Newsletter of the Asian Women's Resource Centre for Culture and Theology
Vol. 8, No. 1, April 2003

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AWRC postpones meetings

In the wake of the atypical pneumonia outbreak that prompted the World Health Organization to advise against travelling through affected countries, AWRC called off three meetings set on April 21-29 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. 

The meetings which AWRC coordinator Yong Ting Jin called off "with great disappointment and regret" were of the Coordinating Team Members, the Editorial Advisory Committee of In God's Image, and the Sri Lankan Women's Forum. 

The decision to call off the meetings until "further notice" came in view of the quarantine measures being done by places hard-hit by the epidemic, such as Hong Kong and Singapore through which a number of the participants were coming from or transiting. 

The CTM which serves as the executive body of AWRC meets once in two years. The EAC which is the advisory body to the publication staff of In God's Image meets once in two or three years.

It has been the practice of AWRC to hold a day-forum with women from the host country during its business meetings or programs. This is to give AWRC women a chance to meet with local women and to study together and share with each other about a chosen topic. 

This year, the forum with Sri Lankan women was planned to focus on the topic of sexuality.

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2 delegates to EWA

AWRC sent two representatives to the Ecclesia of Women in Asia, the first Asia-wide gathering of Catholic women held in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 24-29 on the theme, "Ecclesia of Women in Asia: Gathering the Voices of the Silenced". 

AWRC Coordinator Yong Ting Jin and Anna Marsiana (member from Indonesia) represented AWRC in the gathering of nearly 60 women from 17 countries in Asia. 

Ting Jin and Anna shared briefly about the work of AWRC during the sharing of country reports and situations. Copies of some AWRC publications were also distributed to the EWA participants.

Women from various parts of Asia presented 30 papers on six sub-themes: Women and Violence, Women and Spirituality, Women and Church Structures, Eco-feminism and Theological Method, Women and the Bible, and Women and World Religions.

Participants at the EWA gathering represented Catholic women theologians, nuns and lay, those teaching in the seminaries and those working in congregations and with grassroots.

Questions of definitions of a theologian and a feminist, and whether EWA should just be of Catholic women or be a broader circle of Asian women reflected the differing views and perspectives of participants.

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IGI shared at conference to evaluate curriculum

Upon the invitation of the organizers of the Conference to Evaluate Curriculum of Theology in Asia (CECTA), AWRC publications secretary Hope S. Antone shared a paper on "Mainstreaming Asian Feminism in Theological Education in Asia." The conference was held in Bangkok, Thailand, on Dec. 2-6, 2002.

Hope's paper traced the history of In God's Image and AWRC, its mission and vision, and its influences upon her work as an educator with several opportunities of teaching in seminary as well as grassroots settings. 

Hope was part of the panel which included Septemmy Lakawa who shared on her experiences of teaching feminist theology in a seminary in Indonesia; and Sr. Evelyn Monteiro of Pune, India, who reported on the gathering of Ecclesia of Women in Asia prior to the CECTA meeting.

CECTA brought together representatives of Catholic and Protestant theological institutions in Asia to evaluate their theological curricula and share new innovations, if any.

Organizers of the meeting were for including, incorporating and even mainstreaming contextual theologies, including Asian feminism, in the theological curriculum. This was strongly felt especially after having seen that many theological institutions in Asia, both Catholic and Protestant, tend to follow traditional Western-based curriculum.

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Update on CTM elections

Last October the Working Group of AWRC recommended Anna Marsiana of Indonesia as Coordinating Team Member (CTM) of AWRC. 

Anna Marsiana is theologically trained in Indonesia and then did her graduate work in women's studies at St. Scholastica's College in Manila, Philippines. She is presently the head of Secretariat Bureau and International Affairs and Acting Director of Social Welfare Guidance Foundation in Solo, Indonesia.

She fills the CTM space for the sub-region of South-east Asia [B] consisting of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore which had been vacant for two years. Her term is from February 2003 to January 2007. 

The WG, which acts in the absence of the Coordinating Team Members, also endorsed the co-option of Malini Devananda of Sri Lanka into the CTM. Her term is from January 2003 to December 2004.

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Celebrating Women’s Achievements

Ordination

Malini Devananda, AWRC member from Sri Lanka, was ordained with three others to the Diaconate of the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka.  The ordination took place on 2^nd March 2003, at the Cathedral of Living Saviour, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, in Colombo.  It was the first ordination of women in the church of Ceylon (Anglican) in Sri Lanka.

Malini has been the director/secretary of the Church of Ceylon’s Board of Christian Education.

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Book Release

Hope S. Antone’s book, Religious Education in Context of Plurality and Pluralism, was released by New Day Publishers and Christian Conference of Asia in mid-January.

A revised and updated version of her doctoral thesis in Christian Education, the book offers students, teachers and practitioners of Christian Education and Religious Education a way of contextualizing education theory.

The book looks at Asian religious cultural plurality and critiques traditional typologies for dealing with it. It focuses on religious pluralism, which includes a commitment to one's faith and openness to other faiths, and highlights the historical, educational, theological, biblical, and cultural bases for pluralism.

Using "an invitation to the table community" as metaphor for religious education that deals with plurality and pluralism, the book suggests possibilities for relating education theory to other issues such as globalization, fundamentalism and the like.

A book launch was organized by the National Council of Churches in the Philippines in time for the Vacation Church School Facilitators’ program in Davao City, Philippines, on March 13.

[Book has 142 pages and costs US$10. For orders, contact newdayorders@edsamail.com.ph.]

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International Women’s Day 2003

Women in many parts of the world celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8. IWD is celebrated each year on March 8 to commemorate the struggles of working women for rights, just wages, decent working conditions, and for peace.

Here is a quick survey of events that led to IWD celebrations in herstory:

This year, although the celebration happened at different times and in various ways, the calls for peace, justice and equality stood out as common themes of the IWD. Following is a collection of reports from different women’s groups in some parts of Asia.

(1) Pakistan

Working Women Organization observed IWD in big industrial cities like Lahore, Karachi and Multan with renewed pledge to provide equal opportunity to women in every sphere of life.

“Women are the silent sufferers of history, claimed as property, relegated to the home, barred from political life, restricted to subsistence labour and made into vestibules of the family honour to be guarded and cared for; women are victims of an elaborate system of oppression that has yet to be recognized as such,” said the WWO statement.

Speakers pointed out that despite a good number of women legislators in the parliament, the fate of women has not changed as a number of discriminatory laws against women still prevail. Social discrimination ranging from primitive tribal justice and honour killing to a general neglect of women’s basic health needs and well being are rampant. State laws like “Hudood Ordinance,” “Law of Evidence” and “Law of Inheritance” further degrade women.

WWO called on the Pakistani government to condemn all acts of violence against women; establish adequate legal protection; prevent custodial violence; punish perpetrators of gender violence; ensure reparation including compensation, medical aid and rehabilitation of victims of violence. [wwo@brain.net.pk]

(2) Korea

KASAMMAKO, an alliance of 10 major Filipino migrant organizations in South Korea and Women on the Move (WeMove) joined the Anyang Migrant Center in celebrating IWD in Dehakno, Seoul, together with Korean NGOs. WeMove said that Filipino women migrants are dismayed over the lack of concern of the Philippine Government about the plight of Filipino women who are victims of illegal recruiters and sex traffickers.

The group also highlighted the problems brought about by the presence of US troops in the Philippines not only militarily but also environmentally, as it will bring about prostitution for the “rest and recreation” needs of American soldiers.

Meanwhile, Christian women from different denominations in Korea met on March 14 to offer united prayers against war and for peace. Living in a divided land with the constant threat of war, Korean Christians felt very strongly about people dying and God’s creation being destroyed.

Writing on behalf of the Korea Church Women United, Moon-Sook Lee, General Secretary, called on other women all over the world to promote a united, peaceful spirit that will change the world.

(3) Philippines

The Ecumenical Women’s Forum in the Philippines, consisting of Protestant, Catholic and Muslim women, spearheaded a month-long campaign to oppose war and the continuing presence of US troops.

The group stated that peace means adequate provisions for daily life, respect for dignity of human beings, regardless of race, class, gender and age, and integrity of the entire creation, as well as elimination of all forms of violence against women, freedom from foreign intervention, and resistance to the global hegemony of the new US empire.

The group observed women’s month in March through campaigns, prayer vigils and mass protests to register women’s commitment to peace and life.

(4) Malaysia

Women's Voice celebrated IWD with the theme, “Partnership in Building a Violence-free society” to affirm belief in God whose will is for partnership of women and men as equally created in God’s image. “Only in this way can men and women together provide a credible Christian witness to the larger community and society in building a violence-free society,” WV said.

At Church of St Francis Xavier and Chapel Kurnia Kristus, IWD celebration included remembering realities of women: 10 months of age -- the youngest rape victim; 70 years of age -- the oldest rape survivor; and 84% -- the number of rape perpetrators known to the victims.

Focus was made on the plight of women and young girls, in view of increasing sexual crimes in Malaysia, and of countries beset by war. IWD was to challenge the "people of God" to reflect on and repent for their silence, indifference, and fears.

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Towards more female Buddhist monks

Dhammananda Bhikkhuni, Thai female monk ordained in Sri Lanka in 2001, has challenged the male makeup of Thailand’s Buddhist community led by 300,000 male monks. This time she has turned to the Senate for help.

Although a subcommittee is considering a proposal to permit ordination of women as monks, the final say comes from the Sangha, the country’s Buddhist clergy whose ruling council has long opposed the idea.

Dhammananda heads a temple with a cluster of modest wooden buildings and well-kept lawn hidden behind a 15-foot-high golden Buddha. Founded by her mother, the temple is also a place of retreat for laywomen and aspiring nuns or monks.

Modernizers inside and outside the Buddhist community argue that Thailand’s clergy are too focused on doctrine and tradition, rather than the followers’ needs. (Summarized from the Christian Science Monitor)

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