Women’s Rights, Christian Vocation, and Equal Justice

Last month, I plunged into an intensive course in Women’s History when I traveled to New York to spend a week at the United Nations for its 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). As a member of the ecumenical women’s delegation, I met many articulate and empowered faith leaders and asked a few of them to put into one sentence what they were taking away from their experience at CSW70.

This collection of takeaways highlights changes for girls and women in the last 75 years. It also recognizes how far global society has yet to go in the struggle for women’s rights and equal justice for all. These faith leaders are planting seeds and building bridges between women’s rights and a theology of equality and justice.

“Women’s rights are human rights.”
Rev. Kendra Plating, First Baptist, Asheville, NC  

More than 75 years ago, the United Nations made a declaration of human rights. It says all humans should be free from slavery and torture, free to express opinions, free to work, to receive education and equal protection under the law. These values were reached in a collaborative process and define the U.N. mission at its core.  

“The struggle for women’s rights is the struggle for justice itself.”
Rev. Annalise Pasalo, Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Hawaii, quoting Annalena Baerbock, President of the U.N. General Assembly

Because many freedoms remain out of reach, the U.N. continues its work for justice for women. Since 2008, the U.N. has successfully worked to shift shame and responsibility from abuse survivors to perpetrators. They have advocated for more legal and social interventions in countries such as Ukraine, Bangladesh and South Sudan to prosecute sexual assault and rape as war crimes.

The U.N. organizes all of its advocacy around 17 Millennium Development Goals. At the heart of each goal is a commitment to equality and justice for women and girls.

 “God has called us to work for equal rights.” 

The Rev’d. Dr. Laura Marie Piotrowicz, Rector at the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Diocese of Saskatoon 

The work for equality and justice is not only legal and political work, but also faith work. Yet when faith groups adopt or affirm gender equality, they are tempted to sequester it into a single organization. For example, Baptist Women in Ministry (BWIM) has been working for more than 40 years, advocating with churches and supporting Baptist women called to ministry. As much as we need groups like BWIM, we cannot leave the work of change for women and girls to affinity groups or specialty organizations. 

For women’s equality to become reality, we need to change worship and preaching, family structures and role assumptions, community organizations and parenting responsibilities, church leadership and ordination.

We must question and reframe our theologies (ways of speaking about God) and examine how the church is organized to benefit and support men with power. We also need to experiment with new ways of being people of faith with gender equality at the center of God’s call and our response.

“I believe equality is not just the goal of our mission, it is our mission.”
Suzanne Klaver-de Munnik, Major in The Salvation Army, The Netherlands

Here, I make a confession. I was not expecting such an emphasis on equality from women who are leading an organization that styles itself on the military. I have avoided a deeper understanding of the Salvation Army because of its militaristic language and imagery. Until now.

My experience at CSW70 helped me to set aside my bias as I witnessed women working for justice, even from surprising contexts and locations. (I’m sure many have felt similar doubts about me as an ordained Baptist minister!) One of the ways we overcome isolation and novelty, two staple tactics of patriarchy, is to take time to know each other and build bridges of understanding about what motivates our work and animates our lives.

“Working for justice for women anywhere is working for justice for women everywhere.”
Rev. Nikki Hardeman, Director of Advocating for Women in Ministry, Baptist Women in Ministry

When we do faith and justice work for women, we are seeding the world. Even one worship service where God is named as She, one new church maternity policy, or one encouraging conversation with a young woman feeling a call to ministry can make lasting change.

We never know how these seeds might grow into vast trees and change the landscape. Rather than feeling discouraged when our work feels small, we can reach for connections, like roots and branches, to remind us how the ecology of change works.

“We need all churches working to address and eradicate gender-based violence, and we need men and boys in the conversation.”

Mandy Marshall, Director for Gender Justice, The Anglican Alliance 

Among the most dangerous dimensions of patriarchy in the church is how it allows abuse to go unacknowledged, unexamined and unchanged. For example, studies show intimate partner violence (IVP) is more likely among religious adherents when they “overclaim religious knowledge” and seek to control their relationships.

Thus, we cannot pretend this is a problem outside the church. Adopting ways to address abuse, support survivors, and build cultures to resist harmful uses of power are essential for the movement toward equality for women and girls. It is everyone’s work, including men and boys.

Engaging everyone in bystander training, fostering emotional intelligence, and talking openly about gender-based violence and gender equality, fosters resistance to the cultural pressures that harm women and girls.

“The fight for gender equity is facing significant backlash, but we are pushing back stronger.”

Rev. Brittany Stillwell, Second Baptist Church, Little Rock, AR

Throughout the CSW70, we heard stories about backlash against women’s rights and equality around the globe. Among the dramatic stories, U.S. representative to the U.N., Dan Negrea, disrupted the proceedings with amendments attempting to redefine gender, forcing a vote in a process usually negotiated through consensus.

Fortunately, the delegates gathered at the U.N. held their ground and the “conclusions,” or the “principal guidelines for member states to follow when promoting women’s rights in their own countries,” moved forward and adopted the plan of work.

This time, backlash did not win the day. Having the courage to hold convictions about equality in the face of backlash is the work in many places around the world, including the United States. 

“Let anger and grief become fuel for holy troublemaking.” 

Sonya Willemse, Charleston, SC

Taking inspiration from the U.N. delegates who did not allow backlash to win the day is a good example of how we might turn our anger and grief over losses into good, holy troublemaking. When we take time to notice the source of our anger and look at its underside, we can see our deeply held values.

Grief over loss is also an indicator of what we cherish. Holding tight to the idea of equality for girls, women, and all people will undoubtedly run us into anger, loss and grief. But we don’t have to stay stuck there. They can clarify where to put our energy. 

“Pursuing justice for women and girls widens the pathway to make God’s goodness manifest throughout all creation.”

Rev. Andrea Corso Johnson, University Chaplain, Breanau University 

Studies tell us that when the lives of girls and women improve, whole families and communities also thrive. People have more to eat. Work holds meaning and purpose.

When more just laws and policies are enacted for women, everyone benefits. Grasping more power does not improve human flourishing. However, generosity and empowerment, starting with women and girls, make life better for all.

As people of faith, we have the additional framework for understanding justice as God’s initiative and God’s hope. And when we plant seeds and build bridges, we become part of making this work visible and tangible, in all areas of our lives together as human beings.