76-3 Resolution on WOMEN IN THE CHURCH
WHEREAS LSM-USA’s statement of purpose includes a commitment to “unity and wholeness” within the body of Christ; and
WHEREAS we are all one body in Christ, and if one part of the body is hurt, all parts are hurt with it (I Cor. 12:26a); and
WHEREAS language reflects our cultural values and the way in which we perceive and define our world and our selves; and
WHEREAS a significant number of people in LSM-USA are being adversely affected by the use of distinctively masculine language which is purported to refer to women as well as men; and
WHEREAS “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slate nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28);
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
1. That it become an official policy of the LSM-USA to use inclusive language in order to avoid the use of language forms which in reality subsume women under masculine terminology, in any and all LSM-USA functions and documents; and
2. That all existing LSM-USA documents and other printed matter, which will be printed after August 15, 1976, to be changed to reflect this policy; and
3. That the people of the LSM-USA both organizationally and as individuals encourage and foster the use of inclusive language by persons and organizations with whom they come in contact; and
4. The LSM-USA Communicate to the major Lutheran bodies in the U.S.A. a statement which affirms and encourages the total participation of women in the life of the Church, including the ordained ministry; and
5. That a committee be formed to implement this resolution subject to the approval of the National Council, consisting of the following people:
Sandy Dager, Long Beach, CA
Alan Weinrich, Nashville, TN
Jan Unger, Berkeley, CA
Julia Swanson, Mankato, MN
Mark Engel, Cedar Falls, IA
Josephine Gennaria, Los Angeles, CA
and any other interested persons.
ACTIONS TAKEN:
It has become the policy of the Lutheran Student Movement-USA to use inclusive language in its publication and communication printed after the August 15, 1976 date whenever feasible and appropriate. Also, a copy of this resolution was sent to the Presidents of the Lutheran Church bodies following the 1976 Legislative Assembly.
The following excerpts from a letter from Alan Weinrich, a member of the committee formed to implement the resolution.
This “member” has had no communication with the other committee members. I don’t know what the others have done, but I do have several observations. Having been very active this past year in several LSM retreats and other activities, it seems like this resolution/policy statement was ignored. Worship services at these events particularly showed little or no concern/sensitivity to the language issue. By the continual reference to God in explicitly male terms there seemed to be emphasis on the irrelevant God’s/Jesus’s supposed maleness and hiding the joyous God’s all-powerfulness/Jesus’s personhood.
A lot of people are sensitive to the language issue but really don’t know what they are saying or all of its connotations. Others want to be (or appear to be) sensitive but aren’t. These two “types,” as well as those who really don’t care, would probably really be helped by some kind of education to better help them understand what we’re talking about. Words really do affect the way we think of ourselves and others.
Finally, I have a feeling that no one realized (or cared?) about the kinds of changes and actions which the resolution was mandating. It seems to be that in order for this to really have any weight in future LSM-USA activities and policy, it must be written into the Constitution. But, I hesitate in making a suggestion that would cause the Constitution to further burgeon.
I hope you can sense some of the frustration I feel about the essential failure of this resolution to produce any apparent growth in LSM-USA or its people. The walls I see being put up against the changes implicit in this resolution have caused me to be seriously re-evaluating my commitment to LSM as an organization through which I do much of my own ministry. But, I suppose any group of people will only be sensitive to those ideas and philosophies that “it” can feel comfortable with. I suppose that many of the changes called for by people in the feminist (humanist) movement hit too close to home for many of us. But, I feel fairly sure that Christ would not have been satisfied with us only being concerned with the lot of people across the ocean in Namibia…..
Alan Weinrich
RESOURCES AVAILABLE:
As a kind of addendum to the resolution on “Women and the Church” passed at the 1976 LSM Legislative Assembly I would like to submit the following bibliography which was compiled, primarily, by Mary Kelly and Nadia Lahutsky of Vanderbilt Divinity School.
Alan Weinrich
BOOKS
AGAINST OUR WILL: MEN, WOMEN, AND RAPE by Susan Brownmiller. Simon and Schuster, 1975. Important new work pinpointing rape as a key to women’s oppression (and in a way men’s too).
THE CHURCH AND THE SECOND SEX by Daley. Harper and Row, 1968.
BEYOND GOD THE FATHER by Daley. Harper Press, 1973.
ONCE UPON A PEDISTAL by Hahn. Historical look at the role(s) of women in developing American society.
REBIRTH OF FEMINISM by Judith Hole and Ellen Levine. Quadrangle/New York Times Book Co., 1971.
MAN’S WORLD – WOMEN’S PLACE: A STUDY IN SOCIAL MYTHOLOGY by Elisabeth Janeway. Dell, 1971. A very heavy but thorough look at the historical development of the guiding belief (myth) of our society: “It’s a man’s world, the woman’s place is in the home” – however “home” may be defined.
SEX AND MARRIAGE IN UTOPIAN COMMUNITIES by Muncy.
RELIGION AND SEXISM edited by Rosemary Ruether. Touchstone/Simon and Schuster, 1974.
NEW WOMAN, NEW EARCH by Rosemary Ruether. Seabury, 1975.
THE BIBLE AND THE ROLE OF WOMEN by Stendahl. Fortress, 1966.
WOMEN AND WORSHIP by Sharon Nuefer Emswiler and Thomas Neufer Emswiler. Harper and Row, 1974.
ARE WOMEN HUMAN? By Dorothy L. Sayers. Eerdmans, 1971.
MAGAZINES
“The Real Spoils of War.” MS. December 1975.
“Depatriarchalizing Biblical Interpretation.” JAAR. March 1973.
“Evangelical Feminism.” POST AMERICAN. August-September, 1974.
CHRYSALIS. A new magazine of women’s culture. First published in January 1977, it is dedicated to providing info on, and analyzing all aspects of the women’s movement and culture. Contact: Chrysalist, c/o Women’s Building, 1727 North Spring Street, Dept. A, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
OTHER MATERIALS
MORNING TIMES a book of meditation on the book of Ruth, related to women, empowerment and pluralism published by the YWCA, $1.25, Office of Communications, National Board of the YWCA, 600 Lexington, New York, NY
“THE WHAT TO DO WHILE WAITING FOR ORDINATION COOKBOOK” for $2.00. Minnesota St. Joan Community, Box 27082, Minneapolis, MN 55427.