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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 1979)
page 6 daily nebraskan thursday, november 29, 1979 Women active in the church are still fighting old taboos By Mary Louise Knapp Women active in the church will no longer be content to take a back pew, according to Dr. Rosemary Radford , Ruether, who addressed the question, "Arc Women Equal if God's Eyes?" Tuesday, Nov. 27 at First Plymouth Con - gregational Church in Lincoln. . ' ' The lecture, was cooperatively sponsored by the Ne braska Coalition for Women and the Lincoln YWCA. A Catholic theologian, Ruether is a Georgian Harkness Professor of Applied Theology, Garrett-Evangelical Theo logical Seminary. There is a long history of exclusion of women from taking an active part in the church," Ruether said. She ex plained that under the patriarchal religious traditions of the Old Testament, women were forbidden to take part in church duties. With the advent of classical Christianity in the second and third centuries, the taboo against active women in the church became stronger. During the Middle Ages, Aristotle's theory that women were "misbegotten males" and defective members of the human race was popular. Scholars believed that women could not take on the image of God or Christ-only men, as normal members of the species, could serve the church. The Reformation brought about much change in the church, but did nothing to hlep the position of women. "This is not the only history of women in the church," Ruether said. "The Messianic Revolution of Jesus was a radical critique of the traditional, hierarchical power structures. Jesus said that the mighty shall be put down, and the low-including women-shall be lifted up." Ruether emphasized 'that Jesus' female apostles stayed . with Him to the end and were the first to witness the Re surrection. ' "THE GOSPELS make no reference to the subordina tion of women." Ruether said. In the Book of Acts, she remarked, the Holy Spirit was poured out equally to men and women. "Women shared all spiritual rote early in the New Testament," she said. ."They were prophets, teachers, and healers. Only later in the New Testament did a reaffirma tion of the synagogue structure-traditional religious roles-come about." ' : : : Women's ministries continued in spite of repression, especially in religious orders, where women were allowed to lead their own organization. The radical branches of the Protestant church, such as the Baptists, began ordain ing women as ministers in the 17th century. Women began founding religious movements in the 19th century. The Congregational and Unitarian churches began ordaining women about 1853. 'The most rapid entry of women into the ministry has ' been very recent. It started in the mid-50's to, mid-60's. Now, about 30 percent of seminary students are women," Ruether said. 'The door is still just half-open, though." SHE EMPHASIZED the need for churchwomen to form "grass-roots" and support communities, where they can study issues together. "We don't want women to get out on a limb with no support." Ruether also discussed the need for laywomen and fe male ministers to unite. "Laywomen have been trained to be traditional role models. They may resent female ordained ministers and feel that the ministers are trying to take their place in the church." Ruether explained that we are living in a time of con servative reaction, and, given that and the traditional stands taken by Pope John II, women will find it difficult to retain the gains they have already made. "We need autonomous, parallel Sstructures-religious orders, schools not controlled by bishops, and "base com munities" to maintain new attitudes. ' "Women '-in ministry want to facilitate a mutual ministry, not to reduce the congregation to dependency. Ministry means servanthood, evoking and developing others' equality," Ruether said. Ruether remarked that all churches have monopolized Jolhion E)ytfftfi)fs mi The Ultimate Drinking & Dancing Establishment AInn . EAAhfill Cnnrtnl Whilst fhft finmo Lnctc nrA r one n..:.i i?. www buuiui rvHini " 7. , 2-Free Strawberry or Banana Daquiris ThlllY John Dutton's All American Spocial $1.50 Pitchers 60 Bar Drinks John Dutton's Fri Afternoon Club. 4 Till 7 Price Drinks Fri. 640 West Van Dorn (on the way to Pioneer'i Park) Open 10 am to 1 am Daily Including Sunday UPC East presents a Catch a guy - get a date! Foniirinn fino Pmintrw AAe-cforn mncSr kw ww.iwiiii miv -ww w i j i vvwwiwlll llllldlw J4 Thurs., Nov. 29th 9-1 2pm $1.50 Admission East Union - Groat Plains Room Sponsored by Dances & Concerts Committee. . Lj EAST the cower of. the ministry in theordained clergy, which puts those who feel they are called to "the ministry of service in a double bind." A VARIETY of ministries are needed in every com munity," she said, "But if churches start to utilize these other kinds of ministries, they may start using them as an excuse to siphon women off into lower-paid, less import ant jobs." Women who enter the ministry are uncertain about their position, she said, because they have no positive role models. "Women must train themselves to be leaders.' Ruether is the author of numerous books, including The New Women, The New Earth, Sexist Ideologies, Human Liberation, and most recently, Women of Spirit Female Leadership in the Jewish and Christian Traditions. Ruether is" editor of Christianity and Crisis, on the Board of Advisors of the Fellowship of Christian Ministries, and contributing editor of The Ecumenist. Designer to speak Jim Burns, a specialist in community participation in design, will speak at 4:30 pm Thursday as part of the UNL College of Architecture's Hyde Speakers Series. His lecture, "Take Part, -A Process of Citizen Participation and Professional Accountability," will be in the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery. Burns is a community design consultant in San Fran Cisco. He is a former associate of Lawrence Halprin.a well known designer, and also was an editor of Progressive Architecture magazine. Burns also will conduct a workshop with students and professionals. We have: CALENDARS POSTERS CARDS BOOKS GIFTS GALORE! Win V W I 204 N. 13th Lower Level Douglas III Mon-Fri 9-9 ' Sat 9-6 bookO store m m m .v.v ffl WW Jv V.1 v.v! vXr v.:. ::: vv v!v CEBRASKA Oil flai:::i::g gobhttee OPEN IIEARIi:SS Will be Held Concerning Proposed Changes In the City Union $ TnB Nebraska Union Planning Committee of the Nebraska Union Board is considering several proposed modifi cations of space utilization in the City Union as part of a five-year plan and is requesting student input before any V.V fiirthar artinn 1 . ;::::::: Proposed changes include consolidating the three current : :::::::: Bookstore locations (Texts, Freshman Texts, and Sup. Ple. Into tingle large store that would replace the v..::j current Bowling Alley, Game Room, and Cellar (North ::v and South Conference Rooms) functions. This proposal m would eliminate bowling facilities at the City Union. The :s . 'vvm luncnuns louiiaras, nnDan, roosoaiii wouin fS.'A, ha mIm.I.J . . aI . a. .. . '" n current auppiy store, venaing lounge location. D0V changes were approved, it is proposed that the Freshman Text Store be converted to a commuter lounge with vending machines, lockers, and TV viewing, and the current textbook store be assigned as new quar. tars for the Daily Nebraskan's expanded operations. Other proposals include modernization of the current i rl jFriD ,nt0 ft-food-type restaurant; remodeling of the South first floor women's lounge and restroom into easeable space; renovation of the Rostrum (small aud Itorium); and remodeling and refurbishing 6f the South crib. The open hearings will be held in the Nebraska Union. Tha fir mill k. i"i .... . . . .... 7 " inwwiy, iMovemoer z, in in Main Lounge at 2:00 PM. The second hearing will be in me same location on Thursday at 7:00 PM. The Nebraska Union Planning Committee encourages your active participation at the hearings, or you may place comments in the suggestion box near the North I I I m 1
