President's Report
Sisters and Brothers,
The word is out about Bishop Steve
Charleston's superb tool for understanding and responding to the Windsor Report. If you haven't seen it, hasten to www.eds.edu
and print out the eleven pages of
The Middle Way: A Congregational Resource for Discussing the Lambeth Commission Report. It presents the substance of Steve's closing address, delivered with passion and authority, to the Justice is Orthodox Theology conference last month in Atlanta. Even if you are in a situation where there is faint hope for a congregational discussion, you will find the essays defining contexts and the questions for discussion very helpful.
The Middle Way asks us to understand the current global debate in the Anglican Communion as being about context, not about sex. And the way in which the context is defined defines the debate, which defines the interpretation, which defines the outcome. Context, context, context! The four essays in this resource briefly outline the historical, theological, political, and cultural contexts in which we are receiving the Windsor Report.
Charleston points out that the historical context of the current struggle is just another chapter in the ancient "Book of Empire." Empires are built on oppression, and are sustained by keeping many people oppressed while a few people benefit greatly. These battles which on the surface are about sexuality ordination of women, the place of GLBT persons in the church, abortion rights, stem cell research, and much more are really part of the death struggle of patriarchy. Which is far from dead, as we know all too well! But each of these "chapters" challenges patriarchal oppression and pushes its forces back further and further.
Now the preceding paragraph sounds more
militaristic than I intend, but I can't seem to find a more peaceful way to talk about what's going on here. And Holy Scripture is not one bit bashful in talking about the battles God's people have had to endure. If you think that women's ordination to all orders of ministry is a reality and no longer a battle, please think again: The Anglican Church of Australia just voted again at its General Synod in October to refuse women as bishops. Sadly, it was the clerical (63-43) and lay (67-39) votes that defeated the motion (a super-majority of twothirds was required); the bishops voted 17-6 to include women in their ranks. And the clericalism which cripples the ministry of our church in so many places is primarily a manifestation of patriarchy. You can add your own examples here.
We have been admonished to practice restraint,
openness to the leading of the Spirit, and prayer when reading and responding to The Windsor Report.
We must do so. But we must be vigilant, watch
ing for the ways in which the Book of Empire is being read, and rejecting it as a context in which to respond. We must also be vigilant, watching for the ways in which God truly is doing new things, and having the courage to preach these new things, praying for fidelity to live into them boldly.
Your EWC Board met for a full day preceding
the opening of the Justice conference, welcoming Amy Cortwright as a new member and congratulating Elizabeth Kaeton on her re-election. Our most important decision was to set aside time in April for a "retreat" (using the word loosely, as seems to be the current custom!) to discern and plan how to be effective agents of change in this rapidly changing time. We need to renew our sense of purpose and direction, and to learn to attract and involve young women and men. It's time to take a fresh look at our mission statement. We want to develop leadership training opportunities for both lay and ordained people. These are big projects, and a monthly telephone conference call doesn't provide the time or the setting to work creatively on them. I ask that you share your ideas and concerns with the Board, either by e-mailing one or all of us, or by starting a Forum on our website (ewc-ecusa.org/forum) and seeing who joins in. The Caucus depends upon its members--I hope we will hear from many of you in the next few weeks. We have work to do!
Faithfully,
Elizabeth Morris Downie, President