From Desert's Child:
"...here's a modest proposal.
Before giving up totally on the Anglican Communion, let's have all the men -- Rowan Williams, all the male Primates, all the male bishops, all the male priests, all the male laymen -- take a vow of silence on this issue for a year and let the women of the Anglican Communion work on reconciling us to one another.
Let's let the people -- women -- who really DO make up the largest numbers of Anglicans in the world work on finding a way we can all live together in love despite our differences.
Let's make IAWN (International Anglican Women's Network) the instrument of Communion.
Let's do what Jesus did time and again. Empower these women. And then listen to them.
Wonderful things could result."
Desert's Child is the work of Katie Sherrod of Fort Worth, Deputy to General Convention, worker of communications wonders, and all around great person. Read the whole thing HERE.
I'm ready: I am waiting perpetually for the rebirth of wonder, and more than ready to shut my mouth and open my heart. Just so long as I can spend time on the new boat (see side bar.) Go Katie!
8/03/2009
18 comments:
OK... Comments, gripes, etc welcomed, but with some cautions and one rule:
Cautions: Calling people fools, idiots, etc, will be reason to bounce your comment. Keeping in mind that in the struggles it is difficult enough to try to respect opponents, we should at least try.
Rule: PLEASE DO NOT SIGN OFF AS ANONYMOUS: BEGIN OR END THE MESSAGE WITH A NAME - ANY NAME. ANONYMOUS commentary will be cut.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Indeed. As long as you don't ask any but one of my older biological sisters. They are not to be trusted to act out of much more than spite, ever. I can't remember when they ever got along with themselves. They were more nefarious than any muddleheaded Welsh academic and his boys' club have ever been.
ReplyDeleteSomething important is being said here primarily it seems to me in the realm of fairness and balance. But I have to remind people that historically oppressed or not we are each as capable of sin as those once in power over us.
I'm all for it. The only reservation is that we know Rowan and Co. will promise, but not deliver.
ReplyDeleteNo chance. After all the entire fight is over power. You think the power crazed are gonna shut up for 1 day let alone 365?
ReplyDeleteFWIW
jimB
It would be nice to see and hear more about the boat someday. And pace Katie Sherrod, I think it would be good if the women kept quiet as well as the men. Let the little kids do the talking. They might surprise us all. As Jesus pointed out.
ReplyDeleteWith the singular exception of Christ Himself, I don't think the male populace have been historically CAPABLE of silencing themselves in deference to women's working out of a situation. It's natural to assume I'm speaking of lofty matters, but frankly, I'd be impressed if a group of males could stand quietly by while a woman worked out how to change the oil, let alone a problem of larger magnitude! ;)
ReplyDeleteThe problem with empowering only women as a solution in the short term is that all the systems of power were designed by and for men -- this is why the women who have risen to power in the larger world haven't been noticeably different in the way they act (think Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir, or Hillary Clinton -- all worthy in their ways, but not revolutionary in the way they use power).
ReplyDeleteHere's a thought experiment (and I honestly don't know the players well enough to know the outcome). Write a first triennium biography of the current PB and the last one. Pick some moments where power was used. Disguise the names and pronouns. Can you tell which was named Frank and which Katharine? Out in the real world, at least, the women in power have often had to be more bellicose to prove their "worthiness" to wield power.
Anyhow, I like the "be quiet" part of the plan. And let's spend some time worrying more about the people with less power than we have, and less about the people with more.
Peace,
MarkP
While we are at it let's let the ECW run TEC. From the talk I heard from their retiring president at the GC09 there would be some changes in the mission of TEC for the better as well! But I guess those in power in TEC would not do that either!
ReplyDeleteDEL
I love this idea! I worked with a group of really strong minded and opinionated women at one time. Not one was afraid to voice her opinions AND everyone was willing to work together to work things out. We did some amazing things. We were known as the group who laughed the most and got the most done.
ReplyDeleteStep back and let the women have at it.
I'm all for this idea. I know that will surprise regular comment readers. I'm glad to see that MarkBrunson and I are in agreement.
ReplyDeleteBut- I absolutely believe that we should let the women of the Anglican Communion decide the future.
Because, as has been pointed out elsewhere, that will mean Katie Sherrod will be turning the future (if she allows democracy) to a body that is mostly African, in their 20s, and with multiple kids. After all, women in Peter Akinola's province alone outnumber the women in TEC by a wide, wide margin. I'm sure they'll be all for her progressive changes.
Oh- what's that? Ms. Sherrod only meant 60-year old female General Convention delegates?
Well, never mind then.
I'm sorry, but this is an insulting proposal. Why should the voices of gay men be silenced on a decision of this magnitude? Why should gay men seeking a place at the table cede power and trust another self-appointed group of power-brokers?
ReplyDeleteJaybird77
drdanfee
ReplyDeleteWell shutting up for a meditative while and letting Anglican women have a try could hardly get us into a worse fix than we already are, if the conservative realignment campaigning and the new fangled covenant are any long-term indicators of being in a double-binded fix.
I'm less optimistic about the silence of the good ole boys. Seems they always preach that God speaks through their genitals, so hush up those women folk. I'm revisiting my facile dismissal of that old Freudian notion of castration anxiety, at least for these men in this regard. They seem to have truck loads of unfinished-unconscious psychosexual business, with the prime defensive psychodynmic markers being their reflexive misogyny plus their reflexive panic about queer folks, especially queer men. Under what circumstances of church life do standing prejudices become symptoms? What care is helpful?
Let's add in a few consulting psychiatrists who will assist the silent meditating men during their year of openness and waiting?
That's all fine and dandy until you hit Africa where women don't exist, at least according to most of the Govt.'s in those areas.
ReplyDeletedrdanfee
ReplyDeletePS. Here is how women in South Africa often get treated by men.
At: http://www.sundayherald.com/mostpopular.var.2523440.mostviewed.corrective_rape_and_murder_of_gay_rights_activist_points_to_a_new_apartheid.php
If SA is the most progressive of the African countries, just imagine what goes on in the others. Alas. Lord have mercy.
Yawner,
ReplyDeleteThose young Nigerian women you note are better served by the Women's Union than male parish priests. I suspect you'll find that they care most about getting a living wage, feeding their children (and finding and ending the violence that disrupts their lives. A change in AC priorities, generally, is to their advantage. And what would be the problem with men who have no desire to have sex with them, and hence make more babies? Think on this.
Katie, let's go drop in on ladies in the company of the Nigerian WU, with the makings of some hearty stew, coffee and cake, and clothing for the children. Methinks we could do a little horsetrading.
How about just getting out of church, and religion, altogether?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the Invisible Friend thing has gotten a little old?
Maybe it would be good for the Anglican Communion AND the women of Africa if we let them have the larger voice.
ReplyDeleteAnd I bet same-sex issues would be nowhere on the agenda, still.
And I bet "sin" and "atonement" would play a pretty big role.
Win-win, all around.
C'mon folks have a sense of humor. Getting Katie on the EC was one of the best things to come out of Anaheim!
ReplyDeleteNew blog for progressives in the Diocese of Texas. Episcotexan.blogspot.com. Y'all come!
Peace,
Episcotexan
Perhaps God and Satan should shut up and let Mother Earth work out their differences...
ReplyDelete