Justice for Women

The ELCA is committed to challenging and eradicating sexism in this church and in society. Central to this challenge for Lutherans are the twofold theological bases of creation and baptism and the christological basis of Jesus Christ's life and death.

The director for Justice for Women calls and assists this church "to realize the full participation of women, to create equal opportunity for women of all cultures, to foster partnership between men and women, to assist this church to address sexism, and to advocate justice for women". To this end, education and advocacy are the central components of the Justice for Women comprehensive plan to effect justice for women in church and society.

Kingdom Grace is always one that makes me think. Her posts are always well thought out and thought-provoking and a goldmine of information.

Today, she has hit on the topic that I am going to write about and share about and specifically how it plays out with the ELCA. I really am not sure how to tackle this issue and to be honest, I feel like I am tip-toeing over hot coals on this issue. The reason for this is many. One, I grew up with a very conservative view and role of woman in the church. I am a male and can not comprehend all the obstacles that they have and still are trying to overcome.

So today, I am journaling the thoughts out a little for awareness.

Here are some of the commitments that the ELCA is trying to live out:

The Church Council also affirmed commitments for implementation of the strategic directions. The churchwide organization must and will:

1. Encourage, welcome, and depend upon the lively and creative exchange of resources and ideas throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America;

2. Recognize and encourage the vital contributions and deepening relationship with institutions and agencies of this church and with Lutheran, ecumenical, and
interfaith partners;

3. Confront the scandalous realities of racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, age, gender, familial, sexual, physical, personal, and class barriers that often
manifest themselves in exclusion, poverty, hunger, and violence; and

4. Pursue ardently the ELCA’s commitment to becoming more diverse, multicultural, and multigenerational in an ever-changing and increasingly pluralistic context, with special focus on full inclusion in this church of youth, young adults, and
people of color and people whose primary language is other than English.

Terminology

Here is a working definition of the three "bolded" words:

sexism: "The belief that males are superior to females, and the concurring stereotypes of characteristics assigned to each sex. The lesser value given to females is expressed and reinforced through social structures and personal attitudes."

creation: "Sexual equality in the divine image in both accounts of creation in Genesis (Gen. 1 and Gen. 2-3) is highlighted by recent careful biblical exegesis, contrary to previous interpretations that argue for an order of creation that places males above females."

baptism: "Baptism clearly marks out equal female and male participation in the life of Christ and therefore in the church."

Church in Society

DESCRIPTION:

This unit shall assist this church to step forward as a public church that witnesses boldly to all that God has created, seeking to promote justice, peace, and the care of the earth. It will seek to discern, understand, and respond to the needs of human beings, communities, society, and the whole creation through direct human services and through addressing systems, structures, and policies of society.

EXISTING PROGRAMS to be included:

Advocacy; disability ministries; environmental concerns; studies; pertinent portions of the ethnic strategies; support for social ministry organizations; domestic disaster response; social ministries for congregations; congregation-based organizing; coordination of the World Hunger program, support for domestic hunger ministries, and hunger education and interpretation; ministry among people living in poverty (MAPP Committee); and justice for women. This work is currently located in the Division for Church in Society.

COMMENTS:

1. This unit’s work for justice for women will call this church to realize the full
participation of women, to create equal opportunity for women of all cultures,to foster partnership between men and women, to assist this church to address sexism,
and to advocate justice for women.

2. A full-time director position for the churchwide organization’s work for justice for women is located in this unit. This director will present a comprehensive plan and ongoing evaluation of the churchwide organization’s work in this area. The plan will be developed collaboratively by churchwide staff from all units and partner
organizations and be presented, along with an annual evaluation, to the Church
Council (annually), as well as to the Churchwide Assembly (biennially). An advisory
committee will give advice and counsel to the director for work on behalf of women
in church and society. Administrative and budgetary oversight for this work will be
provided by the unit’s executive director. The director for justice for women will
convene and guide a churchwide internal alliance related to this arena of work.

I think these words from last year is a good summary of what a lot of woman are feeling (once again, this is a shot in the dark because I am not a woman):

The Rev. Rebecca S. Larson, executive director of Church in Society, told the assembly, "We commit this church to courageously address the scandalous frailties that address the human family and this world. One of the scandalous realities is
the glaring absence of justice for women."

What can we as individuals and what can we as churches do to help "justice for women"?