In 1963, Pope John XXIII wrote a letter that has been described as his “last will and testament” (he died a few weeks after its official publication), entitled Peace on Earth.  Among its many great teaching insights is one section I especially appreciate.  This is where the Pope speaks of the challenge to read the “signs of the times,” using   that   biblical   category to graphically describe current moments of God’s actions in history.  The Pope mentions three signs of the times that he says we children of God should pay special attention to. 

GOD’S ACTIONS IN HISTORY

The first was the movement of previously colonised peoples to full independence (recall that this was the 1960’s, when the “winds of change” were sweeping across Africa!).  This movement was not simply a political event but the action of God in history, bringing freedom and dignity to a dominated people.

The second was the movement of labourers to achieve just wages and decent working circumstances.  This was not simply an economic event but the action of God in history, establishing conditions both worthy of humans and necessary for development.

The third – and remember that these words were written in 1963, and were written by a Roman Catholic Pope! – was the movement of women the world over to claim full equality and participation in society.  This was not simply a cultural event, to be isolated tightly only in Western cultures, but a universal action of God in history, bringing recognition to persons created fully in God’s image.

A “FEMINIST” PERSPECTIVE?

What should we do to respond effectively to that third “sign of the time”?  As I look at that topic, let me begin with a personal admission.  I consider myself a “feminist,” in the best sense of that term, one committed to the acknowledgement of personal equality for women and committed to the societal consequences of that recognition. Indeed, I pray that most of you would similarly identify yourself, as a true “feminist”.

Now I am a male, a Roman Catholic Priest, a Jesuit – characteristics that I honestly (and humbly!) acknowledge do not always add up to identifying oneself as a “feminist”!  What has led to that evolving consciousness of my part has been the recognition of a three-fold injustice.

First, I was pained by the recognition that good friends of mine were being treated unjustly – e.g., not being taken seriously or not being treated equally – simply because they were women.  I realised that this was not fair to them!  That made me sad.

Second, I became further aware that societal development was being drastically hindered by the second-place treatment accorded women.  It was unjust to society at large that talent was set aside, ridiculed, not equally remunerated, not incorporated into decision-making, simply because it was feminine talent.  That made me disturbed.

And third – more immediate, more personal  -- I became aware that I was being treated unjustly when women were treated unjustly, because I was seriously deprived of the fullness of economic, political, cultural and religious development.  The intellectual insights, the artistic enrichments, the political astuteness, the economic acumen, the spiritual nourishment that I needed to become fully human in community were bluntly denied me because of the marginalisation of women who could and should make that contribution.  That made me – and makes me to this day – angry!

Sad, because my friends are ill-treated.  Disturbed, because society at large is losing out.  And angry, because I am deprived of a fuller humanity.

This leads me, logically and urgently, to look at the role of the church in promoting that development of women that is so essential to the development of Zambia.

ROLE OF THE CHURCH

What is the church’s role?  To teach, to witness, to challenge.

First of all, to teach, to share clearly and insistently the basic message of the equal dignity of all women and men.  We must lift up the truth of Genesis 1:27:  “God created the human in God’s image, in the divine image God created the human; male and female God created them.”  So fundamental a truth, so radical, so consequential, but so easily forgotten or obscured through centuries of patriarchal structures and cultural biases.

Do we really believe this truth, and really base our attitudes and actions upon it?  We Christians need to fearlessly repeat with Paul, Galatians 3:28: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”  Discrimination, sexism, is basically opposed to the teaching of the church.

But we also must teach the key roles that women played in our   salvation   history, the   great women of the Old Testament, like Deborah, Ruth, Esther, Huldah, Judith.  Too often their stories are neglected, as we concentrate on the great male figures in a very patriarchal fashion!  But these mentioned women, and many others, were tremendously influential and their role should be taught today.

And in the New Testament, we must point to Mary, whose fearless yes brought into human history the liberation that she could sing of, “God has deposed the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; God has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty-handed.”  (Luke 1: 52-53).

Our teaching today must show the openness of Jesus to women, so contrary to the accepted cultural patterns of his day.  And it must repeat sharply the condemnation of scripture to the abuse of women, for example in the treatment of widows and orphans.  Surely, we do have a very serious role to teach this very serious message!

Second, the role of our church is to witness – and this can indeed be a very upsetting task.  How to “walk the talk,” to implement the teaching in our own structures, activities, attitudes.  Look around Zambia, the rest of the world.  Are women in key positions of decision-making in our church?  Yes, in some churches, but no in others (my own included!).  We speak often of “gender balancing” but just as often we acknowledge its   difficulty as an excuse for not doing something constructive. A friend recently told me that the very time of day we may schedule meetings could have a direct consequence on the number of women who can participate.

What about the larger structures within the church, for example, positions ratified by ordination?  I can speak only of my own Catholic Church, can express only my own view, that ordination of women will surely come, both because of theological reasons and pastoral demands.  And such a development will enable the church to be a more credible witness to the teaching of the dignity and equality of women that we say is central to our revelation.

Third, the church’s role is to challenge, to advocate for change in the socio-cultural patterns and government policies that block women’s full participation and hence undermine the possibility of true national development.  For example, with due respect for appropriate cultural expectations, our church must be free and fearless enough to ask whether the community really benefits when women are expected to remain silent during serious discussions.  I recall a saying that is indeed challenging: “A man of quality is not threatened by a woman of equality."

Cultural patterns of exploitation of women, for instance, property grabbing (true, often done by other women!), must be challenged.  The church must not be silent before such crimes, nor close an eye in the face of domestic abuse of women or sexual exploitation.

Regarding government policies, the church should be in the forefront of challenging policies like cost sharing that especially hinder women’s access to education and health services.  Land policies should be reviewed in order to eliminate discriminatory clauses.

CONCLUSION

In this challenging task, the church has played significant roles here in Zambia in the recent preparation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), in the constitutional protection and enhancement efforts of the Oasis Forum, and in the struggle against corruption.  For those who would criticise these efforts by saying that the church has no business in “politics” of this sort, I simply ask them to read the Bible, to learn especially about the deeds of the Old Testament prophets and the deeds of the New Testament prophet, Jesus.

Pete Henriot, S.J.
JCTR Staff
Lusaka

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