Penny Magee

Penelope Margaret Magee was born on 11 June 1937. She grew up in Brisbane in a Catholic family.

Magee received degrees from the University of Melbourne, Adelaide and Lancaster.[1] She studied at the University of South Australia and undertook postgraduate studies under supervisors Ninian Smart and Eric Sharp.[2]

Magee was a religious studies scholar who specialised in feminist studies and eastern religions.[2] She taught Asian Studies and Religion Studies at the University of South Australia until May 1994.[1] She was an active member of the Australian Association for the Study of Religion (AASR) for many years, serving as Secretary/Treasurer as well as being a founding member of the AASR's journal, Australian Religious Studies Review.[2]

Magee was an advocate for the recognition of religious studies and feminist religious studies in the academy, founding the Women's Caucus of the AASR and campaigning for greater inclusion of women's voices in the association.[2] She was also one of the founding members of the group Ordination of Catholic Women.[1] After her death, the Women's Caucus of the AASR established the Penny Magee Memorial Lecture in her honour. The Women's Caucus is responsible for the selection of the speaker each year and the lecture is held at the AASR's annual conference.[2]

Magee was a teacher and concert pianist.[2] She died of cancer on 17 February 1998 leaving four children and three grandchildren. An obituary by Marie Louise Uhr was published in the journal Women-Church.[1] Anglican priest Sarah Macneil celebrated Magee's funeral service at Moruya and a public memorial was later held in Adelaide.[1]