Pantyhose, Bakesales, and the Kingdom of God By Cleo          Months and months ago a friend remarked at my recent feminist leanings and wondered what had caused them. As a professing feminist (a rather rare creature at a backwater Christian college, let me tell you), she seemed to be eager to welcome me to the sisterhood. I realized that too much explanation was needed to make my position clear, so I changed the subject.          A few weeks later, after a particularly frustrating conversation about women in the church, I sought out Ms Feminist as a sympathetic ear for my rant. Instead I was rebuffed for unbiblical opinions.          Christianity and feminism are strange bedfellows, to say the least. It has always been my experience that, when Christianity is coupled with any other far reaching cause, one is necessarily subverted by the other. I do not mean to imply that having political convictions makes one a lesser Christian or that being a Christian makes one a poor advocate for a cause, but certainly one must take precedence over the other. One tends to ignore or adapt conflicting doctrines to create a constistancy in belief. Further, matters of opinion are often given the teeth of doctrine: Jesus wants me to vote for Pat Buchannon.          The relationship between Christianity and feminism is further complicated by the tenuous relationship between women and the church. Historically women have been instructed by religious figures to assume restrictive and hypertraditional roles and to stay in abuse relationships. Female sexuality was (and continues to be, in some circles) considered taboo or perverse. And women have been taught that they are the originators and the cause of all sin; conversely, they have been told that they must assume the role of “angel in the house,” irreproachable symbols of morality and spirituality.          The urge for a radical feminist response to such a history is certainly understandable. But I do not mean to write a feminist indictment of the historical or even contemporary Christianity. In fact, I do not consider myself a feminist either politically, socially, or religiously. I associate “Sophia” with the sitcom Golden Girls and not my religious experience. And I get really pissed off when people fuck around with hymns to make them politically correct.          But I do have concerns about some of the fundamental issues surrounding women’s positions and treatment in mainstream Protestant and Evangelical circles. I truly believe that the way we as Christians treat each other reflects essential things about the form and sincerity of our beliefs.          I grew up Methodist; the United Methodist denomination is one that ordains women and takes (what I usually consider flakey) steps to assure women and minorities are treated with the utmost consideration and political correctness. The whole ordaining of women thing is something in which I believe and which I believe to be entirely scriptural, but it’s so controversial I’ll save that rant for another day. But suffice it to say that one would assume that the UMC would be a pretty stereotype-free zone, but in my experience quite the contrary is true.          Like in most churches, the women in the church I grew up in baked cookies, taught Bible School, and planned the fellowship suppers. (Ummm... scalloped potatoes and beanie weenies) The women who did these jobs were usually devoted wives and mothers. Many of them were housewives or teachers. In a small town where people tend to very much ressemble their neighbors (probably because everyone’s cousins), this wasn’t too unusual and didn’t make too much of an impression on me as a child. That was just the way things were.          It’s only been during the past few years that I’ve come to realize some of the problems with this status quo. Through both personal experience and through the experience of some people close to me I have come to realize that in the church today the only acceptable proof of adulthood and Chrisitain maturity is marriage and children. A trip to your friendly neighborhood Christian bookstore emphasizes that point. The majority of books target toward women deal with marriage and family issues or, for those unfortunate single gals, how to get married so you can have a family. The kingdom of heaven, it would seem, is one of those places you can’t get in without a date.          Evangelicals especially seem to prefer traditional roles for women. A cursory glance around dear ol’ JBU would reveal a great many girls who seek the necessary MRS to work as a domestic engineer. And on the surface there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this. A woman should be free to choose and blah blah blah.          But the propaganda surrounding the Becky HomeEcky way of life is overwhelming. Good Christian girls have babies and arrange playdates. Raising dozens of Christian children and baking hundreds of Christian cupcakes is God’s highest calling on a woman’s life. Lesser Christians want to go to law school or own their own businesses or whatever. This second group of women can attempt to redeem their selves by teaching Sunday School and organizing bake sales and bazaars. Not that it can help much. But you can try to make it up to God.          From, say, your bridge club a system of mores is not especially full of impact. But when the church sends a message, it suddenly gains credibility. The church presumes to speak for God.          Here’s the thing: Christianity is a question of identity. People are both intrinisically worthless and valueable. The love of God is not dependent of our goodness--because we aren’t good--or our works--because, as one Bible scholar points out, they are the equivelent of used tampons. It’s a mystery how God loves a people so undeserving of love. (But I believe its something like my pink night shirt: it’s faded and holey and practically transparent, and I should throw it out. But I love it, so I’ve worn for a dozen years and will continue to do so.) This is not a yearah article about how deserving women are of God’s love and fair treatment. There is no reason that God should love women, except that he does.          And in him there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. God sees as all as we are and not as others see us. God calls us all to serve him and to have a uniquely personal relationship with him. (Sorry, it’s hard to get out of Christian cliche mode.) He doesn’t call people just because they have penises.          On the risk of sounding a thoroughly post-modern Millie, we must realize that the calling God has on our lives takes different forms. Check out Ephesians if you don’t believe me. God does not say everyone must be a preacher; everyone who isn’t a preacher sucks. Those of you who don’t have an M.Div are the bastard children of the kingdom. Or those of you who are not gifted in tongues or prophesy don’t truly know God.          So why should the church limit women to traditionally feminine roles? Does God really have only one plan for all the women in the world: marriage, motherhood, and tuna casserole? Why are women who have careers or don’t plan fellowship dinners or join the quilting circle considered to be failing to fulfill their place in the Kingdom of God? Because it’s a lie. God revels in our individuality and in our different gifts. God does not plan one size fits all callings for us.          I’m afraid that some of these widely held views of women have done far more damage than one would imagine. I know single women who, into their twenties, thirties, and forties, strive to be accepted as adults and to be allowed to minister in the church. I know other women who believe that their lives are truly incomplete until they marry and serve in the ubiquitous role of helpmeet. I know women who believe they can run for president or become an astronaut, but who live with the strange contrast of viewing women’s role in God’s plan as being silent and passive.          In the end, I do not seek to encourage a feminist revolution or to stir up controversy about some of the more debateable scriptures dealing with gender roles. Instead, I only hope that someday the church will more readily allow people to live out their calling and to more fully become the people they were created to be. Narrow definitions and stereotypes, whether imposed on men or on women, hurt everyone and harm the church’s relationship with women and with society. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Back