Christine writes:-
I studied Divinity at Bishop Grosseteste College, Lincoln when training as a teacher. I also read Literature, Arts and Humanities at the Open University. Later on I studied Anglo-Irish Literature at University College, Cork. My dissertation there was on the poety of Brian Patten: "A Blade of Grass". I then commenced Phd studies in Literature and Theology, combined with Women's Studies at the University of Durham (under the tutelage of Dr. David Jasper). I continued with this at Glasgow, but had to defer due to pressures of time and expense......
My concerns with woman's issues are not simply because of my own life experiences as a woman but to foster dialogue and consciousness-raising for deeper understanding and better relationships between women and men.....when there is an imbalance in power structures....rebalancing is first recognising the position we are coming from...identifying that and then engaging in dialogue....for a long time it would seem that many women are still apologising for themselves!..I do it myself!!!
There are other issues too that we constantly need dialogue on:- race, religion, culture, disabilities, age....we all need self-confidence to take an equal place in the world..the goal is a balanced position..one of harmony..
On a few occasions when I was in Germany, I read my story 'I will drown my baby and me' ..one of those stories that poured itself out. At the time of writing it, I was a member of women's groups in Cork and was also a Rape Crisis Officer...a combination of deep thoughts and feelings caused the outpouring of the story. Hilary Charman had translated it into German for me. Regine Kress-Fricke read the story in translation while I read it in English.
Following one of the readings over there I was greatly honoured by a man who stood up after the reading and declared 'every man should hear this story!' The German translation has been published in 'Die kleine Europa' a collection put together by Dorothea Iser and Heinz Kruschel ISBN 3-910146-12-0
Read published article by Christine Michael: "The Religious Experience of Women"
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