Ecumenical forum of
Christian Women in
Dunblane
(
Theology from the Gender Perspective
in a Protestant Country
Bible
study for the seminar
ThMgr.
Outline: And
God created woman. Presentation. PPT (4´)
1.
And what God created, everything was good
Biblical texts: a)
Genesis 1, 26-28 - explanation
b) Genesis 2, 18-25 - explanation
Woman
- PPT presentation (1´)
2. How human spoiled everything by sin
a)
Genesis 3 – sin- explanation
b)
Status of woman in history
c)
Discussion questions- seeking answers
d)
Found answers presented in plenary, (if there are small groups}
+
my efforts to answer.
3.
How Christ renewed everything
Biblical texts- New Testament
a)
Jesus and his relationship to women
b)Women
in the Early Church
c)
Present days -postpatriachal era
4. Vision – common (?)
Adam and Eve
Introduction.
Dear sisters, before our common reflection on
relationship of woman to man in relationship to God, we shall display a short
power point presentation. I don´t know, the author. Presentation speaks about
the value of woman: who is woman, what is typical about her, or what should she
become. I consider it
very inspirational and encouraging, full of appreciation, due to its poetical and full-of-love words.
It is specially benefiting when addresing everyday reality, which is far from
being full of love and poetical. Reality, is unfortunatelly, contrary to that.
PPP:
And God created woman
1.
How God Created All Things Good.
Did you like image of woman all together with
everything, that Creator granted to her:
Yes, there are people, who see
woman – so called „weaker half of humanity“-
in such an honorable way. What is
more common though, and what women encounter more often is: undermining,
down-looking, neglecting, mockery, joking on women´s stupidity, capriciousness,
and suspicion of competing with men, or
even ruling over men. Of course, neither men, nor women are perfect. On
individual level, it is possible to reproach a number of things, but never less
than to men. Where does originate the hatred, which has been ranging all
through the centuries? God created woman in His image, that same as he did man.
Let us hear the authentic account in the Biblie.
1a) Genesis 1, 26-28: 26 „Then God said, „Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that
creeps upon the earth.“ 27 So God
created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and
female he created them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said tu them: „Be
fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing
that moves upon the earth.“
In
the beginning of the Apostles´ Creed we confess: I believe in God Father,
Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
We
are not celestial beings, we are people, inhabitance of the Earth. Both women
and men are inhabitants of Earth created by the Creator. When we speak of
creation, we may do it in a way of pyramide of creation, starting with the
simple , ending with the highest- the most developed forms of life. If I say
HUMAN, I mean human being, it does´t matter, whether a man or a woman. Such is
the message of Biblie. It is unthinkable for us Christians to exist without
biblical faith in Lord God- Creator. That´s why notion : HUMAN, is understood
by us in fulness, it means the way it is proclaimed in Bible. It also forms our
consciousness, that Lord God is and was in everything and nothing happend
without HIM. The origin of the world is not an accident. There IS, there
exists CREATOR: Lord God.
When
God was deciding to create the human, as a climax of creation, he used –
grammatically spoken- first person of plural. Was he speaking only about
himself, is it so called plural maiestaticus, as did kings use, or was he
speaking about the heavenly beings? (let us create human to our likeness....).
Some theologians think, it may be likeness to the celestial beings. (There are
some texts, like 1 Kings, 22:19n and Psalm 8, with reference to that- to the
likeness to heavenly beings.) What are these heavenly beings like? Wise and
good. This is the way, that angels are characterised for exmple in 2 Samuel but
at other places in Bible. What are the things, in which human displays likeness
to God? The exegets differ in their opinions and explanations. From the witness
of the Biblie, it is clear, that the human being as a whole, inclusive human´s
body is created in God´s image, thatś why, it is not possible to reduce God‘s
image in human on to just one or more separated characteristics. It is not
stated in what concretly is the likeness seen. Maybe, for example in capacity
to rule over animals.
It
is also unclear whether creation of
human being as man and woman is in connection with being created to the
God´s image. In any case, what the text expresses is that gender belongs to
God´s order of creation and that it is a God‘s gift. It excludes both
deifying and condemning of sexuality. But if we know, that first human was
created in God´s image, then we the same way know, that both man and woman bear
this God´s image. We also know, that this image did not remain unbroken.
1b) Second proclamation
on creation of human. It is more detailed, especially as for the creation of
woman.
Genesis 2, 18-24:
18 „Then the Lord God said: „It is not good that the man should be alone;
I will make him a helper fit for him.“ 19 So out of the ground the
Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought
them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called
every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all cattle,
and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man
there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man and while
he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place whith flesh; 22 and the
rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and
brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said: „This at last is bone of my
bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken
out of
1c)
PPP Power point presentation -WOMAN
Lord
God created everething that exists. It is the first truth. The second one is:
EVERYTHING, that God created was good!!! And, the climax of God´s good creation action was creation of
HUMAN.
There
are two ways in which human differs from the other creatures:
a}
human was the only one created in God‘s image.
b}
it was only human, to whom stewardship and the rule over the entire creation
and the garden of Eden was mandated.
Human got both right and the task (a duty).
The
story of creation is conveyed the way, to be easily comprehended both by
As
the concept : created in „ God‘s image“ is concerned, we must know, it is valid
only about the human (man and woman). Thus human is lifted from the sphere of
animals and uplifted up high to the personal relationship with the Creator. The
most Supreme Lord, makes human into the lord over all other creatures. The
likeness with God is the base truth for human´s existence and being, it reaches
so far, that even the total failure of human – sin – does not thouroughly
destroy this relationship. If the human is equated to the level of animal, it
is a lie about the image of God.
Lord
God created human only after He had prepared conditions for his/her existence
on the Earth – the „garden of Eden“ - the place designed for human´s life. The
human though is not created for a lonely, self-satisfying existence. None of
the animals qualifies to be his/her equal companion. Lord God creates human as
a couple, as a pair, man and woman. Woman is to be and is „equal to man“. It is
valid the other way too: man is equal to woman. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created
him; male and female he created them... and God saw, everything He created, and
it was very good. These two are not identical, each is different, but
both are God´s original. It is the way God wanted it. Both are equally valiant.
Human
is created from the dirt of the earth, and ADAM- dirtman is his name. It means
that from the point of view of materia, he is related to the other living
beings, he is from the same material as the surrounding nature. Despite of that
none of the animals is his equal partner, human feels lonely in their mids. He
got a gift of speach (he is able to name everything), he got the ability to
rule, but he does not have a fellowship-close companionship with anyone.
The
creation of woman is a symbolic action. The very fact, that the human body was
only one, pre-signs the belonging together- complemetarity, which leads back to
desire to be one again. They are both from the entirely same material. The
„rib“ language is not an accident as well. Woman is not formed from scull or
from leg of man. It means, that woman should not seek overriding of man, the
same way as man should not „step“ on woman, but he should love her with all his
heart and guard her with mighty arm. (Rib comes from man´s side, under his shoulder and is close to the heart.}
The first name given to woman is ADAMA – derived from ADAM, it means also
„taken from the dirt“- equal to the man.
There
are two facts in the second story of creation (Jahwist) , which are used to
prove the unequal status of woman. Woman was created as second one, after the
man had been created and man gave her a name – even though, he was not mandated
by God to do so.
After
the fall into sin, Adam called his wife „Chavvá“- Eva – mother of all livings
one, but it is said, it also means: love, pain and defiance.
Prof.
Bandy´s conclussions, drawn from two biblical stories on creation of human:
1. Woman should partake in ruling over the creation. (Gen 1,26)
2. Woman is also created in God´s image. ( Gen 1,27)
3. Woman is an equal helper to man (Gen 2, 18)
4. Man and woman are two variations of one being. Gen 2,23b
5. Creation of woman as a second, after man (gen 2,21-23) gives some space
for a theoretical reasoning of lower status of woman. (1Tim 2, 11-15)
2. How human destroyed everything by sin
2a)
Genesis 3 -sin- exegesis
Why didn´t everything remain as beautiful as in the
beginning? The third chapter of Genesis answers us when describing original
reason of all evil in the world. Human sined and together with sin he brought
into the world evil, suffering and death. The messangers of death are illnesses,
and pains. Consequences of sin are sorrow, loneliness and despair. How did it
happen? We know the story. Devil, in the image of snake tempted woman to taste
from the forbidden fruit and she did and gave it also to her husband. He did
not resist the desire to be wise like God. Pride and disobedience to God is the
first guilt, that became a curse and the heritage illness of all humankind. Let
us read some verses from Genesis 3, about the punishment for sin.
Genesis 3, 12-13: „The
man said: „The woman, whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the
tree, and I ate.“ Then the Lord God said to the woman: „What is this that
have you done?“ The woman said: „The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.“
Genesis 3, 16-17: „To
the woman he said: „I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain
you shall bring forth children, yet yourdesire shall be for your husband, and
he shall over you.“ And to Adam he said: „Because You have listened to the
voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you,
You shall not eat o fit, cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall
eat o fit all the days of your life;...“
3,
20: „The man called his wife´s name Eve, because she was the mother of all
living.“
Man
and woman had been created free and equal within the harmonic (Gen 1, 27-31)
world, but after the fall man was punished by the hard work and the struggled
with the nature and woman was given pains at delivery and man´s rule. (Gen 3, 16-19.) Tragedy of sin destroyed the „good“ and the „perfect“ what
God had created. Sin is not just a
„beauty mistake“, sin is a tragedy. It is also a tragedy to doubt, or to
overestimate the „apple“. The ripped fruit is the symbol of sin forever. But
not the symbol fertility. Let us not
forget, that the God´s blessing: „Be
fruitful and multiply,“ was given to humans before the fall. The heart of
sin is scorning Creator and His word. To scorn the Creator in whatever way, to
scorn his Word, will and his Law IS SIN.
Woman believed more the word and the promise of the tempter than command
of God, and man believed more the human (woman´s) word. Both are equally guilty. We know, that sin goes on, always taking on newer likeness.
It is like a snowball rolling down the slope. According to the Genesis 6,6
there was suddenly so much evil in the world, that God regreted He had created the human on the earth and his
heart ached. It is horrible. Human being
disappointed God. Both man and woman did it. It is not only in the creation,
but in sinning, where humans – men and women are equal. Both man and woman are
guilty, equally sinful. But both man and woman are still dear to God. This is
not only human, but this world as well, which is so dear to God. For God so loved the world, that he gave His
only Son, so that the one who believes in Him will not perish but has the life
eternal. Here in the summary of
Gospel, John 3,16, is Genesis 6,6 overcome.
Love beats the anger. Lord God is granting back the chance to live life
eternal. And the life eternal is prepared for man and woman, adult and child,
white and black, yellow and red, young and old, scientist and illiterate, for
rich and for homeless, for ordained and the lay. God loved and loves human
being. Such is the witness of the Bible.
What
one can´t find in Bible is the imagination of eternally superior status of men
over women, an idea of eternal UP THERE and DOWN HERE. In Greek thought it is a
matrix serving as source for ever valid hierarchies, such as: superiority of
reason over the emotion, spiritual over flesh; public space over individual
space, history over nature, etc. These
so called eternal laws were inserted into the interpretation of the
Bible after the categories of greek philosophy had influenced Scripture
exposition.
2b) Status of women in history.
The
evident consequence of sin is misogyne, being spread all through the history of
the world. Chinese saying states: „Woman
should be like water, not to having
image and voice.“ Indian proverb: „ To educate woman means to water the
neighbourg´s garden. - (it means it is wasting of time)“. Hinduist women pray
not to give birth to a girl. According to the islamic law witness of a woman at
the court must be confirmed by three men, to be counted as relevant. In
Where
is the origin of the diabolic hatred to women? Please, do not start believing
that men are the enemies of women. Sure, they have their part in that and are
accountable for that in front of the Creator. But it is not possible to
understand this wholistic attack on „femality“, without admiting the presence
of spiritual powers of evil, as the Holy Scripture warn us: Your fight is
not against the body and blood, but against the mights....Of course, it
doesn´t mean, that men and women have no resposibility for what is happening.
But, as I said, it is impossible to comprehend the attack on Eve and her
daughters unless we discern the knight of darkness and his extraordinary hatred
to women.
Let
us get back to the Garden of Eden. Whom did devil chose when attacking human
race? He could have chosen Adam, but he decided for Eve. Why? Maybe he
considered her weaker and thus easier catch. But he may well had another
reason. According to Ezechiel 28, 12-14, the Lucifer was an angel – cherub full
of wisdom and beauty. But pride overwhelmed him and he wanted all to bow
infront of him as they did in front of God. It was his failure, thus he became
Satan. Because of the envy, he attacs woman, who is the embodiment of God´s beauty
and glory in creation. That‘s why Satan hates her by the unspeakable jealousy.
He hates Eve also because of her being mother of all living, she brings life to
the world. Satan has been a murder since
the beginning (John 8,44), he brings death, his is the kingdom of death.
The bearer of life is the biggest threat to the bearer of death. This is why he
attacs her in an extraordinary great hatred.
History removes all doubts. /J.a S. Eldredge/
It is not just victory of patriachate over the
matriachate in the beginning of history, but gradual replacing of women to the
margins of society. Witch-hunts in 14th-17th century represent
especially dark chapter of the history. They yielded into killing of more than
a million people. 85-90 percent were women, mainly wise ones, such as healers,
herbs collectors, birth assistances, simply those who came into contact with
the secrets of nature and life. Persecution was gradually focusing more and
more on women. Inquisition supported its trials by talmudic statement: „The more women, more withches.“ And
also Exodus 22,17 : „Don´t let witch live.“ Exterminating action against
withches could grow because of the religious fanatism, but another helping
factor was early stage of medicine. Developing new science needed to wrestle
with the concurence of the folk healers. Burning of witches at the stakes
decreased only after higher and educated
society circles had become threatened. Enlightment and development of
natural sciences was another witch-hunts eliminating factor.
But still they were centuries to go, to quit
considering woman as man´s property (there are still places, where women did not
cease to be their husbands´ property). It took time to allow women to study at
the universities (still not achieved in entire world ), and long way led to
granting women election rights. We can still hardly speak about total
equality.
2c)
Questions for the group work.
2. What did sin do to God‘s image in human?
3. What God´s image do carry we, nowadays women?
2d)
Results of discussion presented in plenary. + conclussion of answers:
Let us reassemble the message of first 3 chapters of
Genesis. What do they say about the relationship of men and women.
God created human in His image as man and woman. What
image? God is Spirit, and those
worshiping Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. It is not possible
to make or to form the image of Spirit. Second God´s Command forbids to make
image of God, so that human don´t imprint in it its own imagination. Why man
and woman? We know God as Creator, Lord and Father. But inspite of that, he is
not MAN.
Whole human being, not just one of his/her
characteristics resembles God´s image. Don´t we miss something? Ruach, Spirit
of God is in hebrew feminine gender. Beside that, Bible speaks of the Glory of
God (Šechíná, Exodus 16,7.10; Ex 24,16
a 33,22; Numeri 14,21; 1Kings. 8,11) what was it? What is it? It had an
image of a cloud and fire, and while it was dwelling over and in the God´s
covenant arch Israelites would not follow in wandering in the dessert.
There is
another mystical and secret being (maybe personified) – God´s Wisdom, mentioned
in first 9 chapetrs of the Proverbs and elsewhere, in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 1, 30).
In Roman-catholic church it is believed to be the
pre-sign of Virgin Mary, the orthodox
honor her as the saint (Hagia Sofia), in protestant family, she is
practically not mentioned.
Is woman an image of these godly beings, or is she
materialisation of God´s beauty (John and Stasi Eldredge´s opinion), or is
woman embodiment of God´s love, which was brought into perfection in Christ
Jesus? -These are only reflections, which may have been expressed and forgotten. The real truth remain a secret
-a mystery. But I am convinced that enormously developt mariological cult both
in roman-catholicsim and in orthodox churches, testify to lack of female
element in our christian image of God.
As confirmands we learned that God´s image in human
being is : sanctity, immortality and free will. Well, it is maybe more
difficult to find Bible support for this definition than for the Glory of God
notion. Beside that, because of the sin, human lost everything of God‘s image, exclusive free will, which is
biased by sin anyway. How can we display God‘s image today? Only in obedience
to God´s will and in following of God´s Son, Jesus Christ.
3.
How Christ renewed everything.
Biblical
texts in New Testament:
Mary, mother of Jesus, Son of Human (Mattew. 9,6;
12,8; 16,13.27-28; Mark 9,9; Luke 18,31; John 1,52)
Followers, female disciples Luke 8,1-3; Mary and Martha (Luke 10,38-42);
Samaritan woman (John 4); Women under
cross (John 19,25.27); Witness of
Resurrection (John 20,11-18; Mattew
28,1-10; ...); Holy Spirit -Pentecoste (Acts 2,16-18).
3a)
Jesus relationship to women
Did coming of Christ change the
relatioship between man and woman?
Jesus
means break through in patriachal order. By His freely chosen lifestyle of a
servant, he caused a revolution in realtioships. Slaves and women had to serve.
He was not forced to serve by any command, but he deliberately humiliated
himself and thus he canceled any advantages
of one human being over the other. Jesus
was, who he was ( reference to I AM WHO I AM- from the Old Testament). He was
free from any expectations, categories and customs. He gave up His patriachal
power, he was a disturber of inherited orders. That´s why he had to die. He
deprived governing system of its patriachal priviledges showing empathy toward
the most poor ones: to the lame, to sick of leprocy, to the slaves, to the
sinners and to the women. He practised unhierarchical life style, especially in
relation to women. He was incarnation of both - God´s love and wisdom.
Let
us name at least some of the examples of his revolutionary attitude and
behavior to women. They must have been fascinated by Him, because he brought a
liberation from the bond of inrighteousness and humilation.
° The very fact, that He called Himself
Son of Man (in accordance with the Messianic prophecies), witnesses to His
understanding and accepting of woman as fully valiant human. His Father was
God. If he called Himself Son of Man, it meant Son of Mary.
° Mary from
° Her sister Martha´ s confession of
Jesus as Messiah is recorded in Gospel.
It was identical with Peter´s . It did not get a special and entittled
place in the NT, as did the one done by Peter. It is inserted and „hidden“ in
the story of resurrection of Lazarus. (compare John 11,27 and Mattew 16,16.)
° He spoke with Samaritan woman at
Jacob´s well without prejudges toward woman moreover to a woman of bad rumour,
moreover to Samaritan, to whom the Jews would not speak at all. He caused his
disciples to wonder.
° Jesus accepted a number of women to
the circle of His disciples. He let them walk together with disciples. It was
very unique in His times, as no Rabbi did so. They accom-panied Him, supported
Him, served Him and learned from Him on His ways from Galilee to
° Women were first to see resurrected
Lord, as the first ones they were sent to proclaim Christ´s resurrection to the
others. (J ohn 20, 16; Mark 16, 7;
Matttew 28, 7; Luke 24, 22-23). This way they fulfilled main role in the
history of salvation. Otherwise, they remained hidden in the shadow of
androcentric conveyance. (conveyance focused on man). This type of conveying
makes reader of gospels think that the circle around Jesus consisted
exclusively of men. German female
professor of the New Testament Luise
Schottroff, after having done a profound scientific research concluded: ,,Unambiguously,
the galilean disciples, especially, Mary from Magdala, were wandering female
prophets … acoording to the witness of all gospels, galilean group of women was
the first witness to the faith in resurrection. These women stood in the
beginning of the history of Christian church.“
It
was in the movement iniciated and charismatically led by Lord Jesus, where
women regained the dignity of God´s beloved daughters. God of Life called them
through the mediation of their brother Jesus. They answered readily and
bravely. Christ set free not only women, but all, who accepted his calling. His
followers are the sign of new era, in which God´s will on the Earth shall be
realised. How was it manifested?
IN
the Old Testament time, women were not allowed to the
In
contrast to that, in New Testament time, women are allowed to take part in the
same rituals as men. They proclaim gospel as female prophets. (Luke 2, 38; Acts
2, 17; 21, 9; 1Corinthians 11, 5. See aslo Revelation 2, 20), they serve as diakonesses (Romans16,
1; 1 Timothy 3, 11), they are founders
and leaders of household church parishes (Lýdia), Priscilla and
3b) The Newness of Life.
Although
the struggle with old era went on, in Christ´s
time all the relationships are reshaped. The basic biblical text
announcing this reality reads: ,,There is
neither Jew, nor Greek, neither free, nor slave, neither male, nor female, for
you are all one in Christ Jesus.‘‘
(Galatians 3, 28. See also
Colloseans 3,10)
It
meant re-valuation of the morals of the day. The basic eschatological reasoning
of moral life in apostle Paul‘s writting is as follows: By the resurrection of
Jesus, new era started. The
1.
- Based on present eschatology - based on the present salvation, that is
already experienced here and now, by our faith.
2. - Based on future eschatology - salvation to come,
to be realised at parusia of Christ. The anticipation of Final Judgement makes
ethical admonition even more emergent.
God saves, liberates, blesses - and human, in turn,
responds to God´s action in Christ by
the mode of life attitudes. The power to the moral life is Holy Spirit. He
makes God´s salvation present by doing the work of sanctification and new birth
in human’s life. God is in the center of
biblical ethics. We can draw it from the story of Creation. To be created in
God´s image, to God‘s likeness does not mean physical likeness of human and
God. It rather means, that human is to reflect and resemble God´s ethic, human
is to live God‘s glory, to get closer to God and be like His Son. And it is not just imitation that is demanded
from us, but following. There are at least three notions belonging to that:
conversion, regeneration-newbirth and sanctification. Human is changed –
reshaped by God´s love, from then source of God‘s mercy and the power of the
Holy Spirit. So one can say with apostle Paul: ,, I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.‘‘ {Galatians 2,20}.
Biblical ethics does not supress
freedom. It developes it. It is valid the same way for both men and women. ,,Christ set us free....do not let yourself
being burdeneded by the yoke of
slavery.‘‘ {Galatians 5,1}.
The
Sacrament of Baptism is the key point {Coloseans 2,12}. „Old man“ is mortified
by the baptism, he is drawned into death with Christ, but new human is risen
together with Him, -born again. .To be baptised in Christ means that both,
religion and social sphere, is changed. Whole life of human is changed. Risen
Christ works effectively on the change of life
through the God‘s word and sacraments. In Christ we take on new nature,
that is being renewed toward the true
knowing of the image of Creator. (Colosseans 3, 9-11; 2Coritnthians 4,8-11; 5,17; Ephesians 4,24). In New
Testament, the original world is not only renewed, but transformed into the
life in Jesus.
Once,
one pietistically oriented colleague asked me about the women´s right. Then she added: We should not forget
that we keep on living in the sphere of sin. ...Well, but if Christ renews
everything and if we are: new creatures, temples of Holy Spirit, cells of body
of Christ, free children of God. If it all is truth (and it is) then women are
no more subjected to men. But they are reciprocialy subjected to one another in
Christ. We are dependent to each other in Christ {Ephesians 5,21; 1.Corinthians
11, 11-12}, we are co-heirs in Christ {1 Peter 3,7} and we are equal in Christ {Galatians 3,28}.
3c)
Women in early church.
In
Paul´s letters and in the Acts of Apostles we meet female apostles,
misionaries, parish repersentatives, deacons and prophets. Women taught,
preached, fought for gospel and suffer from persecution. Their household
parishes (gatherings in households) were the meeting places of the parish.
Luke
in Acts 2, 16-18 quotes Joel 3: 1-5, about the coming of the God´s Spirit on to the sons and the daughters, male and
female servants, young and the old ones..and they shall prophetise- he
writes so (in app 80 AD) because thanks
to Paul, he had experiences of christian parishes, where women prophetised and
preached. Luke gives an account about 4 daughters of deacon Philip from
Cesarea, who prophetised. (Acts 21,8).
Unfortunatelly their names were not recorded.
Paul
did not restricted apostolate on the twelve (as a symbol of 12 tribes of
Simultaneuosly,
Paul calls himself and the other male and female missionaries as the SERVANTS
(diakonoi) and COOWORKERS- COLLEAGUES (synergoi) in the work of
proclamation. ( 1 Corithians 3: 5-11).
It is only in the later christians tradition, where notion SERVE got its
sexistic bias. It became to be understood as subjugated charitative activity –
(as a contrast to the preaching men)- exclusive designed for women.
Despite
of adrocentric vocabulary of Paul´s letters, they are special sources for the
history of women in primitive-christian parishes. From Paul´s letters, it is
clear, that Paul classifies missionary work of woman as equal to his own work,
and there is no sign of him knowing any gender – determined parish work.
„Parishes, not the person of apostle Paul, are decisive bearers of the history
of early christianity.“(Shottroff.) It is not to straiten Paul´s theological
meaning.
Equal
understanding in primary parishes focuses on the equal practice of the
fellowship around Jesus, where mutual service was considered as the highest
service and it was by no means marginal, suitable only for women.
In
early church many refused to take seriously „there´s neither Jew, nor Greek“ (Galatians}. Early church
struggled with question whether she should be more „jewish“ or more „greek“
(Acts 15). The horrible tragedy of the fall of
It
had lasted some centuries before church
applied and accepted the next pair of oposits: „there is neither slave, nor
free “. The third pair of oposits: „there is neither female, nor man“ was not
deciding for the Early church. The equality between man and woman, having been
sown by the gospel, was slowly reshaping the soil. First, in the hearts of
those, who fully believed to the Gospel and lived it and later, through them,
it started to decide in the public matters as well.
Le
us get back to the origins of Jesus movement in the Palestina of the 1st
century. From the reference of some marginal notes in Gospels, we know, that
there was substantial group of women, as followers of Christ (Mark 15 and 16
and Luke 8.) In the early christian parishes men and women were trying to live
in the new fellowship-partnership. They share carrying for those in need and
proclaiming. Nonetheless, some conflicts always occured. From the
perspective of new fellowship of men and
women the further historical development was not optimal, on the contrary, it
was rather unhappy. In Christian communities, patriarchal and hierarchical
structures took over. In 4th
century, the first prohibition of women´s activity in church parish occured.
Priesthood and theological education was kept as designed exclusively
for men and Church accepted
subordinated status of women in society for the centuries.
3d) Present days -
post-patriachal era.
Church
is the place of God´s kingship and the place of realisation of God´s will. The
criteria for decission making is cognition of God´s will. The tool of making
decisions is seeking the God´s will in prayer, especially in invocaion of the
Holy Spirit, so that he „teaches us and
reminds us of everything what Jesus had taught“, and seeking of God‘s will
via fellowship and dialog within the church and between the churches. In the
practical life, it is, of course more complicated. Sometimes we define the
God´s will for ourselves, and sometimes we forget to ask about it at all. Church
though has a great advantage. It called to repent and she trusts in promised
and always present Holy Spirit.
Since
the times of the first Christians, their teaching, opinions and attitudes
accompanied them in the millieus in which they lived and were the re-shaping
tool of their environement. And simultaneously, cultures, into which Gospel of
everyday life with God, were shaping expression tools of Christians, but also
their lifestyle, constructing of the church structures and onto the
relationship of men and women.
The christian message of woman is identical with the christian message
of human. Genesis says: He created them as man and
woman. (Gen 1,27, Matew19,4, Mark 10,6).
This is what we should remember well: Human is man and woman, each of hem with
his/her own identity, complementary to the other one and with his/her mandate.
If identity of woman is scorned on the account of God´s intention of the
fullness of humanity, neccessarily it leads to the scorning of man´s identity
and vice versa, as consequence it is to the pity of both and to the pity of all
creation. God entrusted the mission to „
fill the earth and subject it to yourself“ (Gen 1, 28) to such a „full“ -
whole human, who was created in His
image to His likeness. Apostle Paul added one more vision to that and it is the
vision of a new creation, man and woman re-created by Christ (Galatians 3, 28.)
This proclamation was being brought to the world which honored masculine
physical power and governance over the structure of society and over the
nature. Woman for her tenderness and emotions was percieved as accesory to the
man´s physical power. Her inteligence was fully and primarily applied in the
household. Her task in family was understood as a merit, as important one and
honorable. There was a saying: „The hand which moves cradle, moves the world.“
Sometimes, influence of women went beyond these boundaries and affected the
public spheres of life. Nevertheless, woman has been playing „second violine“
for whole centuries.
The
righteous balancing between the responsibility of man and woman in Church has
always been a consequence of the faithfulness to the gospel in all levels of
life. It is permanent and general calling to unity between the male and female
part of the church and the world. This calling is based on faith, mutual love
and commands, such as Paul´s: „consider
the others better than yourselves“.
Women
awaken by faith read the Bibie with an open heart in the context of their
experiences. They were convienced, that wrong reading and explanation of Bible
is the root of inrighteousness toward the women. Priests emphasized the places
of Bible, which supported subordination of women. Revolutionary women were
finding out, that many biblical women were strong and brave. They emphasized
that the Bible needs to be read in broader coherence and not to avoid or omit
places, which witness to the partnership of women in God´s work for the world.
In
19th century quakers´theology of creation renewed by God´s Spirit
brighted up the sky of Christianity. According to it, men and women are created
the way to stand side by side as mentally, morally and socially equal beings.
It is a genuine message of Christ´s
gospel. Churches, who proclaimed theology of subordination of women, betray
Christ. Due to that spirit, first american woman was ordained into the
spiritual service. It was Antoinette Brown. It happened in a little
congregational church in South Butler, in state
In
One of the most important role of women in the time of
decaying old patriachate is: to read the biblical texts in a new way – as the
God´s history with the new people always, aimed to the future. The
introductional biblical text is characteristic: subordination of woman to man
is not explained as always same natural status, but as God´ exhortation. He is
not occuring as eternal , but as historical. Because God is living one and
free, God can always enact something new in the relationship between the sexes.
There is a lot of evidence in the Bible, where liberation of women from the
subordination to men belong to the God´s good future.
There is one very powerful consequence of the
patriachate, which shall be causing us to struggle for long time. It is the way
of thinking based on confrontational hierachical realtionship. It is present
all around us. For example: Someone says: women are emotional, but in politics
and church we need first of all rational approach. Or: women are born to give
birth to children, take care of the household, husband and children. Or, the
newspaper on economy sells the idea, that all
the economy and state is shaped and noursihed by the trade market
and households have no substantional
part in that. Or in school system: mathematics, computers and english language
are the most importatnt subjects, while music, religious instruction and
parental and household education are considered as marginal, or even vain. Or:
at some meetings, making coffee and serving cakes is a fact taken for granted,
while men are here to concentrate on solutions of serious problems,. Or: in
government, the sphere of social affairs and family is assigned automatically
to a woman (if there is any woman..), while trade, economy, defence and foreign
affairs ministry are given to men, not speaking about the position of prime minister.
Division to public man (rational masculinity) and private woman (personal,
emotional, carrying) is always very
vital.
But there are many opossite examples as well. For
example in the
We, women, followers of Christ need to avoid being
pressed into old shemes and we need to
be convienced that it is free existence of men and women which is desired
by God‘s will. If we ourselves are not
convinced, then we are in permanent threat. We can be easily persuaded by
someone, that not only patriarchs, but God himself wants us to stay silently at
home and do our everyday duties.
My sound, biblical convinction says, that God does not
want it- says german-swiss theologian Ina Praetorius. God wants all people to
be free and women serving to the mutual living together by their original gifts
as mothers, teachers, bishops, ministers, managers, scientists, travellers,
journalists, pastors, women in household, single, married, or nones. Bible
shows a lot of examples of women, who lived their freedom in a precisely this
way, many times disturbing norms, which was the very reason of their insertion
into the history.: Sarah had to laugh, because, she conceived as old woman,
Rebecca helped her favourite son to achieve the rights of the firstborn by
treachery, Hagar was denyied, but saved, pharao´s daughter, who saved Moses,
Miriam- dancing prophet, Rachab- outsider who stood out of rules, Ruth who
followed her mother- in -law to the foreign land, Deborah, who reigned – as
married woman. Mary- single woman, who said her brave YES to God and magnified
Him as Saver of deprived ones. Elisabeth, her older friend and adviser, Mary
Magdalene and many others who followed Jesus and sponsored Him.
Each of these woman – and it is more than we named-
had worked and acted precisely there, where she could best use her individual
gifts and internal wishes. Patriarchal prejudges – telling us where should we –
should note brake us in our personal and responsible endeavour for this world.
According to the New Testament, neither leader female worker in church nor
female president of the USA is against the God‘s will. (Anna Sorum)
Let
us notice one more book of lutheran exeget Clara Butting tittled as „They were
asking women prophets“. She is carefully and lovingly dealing with female
prophets and concluded by intersting thesis. She asserts: It is evident, that
female prophecies were pushed to the margins, when canonization process was in
action. But many findings in
To
take position in decaying patriarchate
means, on one side: I have to contribute
in any new situation so that God´s will penetrate into this world. On the other
side, women – taking position are something special. They have to be specially
careful not to disdain themselves, or not to be limited by so called „values“ ,
which have nothing to do with God´s proclamation of freedom. We, women need
special courage and strength to have our own independent views. One of the
problems is that the Biblie itself is not liberated from patriarchal opinions.
That´s why we need extraordinary vital relationship to God, which has its
source in prayer. We need security, that in the nutshell of biblical
proclamation, there is hidden promise of freedom and thus duty to be
independent and responsible in acting in this world.
Church
should carefully listen to the signs of the time, so that its emphasis on
importance of woman in family and through family, in society would not close
the ears for calling for women in public sphere – in church and in the
politics. Church should be interested in and care for the God´s will and let
the decissions grow in God´s tempo. We women are also church – it is also our
task.
4. Vision
In
conclusion, let us together create a vision of right relatioship between men
and women in church and in society.
What
does Lord God, Creator expect from men?
What
does He expect from women?
What
kind of status in society do we desire for a woman?
What
can we personally (as individuals) can do for it?
Sources:
A.
Lectures :
Anna
Adamovičová: ... who will be equal to him
Sidónia
Horňanová: Ethics in the Biblie
Evi Krobath: Paul and
women
Terézia Lenczová:
Connections between status of women in society and in the church.
Jana
Opočenská: Status of women
Ina Praetorius: Women as
Christ followers
Veronika
Prueller-Jagenteufel: For those, who respect boundaries
Ann
Sorum: Ordination of women in the
Juraj
Bándy: Woman in the biblical narrative on creation
B.
Books: John
a Stasi Eldredge: The Captivating
Jana Opočenská: Women were watching from the
distance
G. Fankhauser: The stories still living
C.
Presentations: A Woman
And God
Created Woman