The Place of Women In the Church

What does it mean that we are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:28)?

An article in a Bulletin for Catholic priests, a  religious sister has some strong words to deliver to the clergy whose efforts in the pastoral work of the church she is very familiar. She works in a ministry for Hope and Joy.

 

"In what way did the world look down on women to teach them? How did the patriarchal male Catholic Church structure and culture grow in strength? I often meditate on Genesis. Because I often experience that the answers to the world's problems can be found there."

 

God made Eve for Adam as a 'cooperator suitable for him' (Genesis 2:18). When Adam meets Eve, he marvels and welcomes her, saying: "Bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh" (Genesis 2:23). Man and woman were 'collaborators' and 'one' (one body) to take care of the world newly created. 

 

How did a woman like this fall into the position of being included in man's  property list?  In fact, the idea of Eve made of men's ribs was possible due to a male-centered culture that monopolized intellectual information and activities. It would certainly be different if a woman wrote it.

 

The attitude of 'blaming Eve' without any sense of responsibility or loyalty is the epitome of 'irresponsibility' expressed today by the 'absence of  men in today's abortion situation. Adam, who loved Eve, immediately said that 'the woman you gave me' (Genesis 3:12) seduced him and ate what was given. Adam tried to bring about a dissonance between God and Eve. How ungrateful and cowardly.

 

Adam's attitude of blaming Eve without responsibility or loyalty after the original crime, forgetting that he shouted "bone from my bone" —Is that all? Abraham and Isaac, who loved their beautiful wife, also pushed them out as "sisters" at the moment of crisis and created room for sexual favors to those in power. From the perspective of Eve, Sarah, and Rebekah, how did they look upon the masculinity of  their husbands?

 

In a patriarchal society at that time, living as a 'submissive woman' to a man with physical and economic power, wounds and resentment must have accumulated inside them. It is a relationship that requires healing and reconciliation. Evangelical Relations - In order to heal the world, the characteristic of the early Christian Church was its orientation to an egalitarian society free from status and gender discrimination. This has been a healing value in human history. The hope that the community itself would be filled with joy. In other words, it was the Gospel.

 

The Catholic bishops who came to Korea  were more innovative. Of course, there was a background of the times in which it was difficult to receive priests due to a severe persecution, but what made the Catholic community proud was the fact that it was a church led by 'laity (comrades)' who did not differentiate between men and women. This is undoubtedly a message given by God from the point of view of faith. 

 

One of the reasons for the rapid spread of Christianity in Korea was that it has opened up a world of 'liberation' that transcends identity and gender. In the Middle Ages, it became extremely powerful, and in the Middle Ages, it had a hierarchical structure and was strengthened centered on men, and women as subordinate beings.  The church must first respect and trust women. 

 

We need to recover the lay-centered church community by discovering the unique intellectual values ​​and various gifts of women who are doing all kinds of work within the parishes. The perseverance and femininity to heal the earth revealed in the Virgin Mary and the women who were with her and stayed with Jesus until the end of the Passion. It is because women have an easier time of making loving decisions for life and are able to restore the lay-centered church community. We need to revive the values ​​of women in the church!  Men and women together make up the human race. If we revive femininity, destruction and war will be reduced.