From
Living Theology in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church In America
Volume 1, Number 5
Advent 1996
Women in the Church
Bruce
W. Pangborn
I just didn’t get it.
I thought I did. I had strong female
role models in my family, especially my mother and my spouse. I understood the
story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. I had strong feminist colleagues
in seminary where the issues were discussed at length. Thus, my self perception
was that I did indeed "get it." My values were "correct"
and in place. I thought I was a relatively liberated, sensitive, equal
opportunity, "no gender gap here" male.
But there she was--a very pregnant
preacher; and I was having difficulty listening. But there she was--showing me
pictures of her new baby's entire birthing process; and I had thought I would
be seeing just a few nicely posed traditional baby pictures. But there she
was--crying in my office, "No, that's not what I'm saying. You're
not hearing me."
These and similar experiences in the
1980's forcefully taught me, to my confusion and embarrassment, that I still
carried some gender bias, some sexist attitudes and behaviors, even though I
thought I had purged these viral infections from my system. Clearly, I still
had work to do.
That was my first mistake. I framed
this work as a problem to be solved, as a task that could be accomplished and
crossed off my list of things to do. My mistake was thinking that this work was
a matter of learning techniques: inclusive language, consulting the Women’s
Bible Commentary in my exegesis, having equal representation in the committees
and programs of the parish, having female associate pastors as partners in
ministry.
I still didn't get it. Technique and
inclusive resources and language are important and have great intrinsic value.
But they have not helped me adequately address the concerns raised by the women
I respected--concerns I believe were the promptings of the Spirit.
After several more years of
listening and reflection I have now arrived at a place of relative comfort
regarding these issues. I would identify three ingredients as helpful to me in
my journey.
First is to see that theology and
not just gender is at issue. Consider spiritual gifts. St. Paul tells us
"To each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good
(1Cor.12:7, RSV).” If I believe that The Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens,
sanctifies and keeps all the baptized, then it is incumbent upon me to
approach each and every person, recognizing that they have a gift needed by the
community of which I am a part. Thus, I need the gift this other person has. To
the degree my gender bias or stereotypes hinder the recognition or utilization
of these gifts in the community, I am guilty of putting barriers in the path of
the Holy Spirit.
When I consider gender I am helped
to better consider justice, which in God must entail justice for all creation,
including women, children, and any other group that is disadvantaged or
marginalized.
As Pastor-Director of Evergreen Park
Ministry I have been involved in diversity training in the corporate setting in
recent years. One of the things we have learned in this activity is that many
people are painfully aware of injustice related to race, age, and disability;
but the pain resulting from gender bias is frequently either accepted as “the
way things are,” or dismissed as mere “women's problems.” We must not allow
ourselves to be seduced into framing the issue as one of gender or closing the
gender gap. The issue is justice for all, including women; or the spiritual
gifts of all, including women.
The second ingredient is listening.
For me, this goes beyond technique to a “posture” or a way of being in
relationship. It entails approaching each person with the posture of student,
as if I were saying “I believe that you have things to teach me and I know that
I will benefit from listening to you.” I must overcome the arrogance of
thinking “I will listen only so that I can help you solve your problem.” When I
can see every “other” as my teacher I will begin to listen from a healthy
posture.
The third thing that helps is to frequently
remind myself that the culture I live in and the church I serve have woven into
their very fabric various barriers to
the working of the Holy Spirit. I need to remember that gender bias is one of
those barriers.
In most cases this is not intentional malice--people most often operate unawares, with assumptions about gender--yet the impact is still profound. In the reception area of our ministry we display the photos of our pastoral staff of four men and two women. It is not unusual to hear a walk-in client request a male counselor because they "want a counselor who knows what he is doing." Though I can recognize the bias in such a remark, I myself must work hard in my relations with female colleagues or clients, not to cast myself in some version of “Me Tarzan, you Jane.”
We need to acknowledge our assumptions, stereotypes, and behaviors
in the area of gender, confess their sinful nature, and make conscious and
intentional changes, seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance in the process.
A painful part of this reality is
that men need to speak up and call attention to the existence and immensity of
this problem. Sadly, until this happens, our male dominated church and culture
will continue to dismiss these concerns as the whining of emotional females.
So, male colleagues, speak up and speak out. Too few of us do.
Bruce
W. Pangborn
Pastor-Director,
Evergreen Park Ministry