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Students at Union Theological Seminary in New York will be celebrating International Women’s Day in chapel on Monday, March 9.
“Persist” is the name of the student caucus at Union organizing the prayer service. Their mission statement begins by saying, “As a student group, we are women and men who believe in the affirming notion that dignity, equality and human rights belong to all people – male or female”
Elizabeth Schüssler Fiorenza wrote that “the roots and pillars of patriarchy are sexism, racism and militaristic colonialism.” These seminarians are working to empower their local and global community with awareness of and skills to reform structures and systems of domination and control related to all three pillars.
In order to plant new roots, the co-chairs of Persist believe we must learn to act together with others to transform the societies in which we live. The horizon of freedom from patriarchy is hope. On Monday, seminarians at Union will gather to sing the songs of freedom for all women in celebration of International Women’s Day.
Below is a short video the caucus compiled for use during the candle lighting communion. “By incorporating the pictures of women from around the world,” the co-chairs of the caucus shared, “we acknowledge women’s voices which are most often ignored or silenced rather than celebrated.”
Preparations for the upcoming United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) are well underway. Earlier this month, the U.N. Division for the Advancement of Women convened an Expert Group Meeting on the priority theme for 2009.
The 2009 CSW will consider the theme “Equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS.” This theme was explored with shared research and practical experience, resulting in background papers, expert papers and an online discussion amongst civil society.
In particular, I highlight the role of faith based communities that arose in the papers and online discussions. Of nine expert papers and four background papers, only one background paper mentioned the role of religious stakeholders. This reference was specifically related to address issues of “attitudes and stereotypes” regarding gender roles in society.
Ten years after the close of the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Decade in Solidarity with Women (1988-1998), we continue to learn from the lessons gathered. We continue to struggle. Although it was before my time as an international ecumenist, I have read that much of the progress made during the decade was largely due to the “solidarity of women with other women.” This was a time where we looked within, affirmed one another in the image of God and recognized gender inequality in our own house.
During this time of renewal and repentance; we set many goals to achieve greater equality for women. Part of the call during this Decade, indeed a recommendation, was for churches to create programmes, educational materials, networks and opportunities that specifically supported and empowered women.
Today, a similar call is happening within the United Nations. Ecumenical Women has been working with other women worldwide to support an initiative to create a single women-specific independent entity within the United Nations system and led by an Under-Secretary General at the highest level.
