ECUMENICAL FORUM OF EUROPEAN CHRISTIAN WOMEN IN SCOTLAND:

Ecumenical forum of Christian Women in Europe

Dunblane (Scotland) 21- 25^th April 2008

Theology from the Gender Perspective in a Protestant Country

You can download the Bible study by Daniela Horinkova in HTML and in PDF format

Bible study with Daniela Horinkova

SCOTTISH CHURCHES HOUSE in Dunblane last week [21/25 April] welcomed the ‘Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women’ to their Seminar on “Theology from a Gender Perspective in a Protestant Country”. Women who had travelled from twelve countries across Europe, from Russia to Wales, were welcomed to the House by the Warden, Alastair Hulbert, and by the Chair of the Methodist Synod in Scotland, the Rev.Lily Twist. The week was to be one of study, reflection, laughter and worship. Their time together however was to be a journey of discoveries, in which new things were learned, and friendships both renewed and forged. Previous Seminars in the series have been held in Spain [Catholic Theology] and Russia [Orthodox Theology] – both from a Gender Perspective.

The subjects tackled at the Dunblane Seminar were ever informative, and on occasion daunting; “The Protestant Churches & Society in Scotland”, “The Way Power Works – Why Women are Equal but still Excluded!”, “Orthodox & Protestant Dialogue”, and “A View from the Inside”, being amongst them.

The speakers were diverse: Elizabeth Templeton, controversial freelance Theologian; Heather Walton, Senior Lecturer in Practical Theology at Glasgow University; Marina Shishova, of the Russian Orthodox Church; Johanna Friedlein, Protestant Pastor from Germany; Rev.Marjorie McLean, Depute Principal Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland; and from the Roman Catholic Church, Margaret Long of the Focolare. The Seminar was also visited by a group of the Friends of the Forum in Scotland, who shared in conversation. The event itself was facilitated by Constance Robertson of the Church of Scotland, and Beryl Cowling of the Methodist Church.

Mid-week however brought a complete change of scene when the party visited the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, where they were met by Hazel MacIver of the ‘Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office’, and taken around the Parliament by Hugh O’Donnell MSP. From lunch at the Parliament they then travelled through Fife to the ancient Royal Burgh of St.Andrews, where they were greeted by the Very Rev.Alan Mc Donald, former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The final evening took the form of a Ceilidh with ‘Kirsty MacLellan’ and the ‘Him & Us Ceilidh Band’; when the folk dances of Eastern Europe met the Scottish reel! All too soon it seemed Friday morning had arrived, and women who only four days before had met as relative strangers, took their parting from each other as friends.

Beryl COWLING

1^st May 2008.