Bringing together ten years work in CWM regions, the global meeting of the Community of Women and Men in Mission in Goa, April 2001, examined the part gender relationships play in the life and witness of the church. Felicity Cleaves reflects on her experiences.
How do we reflect Jesus' identity in the way we, as women and men, listen and speak to each other? The Community of Women and Men in Mission global meeting challenged us to look at Jesus and our relationships afresh. I attended as the representative of the UK's Congregational Federation, one of 27 churches represented at the meeting.
The idea was to draw together people and insights from the regional consultations held in the last few years under the theme "Who Do You Say I Am?".The importance of dialogue, listening and talking to each other was introduced by the Rev Verna Cassells. She used this illustration: "Two hands can be used to clap in appreciation, honour, but with one hand we can only slap others." She went onto say that "God made women and men to complement one other and appreciate each other's efforts. We all are one in God's kingdom to build community through dialogue."
While meeting with such a variety of people from many ethnic and cultural groups there were many things that challenged and impressed me. I began by making assumptions based on my own experiences and cultural background. When I saw that these assumptions were false, it left me feeling rather uncertain about where the common ground was.
In the first days of the consultation we agreed some basic ground rules, such as to value every contribution, to be patient, and to respect our differences. Though these guides were very simple, when taken seriously they really made a difference. Through our listening to each other I started to realise that there is common ground, though not where I first expected to find it.
In line with the conference theme, we were challenged to name Jesus for ourselves, not just reflect what is written in the Bible or what we have heard in our churches. In the Bible we find God named in male terms such as shepherd, King, Lord, mighty warrior, not in female terms – baker woman, midwife, mother, friend – yet these and others like them are used as descriptions of God. Our relationship with God is affected by names we use just as the people of Jesus' day and the disciples' relationship was. So Jesus is asking us the question, "But you: who do you say I am?"
Building a community of women and men through dialogue is the will of Jesus. Many Christians wear a wristband or badge with the letters WWJD on them to remind them to ask, "What would Jesus do?". So in her daily keynote addresses Dr Musa Dube, a theologian from Botswana, challenged us to look again at Jesus and learn from his interaction and dialogue with women.
In doing this we meet Mary the theological student sitting at Jesus' feet while Martha worked; the woman at the well who becomes the first evangelist; Mary liberated to be part of Jesus' ongoing work by his words ensuring she is not left in isolation after his death; Mary Magdalene is the evangelist as she brings the Good News to the disciples. Christ by his interaction and dialogue liberated these and other women from the oppressive and violent culture of the time. He made them equals in the work of his kingdom.
Having been challenged in this way by Christ the Liberator, Christ the Healer, Christ who empowers and Christ who sends us out, we are required to act. One of the members of the conference wrote the following poem:
Are you liberated? – Liberate others
Are you healed? – Heal others
Are you empowered? – Empower others
As the father sent Him –
So Jesus sends you!
Following Jesus' example of interaction and dialogue needs practice, so at the consultation we didn't just listen to speeches, we engaged with each other in groups, we worked alongside each other in planning future events. This was done in such a way as to encourage those who have not in the past been encouraged to have a voice or to believe that their voice is important.
At the end of her final address Dube said: "So it is well and good that it is written that women must be silent in church but Christ has no room for scriptures that are used to suppress women and men from living out their freedom in Christ. The gospel of Christ the liberator sets us free, his Spirit of fire lights us all and gives both men and women the power to speak. I therefore, send you to go to your churches, your families, your villages, towns, cities and countries to proclaim that Christ sends women and men, Christ heals women and men, and Christ empowers men and women. I send you to replicate the ministry of Jesus."
Each of us was then commissioned to return to our own churches or denominations and share what we had learned.
The main question we ask of the Europe region is: given that there are no constitutional barriers, why there is not equal participation of women and men at all levels of the church, especially the higher levels?
Our regional group returned with the aim: To develop a new model of what it means to be human, male and female, teaching and preaching it, thereby challenging society and affirming that God is a God of justice, love, mercy and forgiveness.
Felicity Cleaves