Review of Fragments for Fractured Times by Nicola Slee

 Fragments for Fractured Times: What Feminist Practical Theology Brings to the Table, by Nicola Slee, London: SCM Press, 2020, 274+xiii pp., £25.00 (PBK). ISBN: 978-0-334-05908-0

This a book which seeks to explain what Feminist Practical Theology brings to the table through being Feminist Practical Theology rather than seeking to define it. This is a collection of papers, poems and theological reflections given by Professor Slee over the course of twelve years in different settings ranging from student conferences, international theological journals, social movement gatherings to sermons. It is unsurprising that the collection appears at times unpredictable and a little eccentric because that sums up the uniqueness of the author. She makes no pretence that this book is written in anything other than her authentic voice, because that is at the centre of what being a feminist practical theologian means.

There is a short introduction when she explains that the richness and diversity of what is described above was an intentional decision in putting this book together. This diversity means I would recommend it to a diverse readership: students of practical theology, particularly at post-grad level; feminist and other church goers who need to be given stimulation to explore beyond the boundaries they have sometimes been given, and finally poets and dreamers interested in spirituality.

 Chapter one is a version of the lecture she gave as she was inaugurated into the Queen’s Chair in Feminist Practical Theology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The most important aspect of this chapter is to seek to locate Feminist Practical Theology in a place between systematics and identity-based liberation theories, (particularly queer and post-colonial theory). One could argue that she is seeking to have her cake and eat it by placing herself, and others in a position of fluidity which lies between poles she places at either end. One could also suggest that, particularly in view of the multiple forms of feminist theology she acknowledges that she is being somewhat harsh lumping queer and post-colonial theology in an extreme place which she at times wants to identify with and other times distance herself from. The truth, which this book most visibly illustrates in chapter eight, The Work of Standing, The Joy of Dancing: A Spirituality to Sustain the Long Haul which is a paper given to the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement AGM in 2008 is that today intersectionality means that whilst one may define oneself as a “feminist” ,rather than a “queer” theologian, categories are more complex than her initial positioning of theories other than feminism suggests. Indeed, her identity and expression of feminism, as expressed in this book, seems heavily weighted in a late, second-wave form of feminism. It would be interesting to have her interviewed by the writers of Magnify Magazine and see what their points of agreement and divergence would be, for example.

All that said however, one should not lose sight of the massive contribution this book makes and what it has to teach. The second section of the book, (chapters two-five), look at A Feminist Practical Theology of Liturgy and Prayer. This makes one take a real look at the intensity of spiritual practice and how at times it is sensual and physical in nature. She has an interesting, more traditionally academic article in chapter four which was published in Theology and Sexuality on God-language in Public and Private: A Place for Integrating Gender, Sexuality and Faith. As is the nature of the journal it was published in this was perhaps the most complex piece in the book.

Part three of the book, (chapters six-eight) looked at A Feminist Practical Spirituality and had a raw realness to it, as she sought to wrestle and theologically reflect on the reality of the Brexit vote in its immediate aftermath amongst other things. The strength of theological reflection in the book is one of its strengths. Theological reflection is talked about lots but for some reason many people find it hard to do well. Slee is a master and anybody who wants to understand it as an art should be encouraged to read this book.

Chapters nine-eleven, part four of the book look at A Feminist Practical Theological Poetics. Nicola Slee is a gifted poet and the spirituality within this and use within theological reflection is unpacked here in a way which yet again oozes both realness and slight eccentricity.

As I read part 5 of the work and particularly chapters thirteen on Research as Transformative Spiritual Practice and fourteen on Reading and Writing as Transformative Spiritual Practice I personally wanted to hug the author and ensure this book is mandatory for all doctoral practical theology students. I’m currently part way through my Dth (professional doctorate in Practical Theology) and have been working out why I’m doing it and how to get myself motivated again. This book gave me the kick up the backside I needed and helped me find the motivation I need. Yes, I want to be taken seriously and get the qualification but more than that I have a deep need to study this stuff and be part of the professional community talking about it all. I’m doing my study because I’m still the same person who has blagged their way into conferences when skint by helping on the bookstall or acting as a steward when skint in the past. I’m the person who is writing this review because I’ve spent way too much recently on practical theological and missiological books because I have a need to read and think about this stuff. Slee’s chapters helped me see I need to keep going because I can do no other and if I could I wouldn’t continue to do the studying and putting myself through all this. After a prolonged patch of needing to get my backside moving this book has explained to me why I’m going to keep going and why it will be a slog, particularly as my dyslexia doesn’t make academic writing easy. Anyway, this review is about the book, not my academic struggles but it does illustrate why I think this book is invaluable reading for those about to embark on doctoral studies.

The final part is about A Feminist Practical Theology of the Christa and chapters sixteen to nineteen talk about imagining Christ and God as woman amongst a number of other identities which many would find shocking. Now I have to admit if somebody put some of these ideas to me on a Sunday morning I might find them shocking, but in this context I didn’t. They seemed comfortably what one would expect.

A small sub-theme through the more recent writing is Slee’s own aging, not that I personally think 60ish is particularly old, but that may be because I’m only a decade or so behind, Anyway, point is that the image of God as Feisty Crone is what she chooses to conclude with.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, particularly to two groups of people: 1) young women in  churches who are seeking to explore their feminist identities alongside their faith and 2) practical theology students. Is it value for money? Yes…..this is a book which has much that is rich to offer and it’s available in paperback.