Women in Mind

I have an almost constant sense of deja vu.

That is to say, I have been here before. The Church has been here before.

Whether it is the latest speaker who thinks women should stick to homemaking and having babies, men and women who think women are differently constituted and therefore can't or should not be leaders, or Christians who believe that arguments for women's leadership are new, when one can document them from the time of the early Church, and campaigning and debate started in the Anglican Church in 1930: we have been here before!

Because we have been here before, I become frustrated when it seems that the same arguments seem to go round and round, while all the while there is an increasing amount of scholarship - on both 'sides' of the biblical argument, it must be said, but most of the weight of argument, including a number of scholars who have changed their minds, on the side of those who believe that the biblical case for women leaders in the Church is very strong.

There is debate among younger Christians, influenced by certain US speakers.

There is debate among Anglican women wondering if God is calling them to ordination or to another form of authorised leadership.

There is debate for Anglicans on General Synod because there are decisions to be made about women in the episcopate (women bishops).

And there is debate in many parishes, certainly in every diocese, because those making the decision want to know what is the mind of the wider Church.

So because we are here again, a reminder about useful resources.

The biblical issues about women as leaders are addressed in the book Growing Women Leaders. This book also looks at women leaders in the Bible and through 2000 years of Church history. To buy a copy, click here.

And if you want a good discussion in your church about what the Bible says, why not download the Women in Mind resource: 3-session courses for groups who want to look at what the Bible says about women in ministry. These are FREE to download from the CPAS website: just click here.

I've been encouraged that nearly 1500 people have downloaded one or other of these courses over the past year. If you've used one of them, please let me know, as I would love to refine the courses further, and to encourage others. You can email me at rward@cpas.org.uk.

We will speak out

Violence against women and girls: it's still a shocking problem.

I've long been passionate that the church should lead the way in trying to change our culture and address this issue, rather than lagging behind others or ignoring it altogether.

I was pleased to hear today about a new Anglican initiative to 'speak out'. Not sure why I heard in an email from a Canadian friend, but maybe that says something about the level of awareness (or lack of it) in the UK!

The Archbishop of Canterbury recently welcomed senior church leaders and international development agencies to Lambeth Palace to pledge that the church will play a part in ending sexual violence, and to launch a Tearfund report, 'Silent No More' (see photo).

Read more about this here, and you can download the 'Silent no more' report and pledge your commitment to it here.

While at theological college I helped out on a domestic violence helpline, and chose to do some research on Christian responses to domestic violence for a theological college essay. That was eventually published as a Grove booklet for Home is Where the Hurt is. The booklet is out of print, but the text is still available, for download: click here (scroll to the bottom of the lists of articles).

In whatever way, we will, we must, 'speak out', to see an end to the sexual violence which blights the lives of so many women and girls all over the world.

100 Most Inspiring Women

Today is International Women's Day!

It's a day to celebrate the achievements of women, and one of my colleagues handed me a copy of today's Guardian supplement: 100 most inspiring women.

The list of women has been drawn up from a list of more than 3,000 suggestions from readers. I wonder if there were any leaders from the churches in that original list, because there aren't any in the remaining 100.

But there are some women who have inspired me: Aung San Suu Kyi, Ellen MacArthur, Germaine Greer, Tanni Grey-Thompson. And there are plenty of women I've never heard of, whose stories I've been reading and whom I want to find out more about.

There's no doubt about it: the stories of other women can inspire us. And as I think I have written before in a blog, research suggests that for women, role models are particularly important. Inspiring Women, by Ruth Perrin, explores this and highlights some women in the Bible who might be models.

But this list of 100 women has got me thinking: who are my top 10 Inspiring Women? If I'm allowed to include biblical women, I'd say Mary Magdalene, Priscilla and Junia; then from church history I'd pick some more: there were some remarkable women who went to preach the gospel in America, and from the nineteenth century one of my favourites is Geraldine Hooper, a remarkable evangelist from Bath whom no-one has ever heard of! And from those alive today: the Ranger Guide leader whose Christian faith shone out when I was a teenager; Valerie Griffiths (former OMF missionary, and energetic advocate for women's equality) Jessica Jackley (co-founder of Kiva), Kate Coleman (Baptist minister), and others who are pioneering in various ways in the church...

Wouldn't it be great is the next list like this had some women who were noted for their Christian faith?

Who is in your top 10?

The New NIV

I baulked when my devotional reading a couple of days ago invited me to pray: 'let me be a "man of peace".'

OK, so she (it is a woman!) used inverted commas, but one of her texts is Psalm 37:37: 'Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace'' Has she never realised that there are more inclusive Bible versions?

Back in the bad old days I often used to challenge speakers or write to publishers to lament their lack of inclusion, with a variety of responses. A well-known evangelist went straight to the college book room to buy a new Bible; others were uncomprehending. But I may not have to get so exasperated for much longer. The new NIV has arrived!

Revising the NIV has been a difficult business. I can remember a meeting at Hodders back in the 1990s, which resulted in the 'NIVI' (1996) - the 'I' standing for 'inclusive' . It was intended as a revision, but became an addition to the 1984 NIV, because a conservative N American lobby was strongly opposed to it. Then in 2002/2005 we got the TNIV, again meant to be a revision, but becoming yet another addition to the 'original' NIV, which held its place in the popularity stakes and pew version.

Now, the 2011 NIV is the NIV! It's published this month, but is already available at http://www.biblegateway.com/

It's reassuring to read that the Committee on Bible Translation worked with Collins Dictionaries to look at changes in gender language. As a result, many of the gender language changes introduced in the TNIV were verified and retained, some revert back to the 1984 edition, and some have been handled differently.

To give some clues, plural is used to avoid use of 'he' or 'him'; 'mankind' is used, not 'humankind'; 'God and man' as a pair appears, but human beings collectively are 'people' , not 'men'; Junia is female and an apostle, and Phoebe a deacon.

So now scholars are eagerly assessing whether the new NIV is a success - and that will depend on one's starting point!

In a recent post for CBE, John Kohlenberger reckoned this is a major improvement to the 1978/1984 NIV. A review in Priscilla Papers is pleased too, though slightly worried that it could have been better. I think that in the current climate, the Committee have done well, and that we will be well served by this new edition of what has become such a popular translation in evangelical circles.

To look at test case passages try: Psalm 68:11; Romans 16:1-2; Romans 16:7; 1 Corinthians 11:2-12; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Timothy 2:11-12; 1 Timothy 3:11.

For more technical info go to BibleGateway for a link to the note from the Committee with more examples; or Robert Slowley has a site with full texts of the 1984 NIV, 2005 TNIV and 2011 NIV book by book and verse by verse.

How Jesus developed women as leaders

I don't really like blowing my own trumpet. But I was quite chuffed when the post delivered a book which includes one chapter by me: 'How did Jesus develop women as leaders?'

Depending on your perspective, that might seem like a really odd question. Or it may be that you've already read my article on it on the web - in which case you might like to read the new, more full version here.

The book is called Apostolic Women, Apostolic Authority: Transfiguring Leadership in Today's Church, edited by Martyn Percy and Christina Rees, published by Canterbury Press in December last year. The book was designed to collect up papers from a pre-Lambeth conference held at Cuddesdon in 2008, but these were supplemented by a number of other papers written (or edited) for the book, and mine is one of those.

I've just finished reading the book and it will be reviewed soon; there's plenty of varied material in it and I found many of the chapters very valuable. There is lots throughout about 'power'; a great chapter on women in the Bible and church history; a perspective from the US on the deployment of women, which raises issues I've been contemplating, about lack of women called to larger churches; Jane Hedges' research findings on whether women are up for senior posts; 'size matters', a piece of research on the lack of women leading larger churches; a good chapter on spirituality; and an excellent piece by Lis Goddard on the need to transfigure episcopal ministry into something more collegial and collaborative, and how this might also benefit women who currently feel marginalised.

My article - well, you can read it! It might not appear at first that there is anything to write about how Jesus developed women as leaders. But read the biblical text more closely and there's lots going on. The women who were 'with Jesus'. Mary and Martha, the woman at the well, Mary Magdalene, the women leaders emerging as leaders in the early church. And how women were included alongside men - not in the 'twelve', but very close to them, and certainly included in both learning experiences and commissions to ministry.

It's very apparent to me in the current climate, where some women are facing a backlash (?) of teaching that says we should not be leading in the Church, that we need to read what the Bible is actually saying rather than reaching for those old 'proof' texts (without looking at translation, context and recent interpretaion), and lobbing them over the parapet at women.

Funny too how men can lob stuff at women (why do they make up the rules?), but if we respond we're being over-sensitive, ambitious or 'aggressive'!

Yes you can

Leadership is hard work. There's no doubt about that. But good leadership can achieve amazing things.

I know we're now into 2011, but I was recently inspired by reading the story about one of the Woman of the Year awards 2010.

The Sainsbury's 'You Can' award was given to Shara Brice, who leads the Ascension Eagles, a cheerleading team which is now recognised as one of the best in the world.

Shara moved to the Ascension parish in East London in 1996. It was tough. But she decided to bring to the young people the skills of cheer leading, and gradually the group of young people, their confidence, and their acheivements, grew. The 130-strong team have won more than 250 trophies.

Through the Eagles, the young people experience positive role models and learn new life-skills and skills which will later help them to find employment.

Shara was awarded an MBE for her work, which has changed the lives of thousands of young people in east London. She's also an Arrow graduate.

Inspiring, or what?

New year, new women leaders

2011 is off to an interesting start, with news that Dilma Rousseff has been elected President of Brazil.

The 63-year-old is the first woman president of this huge country (200 million people), with its growing economy yet dramatic contrast between rich and poor.

I was particuarly intrigued that a woman could be elected to lead such a relatively macho country (or is that my prejudiced viewpoint?). Or is it true that women really are becoming more readily accepted as leaders?

Dilma 's background is as the former leader of a resistance movement, who then moved into mainstream politics. She held the position of energy minister, and then served as chief of staff of President Lula from 2005-2010. Apparently nine of her 37 ministers will be women, a record for Brazil.

So what of the Church? Unlike progress in politics, theological issues are primary (or should be) in the debate about whether women should be bishops. Who knows what will happen in the Church of England?

The next stage is for discussion and decision at local and diocesan level, and discussions continue as to what provision should be made for those who feel disenfranchised.

I was personally encouraged today to hear of a 15th woman archdeacon being appointed. Christine Froude, whom I've known for some years, and who has done a great job as an incumbent and as dean of women's ministry in Bristol diocese, has been appointed Archdeacon of Malmesbury.

What else will 2011 bring in terms of women's leadership?