Epistemic Justice and the Right to Interpret

Sor Juana's cardinal offense was interpreting scripture and theology for herself, claiming the right to understand sacred texts without male clerical mediation. This act of epistemic justice—asserting her credibility as a knower—was profoundly radical. Religious institutions maintain power by controlling interpretation: only authorized interpreters (priests, theologians, clergy) possess legitimate authority to explain reality and meaning. Secular identity involves claiming this interpretive authority for oneself. This means trusting your own reasoning about ethics, meaning, identity, and reality rather than deferring to institutional expertise. It means recognizing that your lived experience and rational judgment are valid sources of knowledge. For many people leaving religion, this requires unlearning deep patterns of intellectual self-doubt. The practice of epistemic justice means speaking your understanding, supporting others' interpretive authority, and building communities where diverse perspectives are genuinely credited rather than dismissed as heresy.