, and wrote the articles on Ruth, Rape, The Bible and Polygamy, and Weddings and Lobola.

In August 2012, Phiri was appointed Associate General Secretary for Public Witness and Diakonia by the World Council of Churches.{{cite web|url=https://www.oikoumene.org/news/isabel-apawo-phiri-joins-wcc-as-new-associate-general-secretary|publisher=World Council of Churches|date=17 August 2012|access-date=21 May 2021|title=Isabel Apawo Phiri joins WCC as new associate general secretary}} Her role focuses on issues including racism, sexuality, climate change and justice. In 2017, she presented the "Fez Plan of Action" (Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes) to the United Nations in New York, saying that more women are needed in church leadership roles to prevent future atrocity crimes.{{cite web|url=https://news.un.org/en/audio/2017/07/630842|title=More women religious leaders needed to help prevent atrocities|date=21 July 2017|access-date=21 May 2021|publisher=UN News}}

In December 2017, Phiri was detained by Israeli authorities at Ben Gurion Airport for eight hours and refused entry to Israel for an ecumenical meeting in Jerusalem. The reason given at the time was "Prevention of illegal immigration considerations",{{cite web|url=https://www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-events/news/israel-detains-and-deports-respected-african-theologian|title=Israel detains and deports respected African theologian|date=8 December 2016|access-date=21 May 2021|publisher=Quakers in Britain}} although it was later said it was because the WCC supported Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel, although Phiri was the only one of four WCC officials refused entry.{{cite web|url=https://generalcouncil43.ca/news/global-partner-dr-isabel-apawo-phiri|title=Global Partner Dr. Isabel Apawo Phiri|date=25 July 2018|access-date=21 May 2021|first=Jim|last=Cairney|publisher=The United Church of Canada|archive-date=21 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521123346/https://generalcouncil43.ca/news/global-partner-dr-isabel-apawo-phiri|url-status=dead}} Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of The World Council of Churches, released a statement calling it an "unprecedented move"{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/in-first-israel-denies-entry-to-pro-bds-religious-activist-1.5470130|title=In First, Israel Denies Entry to Religious Official Citing Support of BDS Movement|date=6 December 2016|access-date=21 May 2021|first=Ilan|last=Lior|work=Haaretz}} and saying "The WCC deeply regrets the Israeli antagonism against the WCC's initiatives for peace with justice for both Palestinians and Israelis." In October 2018, a Jerusalem administrative appeals court invalidated the state's decision to bar Phiri entry.{{cite web|url=https://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/israeli-court-orders-reversal-on-ban-for-wccs-deputy-general-secretary/60614.htm|title=Israeli court orders reversal on ban for WCC's deputy general secretary|date=17 October 2018|access-date=21 May 2021|work=Ecumenical News|first=Peter|last=Kenny}}

In 2018, Phiri was featured in an exhibition called "Faith in Gender Justice" at the Scottish Parliament, with a photograph and her quote: "Prophetic theology has turned me into an advocate for gender justice." She has called on Christian clergy to denounce violence against women as a sin.{{cite web|url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20181007/cruel-christians-church-elder-blasts-those-who-use-bible-justify-abuse|title=Cruel Christians! - Church elder blasts those who use the Bible to justify abuse|date=6 October 2018|access-date=21 May 2021|first=Nadine|last=Wilson-Harris|work=The Gleaner}} In 2020 and 2021, Phiri has been involved in the WCC's publications on responding to the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and advocacy for vaccine equity.{{cite web|url=https://www.lutheranworld.org/news/covid-19-calling-economy-life|publisher=The Lutheran World Federation|title=COVID-19: Calling for an economy of life|date=4 May 2020|access-date=21 May 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/pressreleases/wcc-releases-health-and-hope-online-publication-as-a-resource-amid-covid-19-pandemic/|date=3 April 2020|publisher=World Council of Churches|access-date=21 May 2021|title=WCC releases 'Health and Hope' online publication as a resource amid COVID-19 pandemic}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/do-to-others-what-you-want-them-to-do-to-you-is-simple-vaccination-message/60863.htm|title='Do to others, what you want them to do to you' is simple churches' vaccination message|date=28 April 2021|first=Peter|last=Kenny|access-date=21 May 2021|publisher=Ecumenical News}}

• 1995: "Woman of the Year", Nation Newspaper for bringing gender justice into public debate in Malawi
• 1998: Honorable mention, Noma Award for Publishing in Africa for Women, Presbyterianism and Patriarchy

• {{cite book|year=1994|title=Christianity and African Women: Liberation Or Oppression?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MPzUGwAACAAJ|publisher=Chancellor College|first=Isabel|last=Apawo Phiri}}
• {{cite book|title=Women, Presbyterianism and Patriarchy:Religious Experience of Chewa Women in Central Malawi|publisher=CLAIM|first=Isabel|last=Apawo Phiri|year=2000|isbn=9783926105790|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t4IRAQAAIAAJ}}
• {{cite book|year=2002|title=Her-stories: hidden histories of women of faith in Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wMHYAAAAMAAJ|first1=Isabel|last1=Apawo Phiri|first2=Devarakshanam Betty|last2=Govinden|first3=Sarojini|last3=Nadar|author-link3=Sarojini Nadar|publisher=Cluster|isbn=9781875053339}}
• {{cite book|year=2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qzGOAAAAMAAJ|title=African Women, HIV/AIDS, and Faith Communities|first1=Isabel|last1=Apawo Phiri|first2=Bev|last2=Haddad|first3=Madipoane Joyce|last3=Masenya|publisher=Cluster Publications|isbn = 9781875053421}}
• {{cite book|title=African Women, Religion and Health: Essays in Honour of Mercy Amba Ewudziwa Oduyoye|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vGpNAwAAQBAJ|first1=Isabel|last1=Apawo Phiri|first2=Sarojini|last2=Nadar|publisher=Wipf and Stock|year=2012|isbn = 9781620320921}}
• {{cite book|title=Handbook of Theological Education in Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=giOOmwEACAAJ|first1=Isabel|last1=Apawo Phiri|first2=Dietrich|last2=Werner|first3=Priscille|last3=Djomhoué|first4=James|last4=Amanze|publisher=Regnum Books International|year=2013|isbn = 9781908355195}}
• {{cite book|title=Anthology of African Christianity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AwogzgEACAAJ|first1=Isabel|last1=Apawo Phiri|first2=Dietrich|last2=Werner|first3=Chammah J.|last3=Kaunda|first4=Kennedy|last4=Owino|publisher=1517 Media|year=2016|isbn = 9781506474922}}

• {{cite journal|url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/9b67f96da6e834b39b6183a819db76c7/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=37817|year=1997|title=Doing Theology In Community: The case of African women theologians in the 1990s|journal=Journal of Theology for Southern Africa|first=Isabel|last=Apawo Phiri|volume=99|pages=68–76}}
• {{cite journal|year=2002|url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/f4ccb92efd7e12797cfa25a804a5d374/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=37817|title="Why does God allow our husbands to hurt us?" Overcoming violence against women|journal=Journal of Theology for Southern Africa|first=Isabel|last=Apawo Phiri|volume=114|pages=19–30}}
• {{cite journal|url=https://ixtheo.de/Record/164512536X|year=2002|title=Life in fullness: gender justice: a perspective from Africa|first=Isabel|last=Apawo Phiri|journal=Journal of Constructive Theology|volume=8|issue=2|pages=71–84}}
• {{cite journal|year=2003|url=https://brill.com/view/journals/jra/33/4/article-p401_5.xml|title=President Frederick J.T. Chiluba of Zambia: The Christian Nation and Democracy|journal=Journal of Religion in Africa|first=Isabel|last=Apawo Phiri|volume=33|issue=4|pages=401–428|doi=10.1163/157006603322665332|url-access=subscription}}
• {{cite journal|year=2004|url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/b8ce5472c09bd03ed994c8a8d07e880b/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=41812|title=HIV/AIDS: An African Theological Response in Mission|first=Isabel|last=Apawo Phiri|volume=56|issue=4|journal=The Ecumenical Review|pages=422–431|doi = 10.1111/j.1758-6623.2004.tb00528.x|doi-access=free}}
• {{cite journal|year=2004|url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/0519866dd2fd6236e5dfae61cf37aa5c/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=37817|title=A Theological Analysis of the Voices of Teenage Girls on 'Men's Role in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS' in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa|journal=Journal of Theology for Southern Africa|first=Isabel|last=Apawo Phiri|volume=120|pages=34–45}}
• {{cite journal|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10130950.2004.9676034|title=African women's theologies in the new millennium|first=Isabel|last=Phiri|journal=Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity|year=2004|volume=18|issue=61|pages=16–24|doi=10.1080/10130950.2004.9676034|s2cid=142650519 |url-access=subscription}}
• {{cite journal|year=2006|title=What's in a Name? Forging a Theoretical Framework for African Women's Theologies|url=https://ixtheo.de/Record/1644943964|first1=Isabel|last1=Apawo Phiri|first2=Sarojini|last2=Nadar|journal=Journal of Constructive Theology|volume=12|issue=2|pages=5–24}}
• {{cite journal|title=Major Challenges for African Women Theologians in Theological Education (1989-2008)|journal=International Review of Mission|volume=98|number=1|year=2009|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1758-6631.2009.00009.x|pages=105–119|first=Isabel|last=Apawo Phiri|doi=10.1111/j.1758-6631.2009.00009.x|hdl=10500/4525|hdl-access=free}}
• {{cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24764316|title="Going Through the Fire with Eyes Wide Open":African Women's Perspectives on indigenous Knowledge, Patriarchy and Sexuality|first1=Isabel|last1=Apawo Phiri|first2=Sarojini|last2=Nadar|journal=The Study of Religion in Southern Africa|year=2009|volume=22|issue=2|pages=5–21|jstor=24764316}}
• {{cite journal|year=2011|title="The personal is political" : faith and religion in a public university|url=https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/EJC111092|first2=Sarojini|last2=Nadar|first1=Isabel|last1=Apawo Phiri|journal=Acta Theologica|volume=sup-4|pages=81–94}}
• {{cite journal|year=2012|title=Charting the Paradigm Shifts in HIV Research: The Contribution of Gender and Religion Studies|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/490256/summary|journal=Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion|first1=Sarojini|last1=Nadar|first2=Isabel|last2=Phiri|volume=28|issue=2|pages=121–129|doi=10.2979/jfemistudreli.28.2.121|s2cid=144142146|url-access=subscription}}
• {{cite journal|title=HIV and AIDS, Gender Violence and Masculinities: A Case of South Africa| url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09709274.2016.11906958|journal=Journal of Human Ecology|volume=53|number=1|first1=Isabel |last1= Apawo Phiri|first2=Maxwell Agabu|last2=Phiri|pages=74–86|year=2017| doi=10.1080/09709274.2016.11906958| s2cid=158391037|url-access=subscription}}
• {{cite journal|year=2020|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/erev.12492|title=Reaching the Champions of Social Justice: Blind Spots in the Ecumenical Racial and Gender Response|first=Isabel|last=Apawo Phiri|journal=The Ecumenical Review|volume=72|issue=1|pages=62–72|doi=10.1111/erev.12492|s2cid=213335603|url-access=subscription}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Chewa

Category:Malawian Presbyterians

Category:University of Malawi alumni

Category:Alumni of Lancaster University

Category:University of Cape Town alumni

Category:Academic staff of the University of Malawi

Category:Academic staff of the University of KwaZulu-Natal

Category:21st-century Malawian women writers

Category:21st-century Malawian writers

Category:Malawian theologians

Category:Women Christian theologians

Category:21st-century Protestant theologians

Category:Christian feminist theologians

Category:HIV/AIDS activists

Category:People of the World Council of Churches

Category:Elders of the Church of Scotland

Category:Academic journal editors