Jesus
and Gender
By Laura
Barnard Poag
LASP Springl 2005 Newsletter
Feminism
is not the ‘F’ word,” reads a T-shirt worn
by a college student from a CCCU campus. Before living abroad,
both in Europe and in Latin America, I would not have understood
the need for such a blunt, and for some offensive, defense of
gender equality. At age 19, I was unaware of the negative responses
feminism had generated throughout the world, specifically in
the Christian community. Having since had the opportunity to
investigate more deeply my faith in Christ and its response
to gender inequality, today I understand the need for such a
slogan. Furthermore, I’m convinced that if Jesus were
a college student in the year 2005, he would fully support wearing
this T-shirt.
Growing up in a small town in western New York State, the daughter
of a Presbyterian minister and a schoolteacher, I was aware
that gender inequality existed, and that feminism – the
social and political movement toward equality and dignity for
all, regardless of gender and privileges rendered consciously
or unconsciously by a patriarchal society – was a reasonable
response to such injustice. Because my father was the parent
who cared for us when we were sick and my mother was the family
member most capable of building a shelf or assembling toys,
I assumed that gender stereotypes were something more relevant
to my grandparents’ generation than to my life or my faith
community. However, such naïveté has been transformed
by my experiences in Latin America into a desire to learn more
about gender studies. Although I majored in International Studies
and Spanish at Nazareth College of Rochester, NY, women’s
and justice issues were always close to my heart and were the
lenses through which I studied political science, religion,
international relations, anthropology, Spanish and Latin American
literature. Still, my understanding of gender issues was undeveloped,
as it was based on gender stereotypes and the apparent oppression
that men as well as women experienced within the present patriarchal
system.
After graduation in 2000 it made sense for me, therefore, to
become a social worker and advocate for women and children victims
of domestic violence at the Society for the Protection and Care
of Children. While those two years nurtured my passion for women’s
issues in the local community, I was still hoping to get the
opportunity to live abroad and apply my interests and further
my studies in a Spanish speaking country. Unexpectedly, while
a social worker at that agency I met my future husband, Trevor
Poag (a former LASP student-turned-social-worker-turned-LASP-staff-member).
To make a long story short, we married and moved to Costa Rica,
and after a year as an elementary teacher, I am now very excited
to be in my second semester as a Program Associate. In many
ways, LASP builds on my study interests and is an extension
of social work, because I get to pursue my concerns about justice
issues in international affairs while building relationships
with young men and women in a Christian environment.
Working at LASP and living in Costa Rica have further piqued
my interest in justice issues and gender studies. Each semester,
gender issues invariably come up while getting to know the students
personally and academically. During their time here at LASP,
most of our female students get to experience and observe machismo
(the Latin American version of chauvinism) as it affects their
daily lives, their families, and their host culture. One common
catalyst of culture shock is the experience of the piropos,
or “compliments,” our female students receive from
men while walking down the streets of San José. Although
this is often considered harmless by locals, many of our students
are offended by the men’s open, sometimes vulgar expressions
of their admiration for women’s physical appearance. In
some Costa Rican homes, our students witness that their host
mothers work outside of the home yet are still the only ones
responsible for the household chores, such as cleaning, cooking
and taking care of the children – very important jobs
that too often go unnoticed and under-appreciated.
On a larger scale, students learn in classes and by reading
the local newspaper about the role of women in the host culture.
For example, although the Costa Rican government recognizes
the importance of female representation and the legislature
is made up of 35% women (a more equitable figure than the US
Congress, which has 14%), this does not go unchallenged in a
machista culture. In preparation for the up-coming elections
for the Costa Rican congress, the female legislators have been
organizing themselves to promote the election of women to the
congressional president and vice-president positions. The women’s
intent to unify has been discredited by some of their male counterparts,
one of whom called their meetings nothing more than a “bridal
shower.” Another coworker joked that he was going to become
a lesbian in order to join the cause, thereby insulting women
and homosexuals by implying that no “real man” would
support their cause.
As I have been affected by such cultural experiences and observations,
our students also gain a heightened awareness of gender issues
here in Latin America. In turn, this often generates a natural
desire to re-examine their own culture. LASP students soon conclude
that although piropos could be considered sexual harassment
in the States, women are objectified in our culture too, where
movies, popular magazines and the clothing industry emphasize
women’s value as sexual objects, rather than as people,
leaders, mothers, sisters, students, etc. While it is easy to
critique Costa Rican machismo, it is less comfortable to realize
that we may be just as guilty in our relationships, families,
churches, culture and politics.
As students witness the real-life effects of machismo in our
host and home cultures, feminism quickly becomes an issue worthy
of discussion and study. However, as with most issues when studied
carefully, the more one learns, the more complex the issue gets.
One thing I know for sure is that the use of extreme definitions
of feminism (or of any other debatable issue) is rarely healthy,
as it prevents us from fully realizing its holistic value. Furthermore,
as Christians, we have the responsibility to evaluate the issue
as it pertains to Christ’s teachings for our lives.
One of our guest speakers, Silvia Regina – a Brazilian
professor from the Universidad Bíblica here in San José
– insists that feminism and Christianity have more in
common than most people realize. According to her, the interpretation
of scripture should always be liberating and based on equality
among all people – regardless of gender, race, class,
physical ability, profession, etc. – as each was made
in the image of God. Any theology or interpretation of the scriptures
that is not based on those two pillars should be suspect.
This realization demands a reevaluation of feminism. Although
our culture claims to be progressive, many of us are confused
by seemingly conflicting messages in the Bible. Many radical
feminists reject the Christian faith because of its historical
patriarchy and condemn the exclusionary practice of barring
women from being ordained as priests in the Catholic tradition
or pastors in some Protestant traditions. The assigning of gender
and male characteristics to God along with the implications
of female inferiority in scripture are further grounds for rejection.
However, most Christian feminists point out that Jesus, in his
day, was himself a radical in this respect. They remind us that
the Bible was inspired by God, neither man nor woman, and argue
that although Jesus’ teachings were not meant to be oppressive,
the leaders of the early church lived in a patriarchal society
and were apparently not willing to give up their privileges.
Keeping the cultural and historical contexts in mind is important.
One must recognize at the same time that there are several Biblical
passages that are explicit in their message that men and women
should be considered equals. For example, Galatians teaches
us that in Jesus “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there
is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female”
(Gal 3:28). Despite the fact that Jewish law prohibited rabbis
to speak alone with an unrelated woman, Jesus was not bound
by such legalism. In the fourth chapter of John the disciples
find Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman and are “astonished
that he was speaking with a woman” (Jn 4:27). This was
not the first nor the last time that this would happen, as women
were a very important part of Jesus’ life and the salvation
story.
Understanding that Jesus himself preached and lived gender equality
seems to invalidate any arguments that feminism and Christianity
are mutually exclusive. If there were more dialogue among fellow
believers, as is encouraged at LASP, there would not be as great
a need to remind others that feminism is not a vulgarity, but
rather a movement to take ownership of the liberation and equality
that our Christ Jesus came to bring us, both men and women.
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What
follows is a partial transcript of a final presentation given
by a group of students at LASP in the Spring 2004 semester.
A member of that group sent it out to her semester recently
as a reminder of the challenges they had encountered in Latin
America a year ago. She reflects on it here:
"I'm trying to see the positive in each seemingly bad situation,
and if you look, sometimes it's not that hard to find. I have
also been discovering potential, and how far away I am from
what I could be. I could be a much better student,
nurse, friend, sister, daughter, and person. Even as I sent
out the presentation to you, it encourages and challenges me.
"Nothing I do will ever be enough,
short of everything. I must give my whole life in a careful
measured use of my talents skills and energy to reform this
world where I was born or maybe the many places where I was
born." I am starting to see
the truth of that in my life. And that scares me. I realise
that I am going to have to give my life up completely. Perhaps
not literally, but I feel the weight of the truth that I cannot
keep my life for myself." Cassie Favello, BIOLA, 2/5/05
My Hope
Is In You
by Kyla
Buchwald - Houghton, Cassie Favello - BIOLA, Stacy Keogh -
George Fox, Janel Meholick - Colorado Christian, Melissa Stymeist
- BIOLA, & Melissa Wolff - Westmont
"There
are all kinds of voices calling you to all
different kinds of work, and the problem is to find
out if this is the voice of God rather than that of
society, say, the superego, or self interest. The place
God calls you to is where your deep gladness and the
world's deep hunger meet." -Fredrick Buechner
30 thousand
people died at the hands of the US
supported Contras in the 1980's.
There are 3 million displaced people in Colombia.
I never knew.
In Guatemala, 80% of the people live in total poverty.
8.5 % of Cubans don't have drinking water.
I never knew.
2 in 5 Latin American immigrant children will drop out
of school.
74% of indigenous people are illiterate.
I knew nothing. I knew nothing. I knew nothing.
Until
Now.
"The
naivety of the American public and the
insufficient sense of history are weaknesses of
North America." -John Stam
But now that I know, what should I do?
What should the U.S. do?
"That question can't be answered, each situation needs
to be examined case by case." -Maria Lopez Vigil
I pledge
allegiance to the flag
Of the United States of America
And to the Republic
For which is Stands
One Nation
Under God
Indivisible
With liberty and justice
For all
"There
are no magic answers, no miraculous methods to
overcome the problems we face
just the familiar ones:
honest search for understanding, education,
organization, action-
and the kind of commitment that will persist despite
the temptations of disillusionment,
despite many failures and only limited successes,
inspired by the hope of a brighter future."
-Noam Chomsky
"Keep
hope alive.
Do the possible at the lower levels to achieve the
greater goals one person at a time.
These are the small signs of the Kingdom of God."
-John Stam
"Let Christians challenge the rest of the nation, not
try to resemble the rest of the nation.
Let them proclaim the Biblical norms for justice,
That give primary emphasis not to accomplishment,
but to the need." -William Salone Coffin
So what
now?
What can be done about the problems in Latin America?
The US can take responsibility
For the marks they left
The government
can send aid
Respect national sovereignty
And work with the governments to support grass-root
projects
Working bottom up
NGOs can work with the people to establish
self-sustainable lives
And human dignity
But honestly,
What does that mean to me?
To us?
To you?
The fact
is, many Americans want to help,
They want to make a difference
They just don't know where to start,
where do we start?,
because the problem is too big,
it's just too big.
Can one
person make a difference?
Do I really matter?
What can I do?
"Nothing
I do will ever be enough
short of everything.
I must give my whole life
My whole life
In a careful measured use of my talents
Skills
And energy
To reform this world where I was born
Or maybe
The many places where I was born"
But what
can I do?
Get involved
with politics
Vote
Write letters
Follow foreign policy
Stay informed
Know what is happening
See a human face
Not just a problem
Share what you learn
Your experiences
Teach others to care
Be heard
Volunteer
for NGOs
Sponsor a child through Compassion
Through World Vision
Or donate to other reliable organizations
The prayer
of a righteous man is powerful and
effective
Simple as it may sound,
Pray
Go
Go to a country
Serve the people
Teach them to live
To trust
To love
To hope
Am I scared?
Yes, I am scared
Turn your despair into passion, passion
Start down the right path, even if the results seem
despairing.
God is
faithful!
Faith gives you energy and joy to continue the
journey.
Remember
You must do this work because it is
The right thing to do
Not because you are guaranteed results
You have
a voice
We have the power
To change
Ourselves
Your families
Our countries
Our world
One person,
Can make a difference
One voice,
Can be heard
One life,
Can be seen
Will it
be you?
Will we do it?
Will I do it?
Will you do it?
Psalm
25:5
Guide
me in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God
my Savior; my hope is in you,
my hope is in you,
my hope is in you all day long.
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