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IS GOD UNFAIR ·To WOMEN?
Feminists claim that Christianity, scripture, and the God of the Bible
are
unfair to women. They demand theological rethinking.
by
Patrick A. Parnell
' 'Go's
GENDER
could jusl as
well be She as He. We
could say 'ou r Mother' in–
slead of 'our Father,' and God cre–
aled woman in Her image, rather
lhan God created man in His im–
age." These recent pronouncements
come from a growing number of ad–
amant feminists in the churches.
To the amazement of many
church leaders, scores of women are
taking issue with cherished tradi–
tions - even the Bible itself.
Women in the churches are sound–
ing a battle cry and demanding
equal rights.
They proclaim, "We wi ll be silent
no longer! Christianity and the
Bible have been male-dominated
and male-favored too long! We in–
sist on full and equal participation
with men in all levels of church de–
cision-making and power!"
A Growing Trend
Though this new feminist move–
ment within the churches is now
mainly centered 1n the United
States, indications are that it is a
spreading worldwide trend and not
just a passing American fad. Con–
versations with both meo and
women church leaders and feminists
within the churches confirm this.
Women in religion are actively
banding together and zealously urg–
ing all women everywhere, who feel
called of God, to seek ordination
into church ministries and priest–
hoods. They are requesling women
lo work as catalysts in their local
chu rches to gain support for lhe
PLAIN TRUTH
January
1974
women's movement. They want all
women to pressure the churches into
ordaining more women inlo the
minislries and lO begin giving
women equal righls.
The Nalional Organization for
Women's Ecumenical Task Force
on Women and Religion m the
United States h as even asked
women to divert their weekly contri–
butions to them for financing
projects to improve the status of
women in religion.
Gains So Far
Already, women have made ma–
jor inroads in mainline church de–
nominalions. Over eighty Prolestanl
denominations worldwide have offi–
cially ordained women inlo lheir
ministries.
Among mainline denominations.
lhe United Methodis t has the larg–
esl number of women clergy - over
322 of them. There are more lhan
240 women ministers in the United
Church of Christ, and
131
in lhe
United Presbylerian Church.
Churches like lhe Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Wesl Germany.
lhe Lutheran Church of America.
and the American Luth eran
Church, which have always been
predominanlly male-Jed and have
had a tradilionally mate hierarchy.
have opened their ministries lo
women.
Reformed Judaism. to tbe won–
derment of Jews everywhere. now
has a woman rabbi. More women
rabbis are expecled in the near
future.
Prieslhoods th at have always
been considered exclusively mate
are beginning to give way to
women.
The Episcopal Church in America
has opened its diaconate lo women.
allowing them lo preach, leach. and
administer as deacons. and it now
appears that its prieslhood is on the
verge of opening up to women a lso.
Even the Church of England may
be on the brink of allowing women
inlo the prieslhood. According lO
Jast year's president of the
1
nter–
national Association of Women
Ministers, as many as one hundred
women have been groomed for the
prieslhood. They are now only wait–
ing for formal sanctioning.
Hong Kong's Episcopal Church.
laking a jump on its sisler churches
in the Wesl. has already ordained
two women into the priesthood.
Active women's groups wilhin lhe
Roman Catholic Church haven'l
made as much progress as their Pro–
lestanl sislers. bul they are making
their presence fe lt. Nuns are organ–
izing and demanding equal rights
within the Church. They wanl
lO
attain the diaconate and even the
priesthood.
After Pope Paul Vl 's recent pro–
nouncement. again banning women
from any formal part in the minis–
try. organized groups of Catholic
women. including dozens of nuns.
openly spoke out against the Pope
and lhe Church. They called the
Pope's decree a " rebulf to women"
and another example of Calholic
"mate misogyny." One Jeading
3.7