Maria Harris (1932 - 2005) - Tributes and Memories
Maria Harris was born on 8th August 1932, and died after a long illness on 1st February 2005. Maria was one of the first members of ISREV. She joined the Seminar in 1980. Maria influenced the development of the Seminar over the next twenty-five years. These pages are offered as a tribute to Maria and with gratitude for her life, her scholarship, and her friendship.
Portrait of Maria / Maria on a sunny day / Maria as teacherFor obituary see Talbot School of Theology copy from::
Religious Education, Summer 2005
(by Joanmarie Smith - 4 pages, including Bibliography).
Funeral tributes (from G. Moran, G. Durka)::
The Religious Education Association website
/
Maria & Gabriel celebrating
Tributes and Memories from members are below. Press Ctrl & Click a name to go to their contribution.
Joyce Bellous
Jerome Berryman
Sherry Blumberg
Cathie Bowness
EyvinBugge
Mark Chater / Gloria Durka
TrondEnger
John Hull
Robert Jackson
KasongaKasonga
Yaacov Katz / William Kay
Shirley Kerr
Rune Larsson
Brenda Lealman
Reinhold Mokrosch
Madonna Moran / Karl-Ernst Nipkow
Mary Peterson
Jack Priestley
Nicola Slee
PilleValk
Andrew Wright
Joyce Bellous said:
My memories of Maria are brief but I will not forget the first time I met her. I made some rather unwarranted criticism of something she wrote and didn't realize until after that she had been in the session. She was gracious and managed to say something positive. A model of response I try to copy. Perhaps my fondest memory however was this past summer. I spent some time with Gabriel and he spoke of her. Gabriel cared for his beloved with compassion and dignity and even allowed a bit of humour to lighten the weight of his loss of her remarkable presence - an inestimable friendship they had - which he honoured to the end.
May Gabriel's memories of this excellent woman sustain his days ahead,
Jerome Berryman said:
I was sitting in an important but boring academic meeting in a long-forgotten hotel. The person speaking was delivering a well-meaning but almost abusively narrow Christian message that had no regard for our Jewish brothers and sisters as well as those from other traditions. The name of "Christ" began to be unbearably abrasive. As soon as the speaker finished and sat down the sound of humming could be heard. Then a perfectly tuned, lovely, intelligent voice began to sing. The song I have forgotten but the words and music kept repeating something that left a wide open door for the peace that passes all understanding to pass through. As the music continued, everyone began to sing. I can still hear Maria's music.
Sherry H Blumberg said:
One of my most precious memories of time I spent with Maria Harris occurred atop a hill in Denmark 1990 as we all gathered for the "group picture." Maria and I, being short, were standing and waiting for others to form so we could be down in the front. I must have had a very strange expression on my face because Maria asked me what I was thinking. I turned to her and said "I am thinking how amazing it is that this little red'headed, freckleface kid from Tucson, Arizona is standing here in the presence of such remarkable people and such wonderful minds." Maria smiled, "and I" she said " was just asking myself how I got to be so blessed by grace that this little girl from Brooklyn was able to stand here with all of you." I remember feeling in awe of the shared moment; I was humbled by the idea that she, who had written so much and was a recognized scholar, could feel the same way I, who was a relatively new professor and teacher, was feeling. We shared that moment as women and as religious human beings. This memory has informed my practice and has become a model for how I try to relate to new scholars or teachers. In addition, it was the beginning of a special relationship that I held close to my heart even if far away in distance.
I wish I could have been at the funeral to hold Gabriel's hands for a moment or to give him a hug. Maria held me when I battled cancer, and her love and prayers helped to strengthen me. My heart is with him, as I know Maria's love is with us all. Top
Cathie Bowness said:
First ISREV,
First time nerves,
First smile of reassurance,
First ISREV memory.
Maria - - - - - first class scholar and first lady.
God bless. Top
EyvinBugge said:
The professional and musical contributions of Maria Harris were of central importance in our ISREV-context and became more and more so over the years. For me, personally, a thorough talk, which we had at the Goslar-konference in 1994, was an inspiring and unforgettable experience.
Dear Gabriel! My thoughts are with you. May the Lord bless you and keep you. Top
Mark Chater said:
Maria Harris: a dynamic teacher, a woman of profound, grounded optimism, someone who understood spirituality by living it, and whose care for individuals was thoughtful, attentive and warming. Maria, you have left a gap in the hearts of many colleagues and friends. Thank you for everything you said, did and were. May you rest in peace.Top
Gloria Durka said:
I first met Maria in 1969 when we were both graduate students in New York City. From the first meeting I recognized that she was very special indeed. When I was hired at Boston College, I was thrilled to discover that Maria was joining the faculty at Andover Newton Theological School which was just down the road. During those early days of Catholic feminism, we enjoyed much sharing and sisterhood with women who were teaching at neighboringinsitutions. Joanmarie Smith (aka Dulcie), Maria and I also supported each other at professional meetings and scholarly associations. We were each other's staunchest supporters and most honest critics. We enjoyed many "hard conversations and deep connections" to use Carol Lakey Hess' phrase. Then I moved back to New York and accepted a position at Fordham University. To my great joy, Maria joined our faculty and we team-taught several courses. For six years I had the benefit of observing her teaching and witnessing the gestation of ideas which blossomed into essays and books. No one can deny that Maria had a sparkling personality and that she was always approachable. I treasure that recollection of her. But I also prize her sharp intellect, her insatiable curiosity, and her critical analytical skills. Her generosity was remarkable--not only did she share her warmth and charm with all she met; she shared her wisdom and her scholarship. She would freely share her teaching notes, her course prospectuses, and drafts of her essays and articles. Maria was my friend, colleague and most of all, she was truly my sister. Top
TrondEnger said:
ISREV without Maria is both for my wife Heidemarie and me - as for all other in the ISREV-family – a poorer ISREV – poorer of joyfulness, poorer of warmth, poorer of inspiring thoughts. We thank God that we had the opportunity to meet Maria over a period of almost 20 years, and that we can still meet some of her in our memories and in her inspiring writings. Top
John Hull said:
In 1980 I gave a plenary paper in Schenectady, where the second session of ISREV was taking place in Union College. I was rather taken aback to find that from time to time my remarks were gently but persistently interrupted by a soft hissing, and sometimes I thought I heard the word ‘sick’. I continued in spite of this, but immediately after my presentation I was suddenly surrounded by a group of American women. They were all attending the seminar for the first time, and included Dulcie Smith, Gloria Durka and Maria Harris. They explained that they objected to the way I had unconsciously excluded them every time I had referred to ‘the Christian doctrine of man’, or ‘the salvation of man’.
I had read some feminine theology but this was the first time I had met such people in person. I was deeply impressed, began to change my style of writing and speaking, and returned to Britain to introduce an editorial change in the British Journal of Religious Education. I believe that the BJRE thus became the first academic educational journal in the UK to adopt a gender free style.
The impact of Maria upon me continued every time we met. I listened to several of her presentations, and was always amazed and delighted with the sparkling flow of metaphor, humour and wisdom that seemed to flow from her lips. Maria was one of the first people to write to me just after the publication of Touching the Rock in 1991, and I still have her letter. A few years later, she wrote the introduction to the American edition of God Talk with Young Children. I will never forget the contribution she made to me and to so many of us. A wonderful listener, she had a way of making you feel that you were very important to her, and this graciousness was one of her loveliest characteristics. God bless you, dear Maria, and thenks for everything. Top
Robert Jackson said:
I first started to get to know Maria in 1984 at the Kemptville seminar. She was just so affirmative and confidence boosting about research ideas, and she was so full of joy. Her own inspiring, creative work - 'healing' as well as educating - continues to challenge the kind of objectives led stuff that dominates education over here. Top
KasongaKasonga said:
I want to share here my thoughts about the loss of our dear Maria. I remember Maria when I met her in 1986. I was a doctoral student at Princeton Theological Seminary. Maria came on a teaching assignment at the Seminary as a Visiting Professor. During her stay she took time to read and correct parts of my dissertation entitled "Toward Revisioning Christian Education in Africa; A Critical Reinterpretation of Hope and Imagination In Light of African Understanding of Muoyo (Life)" which was due in 1987. Her insights just fascinated me. What impressed me most was her insistance on the power of imagination in the art of teaching. "Teaching, she said, is like the art of dancing; you move one step forward, one step backwards, and then sideways, and so forth." This thought has remained with me in my own teaching carrier. I continue sharing it with my own students as one part of wisdom I have gained from Maria. Her soul remains in peace forever! Top
Yaacov J Katz said:
I will always remember Maria Harris as a quiet but forceful ISREV member who had a good word for all, and even for those who met her only at the ISREV seminars she attended while still in good health.
My deepest sympathy to Gabriel.Top
William Kay said:
I remember Maria as always being with Gabriel. I remember her through two remarks, one made by her about him and one made by him about her. I was talking with her in the 1990s about her life and she said, at the end of a recital of events, 'and then Gabriel asked me if I would do him the honour of marrying him' and, as she said these words, she choked with tears. Even after all those years of being together, the emotion overcame her.
The other occasion took place when we met in Los Angeles in 1996 and, during our customary Thursday evening of fun and games, Maria led us in singing. She sat on the stage, and like a good music teacher, had us all singing our (increasingly complicated) parts while she skilfully conducted. Afterwards Gabriel commented to me with words to the effect that for Maria, with religion there were many ways of doing things, but with music there was only one. Like the rest of us, I recall Maria with great affection and only wish that I had more of those sparkling conversations with her. Top
Shirley Kerr said:
1980: my second ISREV and the year Maria burst unforgettably into the ISREV scene, cute, perky, dressed in her nun’s uniform. First impressions, dynamic as they were, did no justice to that little volcano of talent that was continually erupting in all directions always reaching out in an exploration of new ways to appreciate and draw out what was in the other and to share her very person with you and everyone else and make each one feel more special in the process.
Like so many others, I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of what she produced even before I delved into its quality, breadth and originality. I confess to envy when she told me she had no problem writing – she just sat down and the words poured out!
I remember Gabriel’s first ISREV. I stood in awe of this tall, somewhat austere brother – another giant in our world of religious education. I watched from the sidelines as two magnets were slowly drawn towards each other. Somewhere along the line they reached a point where they could no longer resist the power of the attraction and at a later ISREV the two had become one and merged into a whole that brought out new dimensions in each and into their work as individuals and together.
I last saw Maria in 1994. A year later my husband died. Nicola Slee subsequently told me about Maria’s illness and I realised that this golden couple was to experience the depths of pain that is the lot for some to endure. We would all have wished otherwise. But Maria, who was drawn into the Holocaust and its suffering, would not flinch. Nor would Gabriel. And wholeness will be restored in heart and memory. Top
Rune Larsson said:
The last time I met Maria was in Jerusalem 2000. I remember the meal we had together with Gabriel and my wife, Karin. It was as always something special to meet Maria As the brilliant educator she was, she was listening after the meaning more than my too bad skill to talk, she took the needed time to ask good questions and to be a part in the creating of a real dialogue. At my first trip to the United States IN America (as I learned from Gabriel) I looked through a lot of books from the hand of Maria. The book I love more than all the other is "Fashion Me a People". It has followed me all the years since then, I have given it to my students, referred to it in writings and preachings, and lived with the creative and holistic way of thinking. Her writings, thinking and being as person and friend was a great gift to me as it has been to so many friends over the whole world. My thoughts have been with Maria and Gabriel so many times over the last years. My wife and I thank the Lord for all the gifts Maria so generously shared with us. Top
Brenda Lealman said:
Exhilarating times, the early 1980s, exploring religious experience/spirituality in a school context: could/should students be helped to grow spiritually as well as being informed about world religions? Could the arts make a contribution? Heady times but lonely in a way. It was pioneering work, not appreciated by all. Then, I forget how, I was in touch with Maria (and Gloria Durka), and over many years met them at ISREV. From them both, but this is about Maria, I found enormous encouragement; support for and critical understanding of what I was attempting; reviewing and promotion of my work in the USA. Maria's writings have been a source of great inspiration to me - writings from the heart yet retaining intellectual integrity, weaving together thinking and practice, academic expertise and emotional response. I value Maria's contribution to women's studies, her daring explorations of women's spirituality. Her work helped to give direction to my pursuit of (can I call it?) the anima of RE. I find it hard to accept that Maria with her youthfulness, vibrancy, humour, warmth, light is no longer with us. And yet she lives on in so many ways. Most RE-related books have now left my shelves, but Maria's remain and I continue to dip into them for pleasurable, stimulating reading. It has been a privilege to know Maria, and I am grateful for her life and all that she gave me. Top
Reinhold Mokrosch said:
It was in summer 1988. I had received an invitation to the ISREV-seminar in Stony Point/NY. I dared to ask my wife Viola whether she would like to travel together with me. I was not sure that she would agree because of her general critical attitude towards theologians. „If there are also committed women who participate in an active manner, I 'd gladly go"; she said. I only knew Gloria Durka and rather reluctantly told my wife that I hoped she would not be disappointed.
We went to Stony Point and - apart from Gloria - became acquainted with the equally charming Maria Harris With her friendliness, warm-heartedness and open-mindedness she was brighter than the sun. In her feminist wisdom she appeared aglow with spirit. She was a being of the light. Viola was fascinated by her personality and her literature and resolved from that time on to participate in all future ISREV-conferences. Of course, I was just as enthusiastic about our acquaintance with Maria Harris as my wife. Last not least, thanks to Maria Viola did not miss out any ISREV-conference ever since.