A theology of daughterhood: The challenges of modern biology to theology today

Abstract

Thanks to the benefits of modern medical science, the average life-span in European populations is gradually increasing. This longevity has resulted, in turn, in the number of older citizens increasing as a percentage of the overall population. Reflecting on these biological, statistical and generational facts, John Starr develops a theology of daughterhood drawing on the varied relationships of daughters to parents as this is found in the biblical sources. His preliminary study in this area is a first step towards developing a theological view of the contemporary social transformation of the role of daughters towards that of carers. (This paper was selected as the winning entry in the 2015 Fraser Essay Prize competition.)