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Is the subject of women's equality important to you? Do you think women have achieved total equality? Or has equality been acheived in some areas but not others?
One thing I find troubling about the "women's equality" question is that so often it appears that for a woman to be "equal" to a man, she must find equal opportunity to do what has typically been the man's work, as though staying home and raising children, cooking, serving, changing diapers, was somehow below the level of respectability. The argument concerning women's equality to men seems many times to devalue what has typically been seen as "women's work". It is a horrid injustice that women are denied education, equal pay for equal work, respectability in new fields, even acknowledged personhood beyond their ability to reproduce, but does a woman have to turn into a man in order to be seen as equally a member of God's Kingdom and the Priesthood of all believers? To achieve women's "equality", or what I think we may mean by that term, we must learn to value those things usually thought of as "feminine". Also, men and women are individuals, and it should not be expected, although it oftentimes is, that all men work one way and all women work another. Not to devalue the ministry of women's groups and men's groups, but there are many gifts of the Spirit given to the whole Church, individually and communally, and this generalization of how one gender or another works does not help very much in allowing room for stay-at-home dads or breadwinning single women.
Posted by: angela joy (toledo, oh)
Posted: 8/27/2006 1:25:35 PM
Taren: thanks for your honest comments about circles. Circles have been a hot topic recently in our churchwide office of Women of the ELCA. I encourage you to check out the November issues of Lutheran Woman Today magazine and Interchange, our leadership newsletter, where I've written about circles. Let me be real clear here -- one does not have to have a circle to be part of Women of the ELCA! You can organize yourselves in any way that makes sense for your current group. There are a couple of requirements in order to be an active unit of Women of the ELCA -- we can talk on that later. But back to your question about resources. We have lots of options for you. We know that some women are getting together in person monthly to discuss the story and reflection published here in Cafe. Our resource "Listening to God: A Guide to Discernment" would be an excellent piece -- it's designed for group discussion, requires minimal leadership and the materials can be read while at the meeting (no homework required). Check out our resource catalog for other possibilities.
Posted by: Linda Post Bushkofsky (Chicago, IL)
Posted: 8/25/2006 1:26:56 PM
Congregation: Churchwide office, Women of the ELCA
Quinn is the daughter of our wonderful woman minister, Dawn Enderwood in Oklahoma. She is a wonderful young lady and will be a good pastor, one of these days. I have not been challenged as a woman and have held many offices in the church and work as a secretay. How lucky I am--as I do see inequalities. Good it is being worked on.
Posted by: Mary McDowall (Edmond, OK)
Posted: 8/25/2006 12:28:07 PM
Congregation: Lord of Life
I feel the need for a womens group in our church that is fulfilling and lifts the spirit. I do not want to do the "circle" deal because my experience in the past has not been fulfilling. Too many rules and business issues to deal with in the short amount of time that todays busy Mom's and professional women have. I am looking for some simple pubilcation/literature that can open up discussion, sharing, and fellowship. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I attended Cursillo years ago before I became a Lutheran. I really liked their simple Fourth Day meeting style and thought about incorporating a similiar version along with some discussion topics.
Thanks
Taren
Posted by: Taren Myrick (Albemarle, NC)
Posted: 8/25/2006 9:23:16 AM
Congregation: First Lutheran Church
I believe "women's equality" is a misnomer. Balance does not necessarily mean equality. The intelligent recognize that women possess different, not fewer, strengths and understand that working in tandem accomplishes more. The ignorant also recognize women's strengths, but out of misplaced fear do not, or will not, acknowledge them. The fight is against ignorance, not each other. While I appreciate all the hard work done by others to open doors which once were closed, I personally do not wish to be equal to men. What I do wish is for each of us, male or female, to embrace our strengths and honestly recognize our weaknesses and realize that through God's perfect plan we were designed to work together.
Posted by: Linda Perona (Paddock Lake, WI)
Posted: 8/21/2006 3:29:18 PM
Congregation: Christ Lutheran
Attention seminarians who are reading Cafe: here's a chance to explore some global issues of women's equality, especially on the Women to Women tour! Read on.
Baltimore, August 16, 2006-Lutheran World Relief is pleased to announce the availability of three Marian Stegemoeller Memorial Scholarships for seminary students interested in participating in an LWR study visit. Each scholarship covers the cost of one full study visit, including round-trip international airfare, meals, lodging, in-country transportation, educational materials, accompaniment, tips, and honorariums. One scholarship will be awarded for each of these study visits:
- TANZANIA: Women to Women Tour, January 3-18, 2007
- NICARAGUA: LWR Coffee Project, January 5-14, 2007
- PALESTINE: Faith and Witness in the Holy Land, February 26 - March 9, 2007
More information on these trips can be found at www.lwr.org/study
Posted by: Linda Post Bushkofsky (Arlington Heights, IL)
Posted: 8/17/2006 9:56:23 AM
Congregation: Our Saviour's Lutheran
It is a good fight that we are fighting, and it certainly is not over. I was lucky enough to be born into a feminist household - to a mother who received her MBA while pregnant with me and who has worked in a very male-dominated field as a stockbroker and to a father who always told me I could be anything I wanted to be. Now as an ordained pastor I use every bit of what they taught me everyday. Mostly I remember one thing my mom told me long ago, "A woman has to do twice as much work to receive only half the credit she deserves." Sadly, this is still true - even in the church!
Posted by: Danielle (Marble Falls, TX)
Posted: 8/14/2006 4:42:49 PM
Congregation: St. Peter's
I agree we've come a long way, but there is so much further to go. The comment about being the first women to sit in a position and feeling like it was 35 years ago really hit home.
Within our own congregations we need to be on the lookout for those "first time" women. We need to be there to support them and take their side if necessary to cause change. I was recently on a committee where my professional experience was needed, but not received because I was female. The "old boys club" steam rolled right over my advice and opinions. I only hope the next women strong enough to follow in my footsteps is still stronger than me and can stand up to the pressure. I made a dent, but could not withstand the pressure and eventually resigned from the committee. Pray for today's women that they might find the strength to continue the struggle.
Posted by: Suzanne (Orange County, CA)
Posted: 8/8/2006 3:56:42 PM
NO. Women have not achieved equality. Until 50 percent of our US congresspersons and senators are women and 50 percent of our state legislators and governors are women, we have not achieved equality. Until 50 percent of our senior pastors are women, we have not achieved equality. Yes, it's changing, but slowly. We must keep struggling to achieve the leadership we rightly deserve. Women are great leaders.
Posted by: Carol Sheffer (Summerfield, FL)
Posted: 8/8/2006 2:36:05 PM
Congregation: St. John Lutheran
I am a seminary student, studying for ordained ministry. My female-ness can often be a burden, but it is a neccessary one. It makes us a different sort of pastor, in some people's eyes. It gives us access to places where a male pastor might not get. For all the stares and the comments and inequality, its worth it to me to see a young girl look up to me in a collar and realize that's something she could be when she grows up.
Posted by: erin
Posted: 8/8/2006 11:59:20 AM
Great issue! Like many of your readers, I've lived many of the struggles for women's equality. This site and its challenging articles encourage all of us to be Women of Valor in the inequities that face all peoples with the great love given us in Christ. Thank you!
Posted by: Sharon Boschen (Santa Rosa, CA)
Posted: 8/8/2006 11:44:31 AM
Congregation: Bethlehem Lutheran
Enjoy Cafe - keep up the good work. I hope lots of Christian women - young and older - are accessing this site.
Posted by: Char Thiesse (Armstrong,IA, 50)
Posted: 8/8/2006 8:34:16 AM
Congregation: Nazareth Lutheran
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