The Challenge is in the Naming

Lydia Neufeld Harder has been passionate about the church and its ministry throughout her life. She has expressed this in her commitment to theological scholarship as well as through various kinds of ministry in the congregation and broader church. She advocates for an "embodied" theology in which elements of one's identity such as social location, gender and sexuality, ethnic background and economic standing are acknowledged within the theological conversation. She directed the Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre (TMTC) from 1994-1999 and taught as an adjunct faculty member at Conrad Grebel University College (CGUC) and Toronto School of Theology (TST). Her other teaching experience includes a number of years of elementary school teaching as well as short term assignments in seminaries in Paraguay and Egypt as well as Elkhart, Indiana and Winnipeg, MB. Her area of teaching and research has been in biblical hermeneutics with a focus on feminist dialogue. More recently she has co-taught courses in the area of the church and its ministry with her husband Gary. She fully retired from teaching in 2013 but continues her interest in theology by participating in TMTC forums and the TMTC Women Scholars group. Lydia participated in the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) International Peace Committee and was deeply involved in the theological dialogues between the Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute and TMTC, visiting Iran two times. She has also been a board Member of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (eight years), a member of the Faith and Life Committee of Mennonite World Conference (2 years) and was on the editorial committee of the Believers Church Commentary Series (ten years).