Vol. 21 No. 2, June 2002

In God's Image is an Asian Christian women's effort to provide a forum for expressing our reality, our struggles, our faith reflections and aspirations for change.

Editorial

Justice - expressed through a song, prayers, life stories, cultural tradition, poems, rituals, a theological essay, a poster text, and a reflection.

Justice - a longing within the self, with others, with men, with women, among nations, with God's creation, as well as with God.

The theme for this issue of In God's Image centers on just relationships. Justice is a recurrent theme in many previous issues of In God's Image. Just relationship is the running motif in the various contributions of women from the Philippines. September 11, 2001 has affected many lives, not only of Filipinos but also many other Asians. The horror of September 11 forced us to come to grips with the reality of insecurity and fundamentalism, protest and terrorism, struggle and war, with life and death. In the midst of the cacophony of discourses to respond to terror, the discourse of justice has been forgotten or, worse, misrepresented. Declaring war against terrorism, sending troops to hunt the so-called terrorists and destroying suspected terrorist cells -- not only in Afghanistan but also in Iraq, Iran, Libya, Pakistan, Indonesia, North Korea and the Philippines -- have been presented by the powers-that-be as acts of justice.

However, the different contributions of women in this edition of In God's Image show that justice is not about retaliation for the damage done. Justice is not about war against perpetrators of violence. Justice is about restoring lost harmony and balance - within the self, in human relationships, both interpersonal and global, and with creation. Sr. Leonila V. Bermisa's paper provides this issue with a core theological-biblical discussion on justice and just relationship. Her essay explores the various terms attached to justice - from the biblical terms of shalom, mishpat, dikaiosyne to the juridical just as well as the Filipino terms kaangayan, and hustisya. Sr. Bermisa juxtaposes them against the current discourse of "war against terrorism" - mutual defense, visiting forces, collateral damage, securing the free world, and protecting democracy.

Mary John Mananzan, OSB, discusses just relationship or its absence on a global level. She analyzes structures of global domination and oppression.

Effort was made to solicit contributions that ran the whole range of styles and forms. In God's Image has always taken theological scholarship seriously but it also gives value to women's creative expressions like poetry and song, prayer and rituals, reflection and meditation, memorial and life stories. One poem by Sr. Bibiana Bunuan critiques social injustice, and another raises the vision of justice, respect and love in women's relationships. There is a song for children and about children composed by Sr. Martha Gamolo, DC, that affirms that children's voices also deserve to be heard.

We also have life stories of women who struggled for justice, women of great courage and strength - Carmen Dioneda, Clarissa Ocampo, Liza Masa, the late Raquel Tiglao, the women workers of Triple Eight Garments. Refusing to remain victims, they turn themselves not merely into survivors but also into advocates for justice and fairness especially for women and their relationships.

Justice is not an abstract idea for women. It is a dream as well as a reality we struggle for. It is as important as life. It is integral to who we are. Without justice we cease to be who we are. This is particularly true where the issue of sexual harassment is concerned. Sexual abuse remains a core issue in the women's movement. Secular society has taken note of it and started to deal with it by promulgating laws to punish perpetrators of sexual abuse. The Church however is lagging behind. During the last five years, the churches were forced to confront the reality of sexual abuse of women and children in the church due to the growing women's consciousness and efforts of feminist theologians. Sexual abuse against women and children is a crucial justice issue in the church. Pope John Paul II expressed his anguish over priests and clerics responsible for doing violence against women and children over the years.

The struggle for justice and the work to build a just world is costly. And women do not shy away from such difficulty because they are aware that whatever sacrifice they go through is worth the freedom and justice for themselves and the next generation.

Guest Editor

Acknowledgement

When the Editorial Advisory Committee decided that it was time to ask the women of the Philippines to produce an edition of In God's Image, we were confident that Sr. Virginia Fabella (EAC member from the Philippines) would very easily find a guest editor and many able writers-contributors. We are indeed very grateful to Arche L. Ligo for willingly taking the task of guest editor of this edition. A very active advocate for women, Arche L. Ligo is a faculty member of St. Scholastica's College and has been the program coordinator of its Women's Studies program for the past three years. She also teaches at the Institute for Formation and Religious Studies in Manila. Arche is committed towards increasing the voice of laywomen in the churches.

This is a unique edition from Filipino women, which highlights the voices of women religious and laywomen of the Catholic Church. It also deals with current issues of our time, offering alternatives to the dominant discourse and response to the so-called war on terror.

To Arche and our Filipino sisters - maraming salamat! Thank you very much. 

Publications Secretary

If articles listed in the table of contents interests you, and you would like to have a copy of this journal, please write to igi@awrc4ct.org.