‘Wednesday, August 23, 2017 4:47 am
“The Invisible Women: Naming and Proclaiming the Forgotten Women in Scripture and Church Law” is a book of great consequence. Through Sister Sandra Makowski’s superb writing, research and scholarship, the poor treatment of women in the Bible, lectionary and local church is brought to new light. Of course, Makowski writes from a Catholic perspective, but that does not mean there is no food for the rest of Christianity. As a Baptist, I was surprised by the number of things I did not know. For example, I have never read a book or heard a sermon on Hagar and yet Makowski’s book helped me to see how Hagar becomes more and more important as international conflicts continue to unfold. Similarly, I knew almost nothing about Huldah, the prophet who lived during the time of Jeremiah. I have been saturated with knowledge about Jeremiah and his teachings and that is Makowski’s point. Too often, we study the men and ignore the women. In the beginning of the church, women and men shared equal status and roles. However, as the church became more and more structured it took on the cultural characteristics of the society around it. Women gradually were stricken from the leadership and their voices disregarded. In the Catholic Church, this pattern continued unchallenged until after Vatican II, where no Catholic women were originally invited. However, a major shift began that indicated that the laity share equally in being gifted with the Holy Spirit, being called to holiness and being engaged in the mission of the church. Although women play major roles in the Bible, their importance is mainly marginalized by the male-dominated church, Makowski asserts. When women are mentioned, it is most often in relationship to the male figures. Jesus reverses this practice; however, the church downplays the extraordinary recognition Jesus gave to women. The role of women has often been described as the sleeping beauty fairytale. Women are simply to wait until Prince Charming arrives, awakens them and gives meaning to their lives through him. It would be nice to think that that notion has been put to rest; however, we know that this isn’t true. The Baptist Faith and Message statement of the Southern Baptist Convention in the year 2000 states, “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.” Another section states, “A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ.” As a result, in many Southern Baptist churches, women cannot be deacons or teach men. One of the major new ideas to me from Makowski’s book is that there were women at the Last Supper. The Scriptures do not restrict the possibility. Yet, in my life in the church this possibility has never been remotely suggested. At the end of each chapter, Makowski includes a short story that places the reader in a situation and then asks the reader to answer several questions. These questions are very important in helping personalize the impact of what has gone before. The concluding paragraphs of “The Invisible Women” are powerful. “If we fail at being our best selves, or if we are not invited to the banquet, that doesn’t mean we give up. It simply means that tomorrow is another day. And tomorrow we try again with God’s grace,” Makowski writes. “It is God who has the final answer, and in the end, it is God who does the inviting. God has already extended the invitation to women and men alike. No one is excluded from the banquet.” She continues, “Let us remember that it is God who has the last word, and in God we trust because God loves us, God sees us, God calls us by our name. We are God’s beloved – male and female alike. And nothing and no one can take that away. What more is there to say!”
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Posts Tagged Catholic
Mitch CarnellThe book of Hebrews tells us, “Not to neglect to show kindness to strangers.” When members and visitors exit the sanctuary of historic First Baptist Church of Charleston on June 4, they will be given a daisy, the symbol of friendship, with the instructions, “Give it to a stranger and say something nice.” Mayor Tom Tait of Anaheim, California said, “Acts of kindness create a vibration that extends out like the ripples from pebbles and brings people together.”
Sunday June 4, 2017 is the 11th. Annual Say Something Nice Sunday. Every church, denomination, religious organization or group fostering greater harmony and goodwill are encouraged to join. There are no fees or anything to buy. “We are just trying to make the world a safer and happier place to live,” according to Mitch Carnell, Chair of the ecumenical committee.
The movement began at First Baptist Church of Charleston and was adopted by the Charleston County Baptist Association. The Charleston/Atlantic Presbytery joined followed by the Disciples of Christ and the Catholic Diocese of Charleston which includes all of South Carolina. Many American Baptists, Episcopal, Lutheran and Methodists churches around the country joined. Recently Green Lake Conference Center in Wisconsin and Louisiana College have joined the movement.
The Most Reverend Bishop Robert Guglielmone of the Catholic Diocese of Charleston said in support of the movement, ”Our words should be used to express love not hatred. What better way can we express this belief than to celebrate a day devoted to healing with our words? I heartily endorse the mission of Say Something Nice Sunday and urge all Christians to participate. In Corinthians 13:13, St. Paul tells us that the greatest virtue is love. What better way is there for Christians to express this virtue than to participate in Say Something Nice Sunday?”
Everyone can use a word of encouragement, a smile or a pat on the back. That is our purpose. Everybody is somebody. You are unique, one of a kind. You make our lives better. That is the message we want to send.
Free materials are available at www.fbcharleston.org. Click on Messages/Resources at the top of the page then scroll down to Say Something Nice Sunday. You will find, Bible verses, devotionals, suggestions for use, art work and the purpose of the celebration. You are encouraged to create your own materials and share them. Send to lori@fbcharleston.org.
On this Thankful Thursday I am grateful for the gifts that Sister Sandra Makowski brings to my life. She is the chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Charleston which covers all of South Carolina. She is a member of our Say Something Nice Sunday Steering Committee. She is the author of a wonderful book, The Side of Kindness, which is available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She just completed conducting a three part program on kindness for the Adult Bible School at First Baptist Church of Charleston. She was an outstanding success and came away with many new friends. Her humility and charming sense of humor added to her reception. Sister Sandra is a pioneer in that she is the first woman admitted to study Cannon Law at the Catholic University in Washington, DC. Sister Sandra is a welcome addition to the Christian community in Charleston. I am grateful to God for sending Sister Sandra into my life.
Thankful Thursday is a day set aside to recognize those men and women who contribute to our lives and to let her or him know of our gratitude. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Say Something Nice; Be a Lifter. You will be glad that you did.
The Eighth Annual Say Something Nice Sunday is June 01, 2014. It is a day to celebrate the people who bring joy to our lives. The goal is to turn down the harsh rhetoric and to replace it with speech that is affirming, uplifting and more Christ-like. The movement started at First Baptist Church of Charleston, the oldest Baptist congregation in the South, and has spread to most denominations including the Catholic Diocese of Charleston. This year the Baptist World Alliance will help promote the celebration.
The steering committee is presenting two civility challenges. These are voluntary and self-monitoring. Civility Challenge One: I pledge that during the next 30 days I will refrain from saying anything ugly, demeaning or derogatory to anyone in my workplace and/or daily activities. If I need to offer correction, I will do it in a respectful manner. I will keep a record for each day that notes whether or not I kept the pledge and any reactions directly related to the exercise. Civility Challenge Two: For the next 30 days I will say something nice, uplifting or encouraging to at least one person every day. I understand that comments that involve physical appearance are off limits for this exercise. I will keep a record for each day that notes whether or not I kept the pledge and of any specific reactions directed related to the exercise. Cardinal Dolan of New York said, “How wonderful it would be if all churches and their members decided to say something positive about other Christians and Christian groups at least one Sunday per year in recognition of our common belief in Christ.”
Pastor Jan Culpepper, pastor of Park Circle Presbyterian Church, North Charleston, SC, added, “Let’s make this more than a celebration for a day. Let’s make it a way of life.” There is nothing to buy or join. Free materials are available at www.fbcharleston.org. Click on Messages/Resources at the top of the home page and then click Say Something Nice Sunday on the right side of the page. Others are encouraged to develop and share their own materials. In 2014, Say Something Nice Sunday and Say Something Nice Day fall on the same day.
