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Feminist christian

To be a Christian feminist in a post-Christian post-feminist age might seem impossible or contradictory. After all, weren’t all the battles for women’s rights won by our mothers? and isn’t Christianity at loggerheads with feminism, intent on putting women back in the kitchen in a male-headed household? So why do ASCMers call themselves feminists?

• “Why be feminist? Its so retro!”
• “The Church doesn’t need feminism, does it? …”
• “So why bother being Christian? The church is irredeemable.”
• “Where do we start with such an enormous task?”

“Why be feminist? Its so retro!”

Not all the battles have been won. Women still own only 1% of the world’s wealth, and 70% of the 1.3 billion people in the world who live in poverty are women. In Australia, women have less access to wealth and still provide the majority of child care. Even on Australian university campuses, sexual harassment still occurs, and women continue to battle for access to child care.

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“The Church doesn’t need feminism, does it? As long as Christians all love each other, its OK.”

No, its not OK. Feminism is particularly needed in the mainstream Christian church community, where women’s rights are often preached but seldom practiced.

Several denominations continue to deny women the opportunity to be priests or ministers, or even to take up non-ordained leadership positions.

Without women in leadership positions, churches can’t respond comprehensively to problems such as sexual harassment, racism, and homophobia.

Moves to change exclusive language which refers to God as male, people as men, and community as brotherhood, are usually resisted by the hierarchy.

In some instances, churches still make material gains from women’s suffering such as Christian churches in India taking commissions from women’s dowries.

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“So why bother being Christian? The church is irredeemable.”

Three good reasons to stay in the struggle:

1. Some feminists have argued that Christianity is intrinsically patriarchal and therefore will always be damaging to women. However, this is exactly what has been said in the past about the legal system, the education system, and the entire social structure. Feminism has been effecting church life at a different pace in different places. In some areas the change hasn’t even started yet, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. And why should we walk away from the Church? Its as much ours as anyone else’s!
2. Many women in the church are feminists precisely because they are Christian. Jesus’ mission was “to let the oppressed go free” (Lk 4:19), and women were vital to his ministry. Despite the rigid patriarchy of the time, Jesus took action with women to actively defy the expectations of society.
3. Christianity isn’t always the domain of the booosh-war-zee. In some areas of the Asia Pacific such as the Philippines and East Timor, Christian Churches have in fact been catalysts for major social change. The Asia Pacific region has long been considered to be at the forefront of feminist theology. We have the most incredible feminist theologians right on our doorstep! Through our connections with SCMs all over the Asia Pacific, ASCM is able to learn about feminist theology. Dalit theology, Marxist theology, and Queer theology.

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“Where do we start with such an enormous task?”

The good news is that the work has already started. Thanks to the efforts of gutsy, passionate women, feminist theology is now on the curriculum of theology colleges, and is slowly making its way to the pews. Feminist theology listens to women’s voices in familiar text, uses new methods and women’s experiences to explore old stories, and rediscovers some of the forgotten bits of the bible. At the same time, creative liturgists have been writing prayers and songs which broaden our images of God and reflect women’s experience in rituals.

The Australian Student Christian Movement’s Women’s Project

The ASCM set up the women’s project to address women’s position in society, the church and the ASCM. Our strategies include the following:

• We create women’s only space at national conferences and at campus level. Women’s space allows women time out from patriarchy, to breathe freely and be themselves.
• We hold regular women’s conference.
• We work with Women’s Officers in SCMs around the Asia Pacific Region to raise awareness of the situation of women around the region. In 2001, ASCM will focus on supporting women university students in East Timor.
• We are actively conscious of gender balance in positions of leadership in the movement, as well as being aware of group dynamics at branch, state and national levels.
• We create resources for worship that focus on women. The women’s project co-ordinator has a voting position on the ASCM national executive, and plays a key role in the ASCM Sexual Harassment Policy.
• We encourage the discussion of feminism and women’s issues in ASCM branches around Australia and participate in feminist action within and beyond the church, such as the Fair Wear campaign.
• As a movement ASCM strives to be a place where women and men can reach their full potential, struggling together against injustice. Only with active committed feminist staying in and struggling with the church, will it become an inclusive community.

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