Britain & Ireland School of Feminist Theology
BISFT
Summer School 2020
BISFT, the brainchild of Myra Poole and Dorothea McEwan, first met to plan a Summer School in 1989.  The committee at that time was Myra, Dorothea, Lisa Isherwood, Mary O’Gorman, Annette Reed, Emma Shackle, Henrietta Stewart, Karen Thomson, Mary Quenby, Janet Wootton and Alexina Murphy. After the first Summer School Elizabeth Purdam joined the group.  Some  meetings were attended by Janet Lees and Fiona Wynne.

Following the Lampeter Summer School in 1992 the committee became the Core Group, with Myra, Dorothea, Janet, Lisa, Elizabeth and Emma. Myra and Dorothea left the Core Group after the Durham Summer School in 1994.  

Various satellite groups were formed at the same time to deal with the ever increasing projects that BISFT developed, for example, the Journal of Feminist Theology, Distance Learning Courses in Feminist Theology, and later the Sophia Fellowship

The idea for a journal was first proposed by Lisa in October 1990 and those on the first subcommittee were Lisa, Dorothea, Mary O’Gorman, Mary Quenby, Emma Shackle, Henreitte Stewart and Janet Wootton.  The idea was taken up by Sheffield Academic Press and the first issue was launched at the Lampeter Summer School as ‘Feminist Theology –the Journal of BISFT’ - editors Lisa, Dorothea and Janet.  In May 1993 Catherine Norris and Elizabeth Purdam joined the editorial committee. Julie Clague joined in September1993 and  Lillalou Hughes in 1995.  The editorial team since 2000 has been Lisa, Janet, Julie and Lillalou.  In 2002 Continuum took over Sheffield Academic Press and the journal continues to be published as an SAP imprint.

Background History