wfn.org | Women: full partners in the ecumenical movement

["Ruth Gill" <rag@cec-kek.org>]

Conference of European Churches - Office of Communications
Press Release No. 04-29/e				
14 June 2004

Women: full partners in the ecumenical movement 
A Consultation in Volos, Greece, 8-13 June 2004

Women have often been seen as tradition bearers, but in society, as well as
in the churches, they have also been agents of innovation. The experience and
competence of women can be crucial when it comes to changing the
male-dominated global economy and opening up the entire globalisation
process. The same is true in the modern debate about meaning and the future,
as experience has shown in many European churches. 
 
More than 30 women from 19 European countries shared their commitment and
expertise in a consultation on contextual interconfessional dialogue from
June 8-13 in the Diocese of Dimitrias in Volos/Greece. The Conference of
European Churches (CEC), in co-operation with the Ecumenical Forum of
European Christian Women (EFECW), invited women from member churches and
associated organisations, including the YWCA Europe and the Ecumenical Youth
Forum.

Rev. Jean-Arnold de Clermont, CEC's President and special guest at the
consultation, stressed the need in present day ecumenism to share spiritual
resources and to do theology together among the churches, in order to create
a new sense of belonging among Christians in Europe and to be able to respond
to challenges together. The ordination of women and their gifts to the
churches are a gift of God, he said.

The issue of ordination of women was one of the topics discussed. Referring
to using the practice of ordination of women as an argument against closer
communion among churches, Katerina Karkala Zorba, Greek-Orthodox Co-President
of the EFECW and member of the CEC Central Committee, asked that women not be
made a problem for ecumenical advancement. We must become more aware of the
fact that hierarchical and patriarchal problems exist in all churches. During
discussion it was stated that, under the strain of ecumenical tensions, there
is a danger that women's issues can become too stressful and taboo. There is
a need for mutual openness and respect in  discussions on controversial
topics.

The consultation provided open space for presentations from the diverse
church traditions and women's spirituality. One of the participants said the
experience was as if  "a window opened to have a look and to see what is
going on in other churches". This can bring about the birth of better
understanding and tolerance which is very necessary, especially in our times
when Christianity is becoming smaller. "We deeply need to become teachers
into each other's confession", said Lutheran Jutta Weiss from Germany, having
shared life in a Rumanian Orthodox Women's Monastery for 2 years. Women who
assume the mothering role of healing may reconcile tensions between
confessions. Ecumenical formation on an educational level, which is
understandable for all, is needed not only for church leaders but also the
whole people of God. With openness to one another and in the readiness to
listen patiently, everyone will be better able to understand differences and
thus separate prejudices from k
 n!
owledge. 

An important part of the programme was the visit to the Holy Monastery of St
John the Forerunner in Anatoli. The participants spent a day of sharing and
prayer with the sisters and were introduced to Orthodox monastic life as one
form of female Orthodox spirituality. "It was the first time for me to see an
Orthodox sister face to face, and it was an impression which will stay with
me for the rest of my life," said a Lutheran participant from Lithuania.
Another participant stated that: "The sisters knew a lot of our possible
questions and could respond appropriately. It teaches me that we have to
become bilingual, not only in our language skills, but as well in our
capacity to communicate and relate between churches, cultures, theologies,
and spiritualities."

All over Europe, more women than men take part in the life of the churches.
Christianity can thus be called a women's movement. Yet, men still dominate
content discussions. The participants stressed the continual need for women
to strengthen themselves in their reflected spirituality, in their knowledge
of female role models in the Bible and among the Saints, and in church
tradition. The role of Mary, the Mother of God, and her importance for
women's Christian identity and commitment, was an important focus of
discussion during the consultation.

Young women are growing into the ecumenical movement. There is a continual
need for sharing experiences and learning. The gains and knowledge of former
generations have to be passed on and re-discussed with the younger women who
come in with their own experiences and visions. The women's agenda is far
from being closed.

In the ecumenical movement today, women expect to be taken seriously as
partners - as those who not only bring in questions and challenges, but also
answers.

****

The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 125
Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all countries
of Europe, plus 40 associated organisations. CEC was founded in 1959. It has
offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg.

For more information:
Conference of European Churches
Solidarity & Women's Desk
Rev. Dr. Eva-Sibylle Vogel-Mfato
Phone +41 22 791 62 34 or 791 64 69
Fax +41 22 791 62 27
E-mail: evm@cec-kek.org
Website: http://www.cec-kek.org