Newsletter of the Asian Women's Resource Centre for Culture and Theology
Vol. 9, No. 2, October 2004
Overcoming violence against women in the church
In an Asian Ecumenical Women’s Consultation on 12-17 September in Quezon City, Philippines, 32 ecumenical church women from Asia called on the church to speak up and confront violence against women that takes place in its domain.
This call is issued in the form of an ecumenical, Asia-wide campaign in line with the WCC worldwide campaign On the Wings of a Dove: Overcoming Violence against women and children. The campaign period is the sixteen days of activism women have observed since 1991. Officially, the campaign begins on 25 November 2004, International Day against Violence against Women that commemorates the brutal murder of two Mirabel sisters in the Dominican Republic in 1960, and ends on December 10 2004, the anniversary of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, AWRC would like to encourage members and friends to extend the campaign to International Women’s Day on March 8, 2005.
To download campaign pamphlet, right click and Save Target As...
AWRC coordinator Yong Ting Jin and publications assistant Clare Law attended the consultation, which was sponsored by the Christian Conference of Asia and hosted by the National Council of Churches in the Philippines.
Coordinator gives main input at WSCF Women's Pre-Assembly
AWRC coordinator Yong Ting Jin provided the main input on the theme ‘Talitha Cum in Celebrating the Girl Child: Hopes and Dreams For Tomorrow’ at the Women’s Pre-Assembly of the 33rd General Assembly of the World Student Christian Federation on 6-7 August in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Speaking before a group of 55 women delegates from 6 regions, Ting Jin connected the situation of present-day girl children to that of Jairus’ daughter and the haemorrhaging woman.
Jesus affirmed the haemorrhaging woman for her courage to break social barriers to find a cure for herself. Jesus also affirmed life for Jairus’ daughter despite the disbelief of the people around her. The two stories demonstrate how God’s Reign [Kingdom of God] is at the core of Jesus’ mission. In announcing the Good News of God’s “baseleia” Jesus pointed to God’s time, “kairos”, or God’s presence and participation in human history, where structures that obstruct and acts of violence would be put to end. By then, there would be no denial of one’s human value, dignity, and self worth; for girls are made in the image of God just as boys are.
At the end of the Pre-Assembly, the women recommended to publish women’s stories, on their struggles regarding faith, womanhood and leadership and to challenge the church to be open to shared leadership between women and men. They pledged to have inter-regional exchanges for better understanding and taking ownership of each other’s experiences. They asked for increased partnership with their brothers so that this becomes a common struggle for justice and not just another of women’s issues.
Summarised from a report by Wong Yock Leng,
Coordinator of WSCF-AP Women’s Programme
AWRC makes input at Asian theological students' conference
AWRC coordinator Yong Ting Jin and publications secretary Hope S. Antone were among the resource persons at the Second Asia Conference of Theological Students (ACTS II) held at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 25-30.
Attended by about 75 people, majority of whom were theological students from Catholic and Protestant seminaries in Asia, the conference was jointly organized by the Christian Conference of Asia and the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences. There were three overseas theological students from Zambia, Syria and Hungary.
The input on Asian feminist theologies began with highlighting what feminism is not. This was to correct common misconceptions that it is an imposition from the West, by anti-men women who are either unhappy in their marriage or in their being single, and who in their being middle class intellectual women, have nothing much to do in life.
As Hope asserted, many Asian feminist women are equally concerned about men, who are also victims of patriarchy; are happy in their marriage or in being single; have known what it is like to be poor and are committed to the betterment of life for all people.
Ting Jin traced the herstory of Asian feminism to centuries ago when Confucian scholars had begun the discussion about the right of women to education and to the time of the Buddha when there were discussions on the abilities of women. Hope gave some biblical bases for feminist theologizing.
Visit to Myanmar a time to share with women and girls
Publications secretary Hope S. Antone visited Myanmar on invitation by Myanmar Institute of Theology principal Anna May Chain to hold intensive teaching in Yangon on Oct. 24-29. She taught two classes each day on three courses: Christian Education and Plural-ism, Models of Teaching, and Curriculum Development. One for graduate students of MIT and the other for teachers of Christian Education in the seminaries in Yangon. The trip was supported by the Christian Conference of Asia, of which Hope is an executive secretary.
While in Yangon, she had opportunities to speak to a gathering of Karen ministers’ wives, a group of Chin churchwomen, and junior girls at a camp. She affirmed the oft-unrecognised role of ministers’ wives as ‘ministers’ or ‘wounded healers’ to the pastors, but also as leaders to whom many congregation members look up for help.
She asked the churchwomen what it was that they were happy and unhappy about being women. Many said they were happy about that fact that they can bear and give birth to a new life. A few responded that while the Bible says women and men are equally made in God’s image, women are unfairly treated as if they are lower than men.
After highlighting the situation of women and girls in Asia, Hope challenged churchwomen to affirm their womanhood and sexuality (self-affirmation), realise their oft-suppressed potentials (self-realisation), and empower one another to be leaders in their own right (mutual empowerment). For the junior girls, she encouraged them to develop critical thinking, to affirm their selfhood and sexuality, and to grow in a holistic way.
Hope met a number of young seminary teachers in Yangon. Some expressed gratitude for In God’s Image which they receive and find useful in their teaching, while a few others have asked for their libraries to be on the mailing list.
Sharing on Spirituality : New ways of worship by women in Japan
The Episcopal women’s groups in Japan have developed their own styles of worship and prayer meetings over the past 15 years. Shigeko Yamano shared with AWRC how they organized worship at the General Convention of Mothers’ Union in June 2002. – Ed.
Nippon Sei Ko Kai (NSKK) stands for the Japan Episcopal Church. It traces its roots to the British and US Anglican/Episcopalian missionaries which started evangelizing Japan in 1850s, to be later joined by Canadian missionaries. Around 400 parish churches were founded, along with schools, hospitals and welfare institutions.
Each of the 11 dioceses of NSKK has a Diocesan Association of Women, similar to the Mothers’ Union, with one of such associations taking managerial responsibility for the whole NSKK Women’s Association for a three-year term. Each Diocesan Women’s Association consists of parish women’s groups.
With aging as one of the biggest problems in recent years in Japan, the women’s organizations have not been ex-empted from this respect. In many diocesan women’s meetings, it is difficult to choose women to lead because they tend to hesitate saying they feel they are unable or too frail to do it.
NSKK Women’s Association (WA) set up a committee to consider the future of the organization and propose changes. To figure out people’s ideas and hopes, they sent out questionnaires, conducted hearings and meetings – something that is still going on.
Women who wanted to change the church and ourselves started voluntary women’s groups in a few cities in late 1980s and began to organize Women’s Forum in 1992, gathering some 40 women from various places to exchange ideas, information, hopes, difficulties in their church life.
These women formed Groups of Concerned Women (GCW) based in Tokyo, Kyoto and Kyuushuu, etc. Though smaller and less formal than WA, these groups were the driving force for women’s ordination into priesthood, which was realized in 1998, after years of struggle.
Courtesy: Newsletter of Mothers’ Union of NSKK
This change in the church law at the General Convention was of course met with opposition and those opposed were free to express their opinion and to live on it. So now, there are 10 women priests in 6 dioceses, 3 women deacons and 2 candidates for ordination. Only one of the 11 dioceses still does not allow women’s ordination or celebration of the Eucharist.
GCW convenes Women’s Forum, Bible study meetings and prayer meetings for peace. When possible, they publish newsletters and prayer pamphlets. As vigil for the General Convention of NSKK (by-yearly), they organize a prayer meeting and invite the diocesan delegates from all dioceses.
While WA is a bigger organization in search of the way for the future, GCWs are informal and freer to express themselves and conduct their meetings. WA tends to view women’s position in the church for granted, but the latter has taken concrete steps to change the women’s position. Though they take different views on women, church and society, we would like to find the way together for future cooperation.
Courtesy: Newsletter of Mothers’ Union of NSKK
In June 2002 National Convention, the GCWs took lead in worship one morning. With the theme, “Come, Holy Spirit, come and change things on earth and in our heart!” and biblical text from Isaiah 11:1-11, cloths were prepared for visual effects. Blue for wisdom and discernment, red for prudence and courage, and white for strength to know and revere God. Chairs were arranged in a circle; flowers and the Bible and some candles were on the floor with some beautiful cloths.
Worship began with the call, then a voice of woman, psalms in modern translation, Bible reading, dramatic reading, sharing of thoughts, intercession, Lord’s prayer and closing prayer. Our songs are simple and repetitive. We have found that in this kind of less forward worship, we can express our hearts and minds more freely and that is very important in order to develop our own spirituality.
Filipino women religious appeal for peace
The Association of Women Religious in the Archdiocese of Cotabato (AWRAC) in Mindanao, southern Philippines, recently issued an appeal for lasting peace to the peace panel consisting of Philippine forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Entitled, “Live Together in Unity,” the appeal recalled the painful memory of the extent and outcome of war in the year 2000.
“Weapons of war pay no respect for persons and households, properties and cultural heritage; relationships and alliances which took a lifetime to create. The bullets had caused unparalleled damage to our environment, not counting the tears from every mother’s eye who grieved over the death of her son or the bleeding heart of every wife because of the husband’s demise. The continuing mistrust and animosity had cultivated unwarranted fear among the young and needless insecurity among the old…”
Not wanting a rehash of this unfortunate and painful past, the group affirmed: “We, Lumads, Moslems and Christians, are one family in Mindanao. How very good and pleasant it is when the kindred live together in unity (Ps. 133:1).” They then called for a return to the peace table without delay. “Let guns and canons be stilled! Instead, let the voices for peace echo throughout the land of Mindanao! Let it not be said of our generation that we deliberately failed to take this one basic step to peace-building.
Sent by Sr. Linda Hisug, OND
Kudos to a new doctor...
Congratulations to Aruna Gnanadason for the completion of her Doctor of Ministries in International Feminist Theologies from San Francisco Theological Seminary in May 2004. Her dissertation title is “Creator God, in Your Grace, Transform the Earth: An Eco-Feminist Ethic of Resistance, Prudence and Care.” As word of encouragement, she says, “Many more should courageously follow up theological studies. We need more women with doctorates in theology, who will also explore Asian contributions as I have attempted to do in my thesis.” Aruna is coordinator of the Justice, Peace and Creation Team of the World Council of Churches.
Forthcoming themes for In God's Image
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December 2004 - Asian Feminist Theologies |
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March 2005 - Decade for Overcoming Violence |
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June 2005 - Spirituality |
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September 2005 - Mixed issue |
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December 2005 - Women and Mission (Philippines national issue) |
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