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EDITORIAL

 

The Word became flesh and dwelt in our own contexts

 

Human beings have, through their religions, attempted to know the origin and destiny of our universe, of life and the inter-relatedness of all life forms within the universe. This quest for meaning of life is what we now call theology or theologizing. Through theologizing, many of us have come to an understanding that there is the Cosmic Source of life of the universe has its own built-in liberating power to sustain it for its fullness.

As Christians in Asia, we believe that this Eternal Being is present in all religions at all times. Given the diverse forms of Asian religiosity and spirituality, theologizing in Asia is also varied and diverse. Indeed we have several theologies which have emerged over the years: minjung theology in Korea, dalit theology in India, people's theology in the Philippines, women's theologies in various places, other indigenous people 's theologies in different countries, to name a few. Many, if not all, of these theologies arose with activism and the nationalist movement. Thus, they are branded as radical/rebel theologies. In a sense, they provide alternatives to the traditional theologies handed down to us via the tides of colonialism prevailing in Asia for so long. Unlike the traditional philosophical and metaphysical approach of traditional theology, these contemporary theologies emphasise the importance of the process of action-reflection or praxis, or the interaction between the biblical teachings and the contextual realities of the society or community. Hence, these theologies are also called contextual theologies.

Unlike traditional theology, these contextual theologies are not confined to the seminaries or learning institutions. Rather they spring from the concrete experiences of people in all walks of life. Furthermore, these theologies make use of data made available by the different fields such as anthropology, sociology, science, economics. It is therefore no wonder that a more recent type of contextual theology is called eco-feminism, or eco-theology. In a way this is to say that all disciplines are inter-related just as all of life within the universe is inter-connected and interdependent.

The Student Christian Movement on our campuses in Asia-Pacific have realized that it is part of our task to help formulate our own understanding of the origin and destiny of the universe, the meaning of life and its relatedness to the universe. We believe that the Cosmic Source of Life had become flesh and dwelt among us right in our own contexts and struggles to show the way of sustaining life. Let us therefore participate in such struggles and process. May we let the Cosmic Source of Life become enfleshed in us that we may participate in its liberating and sustaining work right in our own contexts.

 

Peace and Joy in Christ,

Daniel Peter

 

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MOVEMENT NEWS

 

Korean SCM

 

The Korean Student Christian Federation is busy this summer with its usual programs for its members, namely, the rural service and leadership training. A new program on schedule for the summer is the Bible study leaders' course.

The KSCF also conducted a women's program on June 7-8. Attended by ten women students from Ewha Women's University and Sookmyung Women's University, the program was a time for sharing and discussion, worship with the whole body, opening to each other and praying for each other. The group watched a videotape on living as women in Asia, which featured the situation of prostitutes. Discussion and sharing focused on women in the church, women in SCM and strategizing for organizing women's group in SCM.

The KSCF is planning to have an exposure trip to the Philippines in early August in order to understand the real situation of the people.

 

 

Indonesia SCM

 

Apart from hosting the Student Empowerment for Transformation program in August, the SCM in Indonesia is busy preparing for their biannual national congress scheduled in September. The national congress is usually the biggest gathering of the Indonesian SCM with delegates and observers coming from the 52 SCM branches as well as senior members and friends. It is also during the national congress that important decisions are made including the evaluation of past and present programs and the election of officers.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian SCM continues to be active in social issues affecting the nation. It was cited by the Jakarta Post in its May 8, 1996 issue, along with other student groups (which included Islamic Students, Catholic Students, and Nationalist Students) as having backed the Independent Election Monitoring Committee which the government had earlier rejected. The student groups felt that the independent poll watchdog is needed to give the people more say in supervising the 1997 general election.

The independent poll monitoring committee was formed in March by a group of prominent human rights activists, lawyers and journalists. But the government rejected this on the grounds that Indonesia already has the official election supervision committee.

In their joint statement supporting the independent poll monitoring committee, the students said: "The people's participation in supervising the general election is part of the people's right to control what their government is doing." Therefore, the presence of the independent committee should be regarded as a partner of the official committee.

 

 

Australian SCM

 

The Australian SCM is preparing for their centenary national gathering in Canberra on September 20-23. With the theme "Celebrating the Past, Creating the Future," the gathering is expected to bring together some 200 SCMers of all generations from all over the country. The event is strongly supported by the National Council of Churches in Australia.

The program will include worship, music and

 

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dance, biblical reflection, panels of speakers and workshops. Topics to be explored include liturgy and life; ecology and sustainable development; economic rationalism; changing concepts of gender and sexuality; aboriginal Australia; toward an Australian theology; science, technology and ethics; crises in higher education; ecumenism then and now; and changing concepts of spirituality.

Part of the preparation for this big gathering is the centenary history questionnaire. Responses to the questionnaire so far show that the ASCM has had immeasurable impact on the lives of thousands of students and through them on important aspects of Australian political, social and cultural life — including the forming of lifelong friendships, the shaping of deepest beliefs and life vocations.

However, universities, colleges and schools have undergone immense changes in the past 30 years. With the growth of economic rationalism and religious fundamentalism, students and staff face great challenges attempting to discern the dimensions of a spiritual life which is ecumenical and world-embracing.

And so the centenary gathering is for celebrating 100 years of life of the ASCM and affirming its vision of the future.

Another centennial activity is the establishment of the Centenary Trust Fund by prominent friends and supported by patrons. It is hoped that through this fund, ASCM will ensure its continuing viability.

 

 

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SCM Aotearoa/New Zealand

  

The SCM of Aotearoa is also celebrating its 100 years this year. A number of programs have been scheduled for the main event on July 3-7 which is the SCM Aotearoa 1996 National Conference with the theme, "Looking Back, Moving Forward."

The national conference is a chance to get together with other students from around Aotearoa and an opportunity to make links and build community between SCMers, sharing local stories and vision and together planning for the future of SCM Aotearoa.

Conference program includes the following: inter-faith dialogue - issues and prospects; street theatre; creative and liberating worship; immigration policy as a social justice issue; gender caucuses and Bible studies; storytelling, theology and community building; forum on SCM history with senior friends.

 

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On July 5, the Annual General Meeting will be held as part of the national conference.

As part of the celebration of the centennial of SCM in Aotearoa, a scholarship of $5000 was awarded for a master's thesis on the history of SCM. The winner of the scholarship was Christine Berry, a history student of Auckland University. Christine has also been required to write an accessible short history of the movement in booklet form.

 

 

Myanmar SCM

 

The Student Christian Movement of Myanmar held a women's workshop with the theme " The Role of Women in a Changing Myanmar" on April 22-28,1996 at the Myanmar Ecumenical Sharing Center (MESC) in Yangon. Of the nearly 60 participants from various SCM units, two-thirds were young women students, while the rest were active male members who wanted to become more aware of the women's issue. Geographically, the participants also came from five major ethnic states or groupings in Myanmar, namely; Karen, Kachin, Chin, Shan and Burmese.

Dr. Anna May Say Pa, vice president of the Myanmar Institute of Theology, gave two bible studies on the story of Mary (Luke 10:3842) and Martha (John 11:144, 12:1-8) on the first session and the story of Deborah and Jael (Judges 4 and 5) on the second session. Both studies shed light on the important roles played by women in the Bible and challenged the participants to reflect on their own roles in contemporary Myanmar society.

The four other resource persons were men who were keen enough on giving their gender perspectives on the following topic: Gender and Development, Women and Culture, Systemic Victim and The Celebration of the Ecumenical Decade on Women.

Later in the workshop, the participants were divided into three exposure groups which went to three different areas: site of the project and programs of the YWCA for urban poor women; half-way house for prostituted women, where students visited bars and karaoke in the evening; and a farming village within the Yangon Division.

The farming village, two-hour drive by bus South of Yangon, is the home for more than 100 rice-tilling families belonging to the Karen and Burmese ethnic groups. According to the village-elders, they harvest rice twice a year,

 

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Participants at the Women's Workshop

 

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relying mainly on rain for their irrigation and cows and water buffaloes for tilling the soil. Their earning from the two cropping seasons is barely enough to sustain their families' needs, and the low buying rate of rice seems to keep their farming system in a perpetually backward state.

The grim reality of poverty in the village was experienced by twenty students who slept overnight with a village family. Despite the relative closeness of the village to the capital city of Yangon, the village remains unchanged and untouched by massive development and outpour of resources from the nearby capital. The village has no electricity, no potable water system, no irrigation system and roads remain unpassable to even an average-sized vehicle.

According to the exposure guides, this situation is representative of the other villages all over Myanmar. While there is a rapid development in the cities, the lives of people in the villages are neglected and sacrificed in the name of development. Indeed, the exposure program gave the students an opportunity to experience and reflect upon their role in their society.

The beauty and richness of traditions and culture from the 5 main ethnic groups of Myanmar was very evident during the Cultural Night and Evening Worships and fellowship in the Workshop. Each group took turns in performing dances, skits, songs and even a fashion show, displaying the traditional dresses of the Karen, Chin, Kuchin and Burmese ethnic group.

Rightfully so, the workshop ended with action plans and recommendations for the organization to undertake on all the issues discussed at the workshop, but most specially women's activities and programs. [Soon after assumption of her office as WSCF A-P regional women's coordinator, Necta Montes attended the women's workshop in Myanmar.

 

 

Hong Kong SCM

 

Three ex-co members and two staff of the J- Hong Kong SCM had their overseas exposure in Taiwan on June 14-23. A regular programme of the HKSCM, overseas exposure is a time to "see more of the world and learn to see through Asian eyes."

Choice of Taiwan as exposure area for 1996 was important in view of the turn-over of Hong Kong to China in 1997. Conscious of the similar struggles experienced by the Hong Kong and Taiwan people, the SCM wanted to find common issues and to leam from Taiwan's experiences of the social reform movement.

Through the exposure. Hong Kong SCMers also learned of the close relationship between the Taiwan SCM and the churches. In Taiwan, SCM is one of the ministries of the Presbyterian Church. Youth workers who received formal theological training are assigned to various fellowship groups to provide pastoral care and empowerment to university students.

According to the HK SCM exposurists, the relationship with the churches is very significant since churches should take an important role in social reform movement. However, the HKSCM still needs to work on this with the Hong Kong churches.

 

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PERSPECTIVE

Doing Theology Through Biblical Reflection

Hope Antone

 

Hope Antone is one of the publication staff of WSCF Asia-Pacific Regional Office

 

1. A Way to Start:

What words would you use to describe a theologian?

What does the theme. Women Doing Theology, mean to you? Do you think that what you have been doing in this workshop or other SCM women's program is part of what we call doing theology^

 

2. Defining Some Terms:

Theology comes from two Greek words: theos which means God, and logos which means word. Theology therefore means the study/ knowledge of God; or simply. God-study, Godtalk. Basically, it means making sense of our understanding of God which very often is based on the Bible and maybe, sometimes on our reflection of our day-to-day experiences.

Doing Theology means we need to do more than just having a mental exercise of studying, learning, knowing about God. We believe that doing theology is not just to increase our knowledge, but that it will result in a change of perspective, a new behavior and action, a transformed lifestyle, and a deepened commitment as Christians.

Women Doing Theology means we are doing a conscious effort at doing theology as women because for a long time, theology has been an all-men's area, especially those trained in theology or Bible School; and even the Bible which has always been the textbook in theology was written, translated and interpreted by all men only. We are therefore affirming our right as human beings equally created in the image of God; human beings who can be open to the workings of the Holy Spirit and can therefore discern God's will and revelation for us as women.

 

Why Do We Need To Do Theology?

First of all, we believe that doing theology is an inherent task of our being Christians. We believe that part of our calling as Christians is to be witnesses to the transforming love of God wherever we are, in our own nations, in our Asian region, and even in the whole of God's world. But how do we witness to God love if we do not seem to feel and experience it ourselves? How do we experience and feel God's love in the face of poverty, suffering, discrimination, violence, oppression, etc.? Yet it is in such situations where we need to ask basically such questions as: where is God in all these?

 

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* This article was prepared by Hope Antone for the Women Doing Theology Workshop in Bangladesh in June 1995.

 

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what kind of God is being depicted in this situation? Is this really the kind of God I would want to believe in? By asking such questions, we begin the process of doing theology.

Secondly, we believe that our being women enables us to look at the Bible and at reality differently from the usual way of looking at them. It is like having a different pair of eyeglasses different perspective, different view of things. As we have said, the Bible as it has come down to us was written and translated by men. In our churches long before and still even now, the Bible is interpreted and taught mostly by men. But with women now reading the Bible and reflecting on its teachings, we are getting new meanings and new enlightenment from passages of old. Our doing theology then as women may be a first step towards our liberation from being second-class people to being equally created human beings who equally share God's very image with men. Our perspective then in reading the Bible and reality is like that of coming from the underside, for women represent the most marginalized, most oppressed, most discriminated against in society whether in culture, religion, politics, economics, or even just at home.

Before we proceed, do you agree that women indeed come from the underside? Have you ever experienced, at one time or another, being on the underside? There may be some of us who live in a position of privilege (we may not feel being oppressed ourselves; our family may be free from the usual traditional type that tends to favor boys) but our belief as Christians tell us that as long as there are girls and women who suffer simply because of their being women, then we also suffer with them because it is the same womanhood that is being discriminated against, abused and dehumanized. Jesus Christ lived out his life always in solidarity with the poor, marginalized and suffering people; if we are to be faithful followers of him, then we cannot do otherwise.

 

I. Doing Theology through Biblical Reflection

Let us took at the task of biblical reflection which SCMs usually do in their programs and meetings. When we do theology through biblical reflections, we may use any of the following: (1) We may start with the Bible, or a passage in the Bible, and then find parallels in our own experiences now; or (2) We may start with our own experience as women and then look into the Bible for parallel situation and teaching. Whichever way you choose, the fact is that our doing theology involves a critical, inquisitive reflection on both the Bible and the reality/experience.

So how should we read the Bible? There are some guiding principles to remember when we read the Bible:

·         The Bible is a book about the divine Word described by human words. Human words are limited by culture, by time, and by human finiteness. We need to remember that the Bible came to over a very long period of time (three centuries of oral tradition first; then over 1,800 years of writing, selection, translation from Hebrew to Greek to Latin and finally to English; and then a number of years again to our other Asian languages and dialects). It is therefore natural to find some irregularities or inconsistencies within the Bible since mental recording is never accurate; and languages do not always have equivalent words for certain concepts or thoughts.

·         The Bible is a library of books, rather than just one book. Its writings are diverse in styles; the authors (mainly men) are also

 

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diverse in theologies, in backgrounds and cultures, in target readership, in context/ situations, in purposes for writing. So the Bible is time-bound and culture-bound. We therefore cannot read and understand the Bible literally nor apply its teachings directly to our time and situation now.

Strong cultural influences are obviously seen in the images of God that are described throughout the Bible: (1) image of God as king, a male being who is above all others, reflects the highly patriarchal society at that time where men were viewed as superior and better than women; this is clear when we see how women were left out from official counting/census; or how a woman had no status nor value apart from her father if she were single, apart from her husband if she were married, and apart from her son if she were a widow. So what happens if we think of God as a male being, the king of our lives? Would this logic apply: if God is male, then male is GocP. How would that affect our lives and our relationship with men?

(2)  image of God as warrior reflects the period of battles and wars among nations at that time; this again is clear in such depictions of God leading in battles, taking side with Israel and making revenge on all other nations. What happens if we think of God as a warrior? How would that affect our understanding of peace and justice?

(3)  image of God as a judge sitting on the judgment seat in heaven, looking down on the world below, watching how we behave, preparing punishments for those who misbehave and maybe reducing the punishment for those who repent; this seems very clear in the prophets' reminders to the people to repent of their sinful ways. How would such an image affect the way we live; our attitude towards suffering and injustice?

(4)  image of a meek and mild Jesus obediently hanging on the cross. For us in the Philippines, this image was emphasized to us by the Spanish colonizers who came to our country with the cross and the sword. The effect was that for 333 years, we let them rule and rape our country; for a long time we thought that by not asking, or by not saying "No" to their domination, we were like the meek and mild Christ who was obedient unto death.

(5)  What other images do you have of God or Christ? How do such images affect your outlook in life, the way you live, the way you relate with other people, or the way you deal with national crises/issues?

 

[Time for sharing here on participants' images of God....]

 

What we need to do then is to read the Bible in a way of inquisitive reflection. This involves asking such questions as: Who said/wrote the passage? To whom was it addressed? What was the situation/context at the time it was said/ written? What teaching about God (or image of God) did it convey? What was the effect of such a teaching on the readers at that time? Is there a parallel context/situation in my time and place? What image of God can I read from such passage for myself now? Is it consistent with the God that Jesus Christ showed in his life? What effect does such image of God have in my life now?

In the same manner, when we look at our own experience, we also ask such questions as: What is happening? Is there something wrong with what is going on? Who are benefited and who are disadvantaged by this situation? What kind of God is being depicted by this situation? (or where is God in such a situation?) What kind of God do I believe in if I accept/reject this situation? What does our

 

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Christian tradition (the Bible and the church) say?

     This kind of reflection uses what has come to be called the hermeneutic circle originally developed by a Latin American theologian, Segundo, who tried to help poor people re-read the Bible in the way that it would liberate them from apathy, or from feeling that “never mind if we are suffering now, anyway there is heaven waiting for us in the next life…” It has been translated in simpler terms by an Australian woman theologian: Ann Wansbrough.

     The Hermeneutic Circle (simply means, circle of interpretation) is a process to help us interpret God, ourselves and the world. It is a circle because it is an ongoing process, assuming that whatever we learn, there is always a new way of understanding it.

Workshop:

Divide into smaller groups; assign a passage/issue for study using the hermeneutic circle. Suggested passages from the Bible are: Proverbs 31:10-30; Mark 7:24-30; I Corinthians 14:34-35. Suggested issues from life experiences are: dowry system, bride burning, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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FAITH AND WITNESS

 

How Jesus Empowers Women

Anna May Say Pa

 

Dr. Anna May Say Pa is the vice-president of Myanmar Institute of Theology and a senior friend of Myanmar SCM.

 

Jesus' attitude towards women and his empowerment of them was a radical change from the traditional ways women were viewed and treated. Women were not treated as persons in their own right but were subject to father, husband, or son. The husband was the wife's "owner" and a man's wife was included in his list of possessions (Ex 20:17, Dt 5:21). As a wife, her duty was to bear male children (Gen 16:1-2). A husband might charge his wife with infidelity and submit her to an ordeal by testing (Num 5:11-31). A woman during her menstrual period was unclean for 7 days (Lev 15:16-24). For bearing a baby boy she was unclean for 7 days and needed 33 days for purification. For a baby girl the days were doubled (Lev 12:1-8). It is against this background that we must see the relation of Jesus to the women around him.

 

Mary and Martha (Lk 10:38-42; Jn 11:1-44, 12:1-8)

Mary, Martha and Lazarus live in Bethany, a town not far from Jerusalem. The story in Luke 10:38-42 says Martha has opened her home to Jesus. She seems to be a woman of some means. Martha is busy preparing a meal for Jesus and the disciples. She is upset that she has to do all the work and complains to Jesus: "Don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me." When Jesus chides her, he is inviting her to come in with Mary and leam as Mary is doing. Jesus is offering choices for Martha. Yet how many women identify with Martha? Women who put meals on the table, run a home, do the behind-the-scene work at church? Where would the world be without Martha? Yet Martha is still told, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things." Martha's service (diakonia) is a necessary part of the ministry. However, such service has dangers to it.

Mary does not speak in this incident. She sits at the Lord's feet and listens to his teaching. In the Jewish culture at that time, women were not permitted to touch the scriptures and were not taught the Torah. But here, Jesus discusses religion with Mary. Mary has sought Jesus' teaching and is his student. Jesus commends her, "Mary has chosen the good portio which shall not be taken away from her." Jesus affirms Mary's right to choose a thing of which women were deprived. He opens up the ministry of the word to women. He also defends her right to make a choice. The fact that Luke includes this story in his gospel is an indication that the discipleship of women was a point of difficulty

 

 

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This Bible study was conducted by Dr Anna May Say Pa during the Myanmar SCM women's workshop on April 22-28, 1996 in Yangon.

 

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for the early Church (it needed to be defined and spelt out) and that such discipleship was known to be part of Jesus' plan for women.

In our modem concept of women's ministry there is need for both Martha and Mary. We would wish that Mary and the men disciples had helped Martha with the cooking so that Martha could also have joined in the teaching session with Jesus.

The gospel of John has two accounts of Mary and Martha. In the first account (John 11:144), the sisters send word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus is ill. When Jesus finally comes to Bethany, Lazarus has been in the tomb four days. Martha goes to meet Jesus. And then he asks her for a public witness of faith; this for the early Church was the mark of an apostle. Martha responds with a confession of faith: "I believe you are the Christ, the son of God, who was to come into the world."

In Mary's encounter with Jesus she falls at his feet and utters the only words she ever utters in the gospels: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died," an expression of her great faith in Jesus.

In John's account of the anointing of Jesus by a woman (Jn 12:1-8; cf. Lk 7:36-56; Mt. 26:613; Mk 14:3-9), Mary takes a whole pound of costly fragrant oil, anoints Jesus' feet and then wipes them with her hair. Judas complains at the extravagance. Judas is the unfaithful disciple; Mary the faithful one. The anointing anticipates three crucial parts. First, the anointing anticipates Jesus' death and burial. At his death Jesus would be anointed in secret by men who are afraid to make public their faith (19:3839). Here Mary's declaration for Jesus is not deferred till his death but while he lives. Second, the anointing of his feet anticipates the foot washing in John (13:1-20). There is the model

for service and discipleship (13:12-16). It also means to participate in Jesus' suffering and death (13:3-11). Third, Mary's anointing of Jesus anticipates the love commandment that Jesus would give to his disciples, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another" (13:34-35).

 

The Women Who Followed Jesus

Soon afterwards Jesus went on through the cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the Kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirit and infirmities:

Mary called Magdalene from whom seven demons had gone out; Joanna, wife of Herod's steward Chuza; Susanna; and many others who provided for them out of their own resources (Luke 8:1-3).

The women who followed Jesus left their homes and families and their domestic duties. They were

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Dr Anna May Say Pa leading the Bible study at the Myanmar SCM workshop.

 

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brave enough to break the custom as Jesus did and to withstand the hostility and criticism which would result from such action. They left their normal, expected roles as women. Jesus obviously accepted what these women were doing.

Of the women around Jesus, the phrase used "as they followed him" indicated that they were disciples and followed the Lord just as men disciples did. They obviously handled all practical arrangements of the group and provided resources for catering and hospitality. The women ministered to Jesus and supported him financially. Jesus promised God's kingdom not to the rich, the established, and the pious but to the poor, the destitute and prostitutes. This inclusive nature of Jesus' message and movement made it possible for women to become disciples. All gospels note that women were found in the fellowship of Jesus and that they were the most courageous of his disciples (cf. Mk 14:60; 15:40). Mark uses 3 verbs to characterize the disciples of the women: they followed Jesus in Galilee, they ministered to him and they came with him to Jerusalem (Mk 5:41).

Women were present at the cross where we did not expect to find them while men whom we expected to be present were absent. They shared in Ae suffering and death of Jesus braving the enmity of Jewish religious leaders and Roman authorities. They were there when Joseph of Arimathea took the body and laid it in his tomb (Lk 23:49; Mt27:55-56;Mk 15:40-41; Jn 19:25).

Women were the first witnesses of the resurrection (Lk 24:1-12) and their report seemed like idle talk to the men who did not believe them.

According to the three synoptic gospels, the women were told that Jesus had risen and they were instructed to proclaim the good news to the disciples. The women ran and told the disciples who were half-believing. In John the first witness to the resurrection was Mary Magdalene. Jesus gave Mary the commission to go and tell others the gospel. She was the first evangelist (Mk 11:1-8; Mt 28:1-10; Lk 24:1-11; Jn 20:1-10).

Jesus broke down the barriers of race, gender and class in his encounters with women. With the Samaritan woman who had five husbands, he discussed theology and revealed the truth: "God is spirit and they that worship God must worship God in spirit and in truth" (Jn 4:24). He broke the blood taboo of the bleeding woman and brought her to wholeness (Mt 9:18-26). He straightened the bent woman on Sabbath and called her daughter of Abraham (Lk 13:10-17). He faced the accusers of a woman caught in adultery and demanded of them: "He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone," and freed her from her bondage (Jn 8:211). Thus, Paul could freely say, "In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28).

 

Questions for Small Group Discussion:

1.   What is the writer of Luke saying about women's role and status in the Mary and Martha story? What is your comment on "Mary has chosen the good portion"?

2.   What kind of faith do Mary and Martha possess? What kind of empowerment for women do you see in their stories?

3.   How do you regard the women who follow Jesus - are they true disciples or just part of the crowd? What roles do they play at the cross and at the resurrection?

4.   How does Jesus relate to women in the New Testament? Can these incidents be sources of empowerment? How? Why?

 

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WOMEN'S SPACE

 

Some Thoughts on Asian Feminist Theology

Yin Yin Maw

Yin Yin Mow is an intern for women's program of the WSCF Asia-Pacific

 

Asia is a region of many cultures and many faiths. It also has rich resources such as raw materials, mineral resources, etc. But although Asia is rich in these resources many of the Asian peoples constitute the Third World population where people face grave poverty and which consequently results in other economic problems such as those faced by victims of migrant work, child labor, sex trade, etc. These have an effect on her religions and faiths. So it is no wonder that questions get asked on whether religion can liberate people, especially women, from human suffering.

Thinking from an Asian Christian woman's perspective, I must say that we women still struggle with our church's patriarchal system. The church has many obstacles which prevent women from taking on leadership roles or getting the right to ordination. Even though we have the same qualifications as men many women face problems of applying for positions in the church or in the organization simply because of gender. Many women also find it difficult to apply their knowledge gained from theological school/training, thus, the difficulty to develop their theology. We therefore see how culture on the one hand and religion on the other hand do   not allow women to speak out in public; both very strongly influence each other.

You may have noticed that most men are allergic to the word feminist or feminism. Therefore we now use "women's study" which is more acceptable to Asian society. However we are "changing the word it is still difficult to develop women's study and theology. Feminist theology is a kind of liberation theology which is not only for women but for all oppressed people. Some say that feminist theology is adopted from western women's ideas and thinking, therefore it could not apply to Asia. But we Asian women have our own ideas and thinking for women's liberation right in our own contexts. Asian women have our own experiences in life. So why should we not express our womanist ideas and thinking as Asian women?

What is the role of women in Asia especially in the church? Is it just to take care of church deco-. ration or flower arrangement? the Sunday school? the fund raising programme? What is

 

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* Before joining the Regional Office, Yin Yin worked as women's coordinator of the Myanmar SCM. She will be finishing her internship in August and will resume her work as women's coordinator of the Myanmar SCM.

 

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the woman's role at home? Is it just to take care her children and provide pleasure for her husband? Does she have a chance to speak out in her family? Does she have a chance to take part in the decision making? A number of Asian women may enjoy living in patriarchal society. They never think of the women's role in the family, church and society. They are only content with being submissive, passive and dependent. The culturally accepted practice in the community is that man is the head of the house. The wife therefore must obey and respect whatever he says and does. In the same manner, in the church, women have been delegated the secondary role which is subordinate to men. But is this the way it should be?

When I started reading the Bible from a woman's perspective I saw so much oppression done to women. In Genesis 1: 27-28 it is affirmed that God created the human beings in God's image and to take care of the earth while sharing with and accompanying each other. God never said that women have to serve men as their slaves. Although there were a number of women leaders in the church, very little is said about them. As a little child, I never heard in Sunday School the stories of Miriam, Lydia, Judith, Priscilla as leaders of the church.

With regards to women's ordination, the church has many rules for the woman minister to become ordained. It is very obvious that where ordination is concerned, it is the tradition and culture which have strongly influenced the church's practices. For example, the idea that women are unclean (because of her menstruation) is one reason for prohibiting women from getting ordained because the altar is regarded as holy place and thus, only the clean and holy can go in. Leviticus 15 mentions that both woman and man have their unclean days and how they have to cleanse themselves. But as long as I can remember no church leader has ever mentioned to the congregation about men and their unclean days whereas the uncleanness of women has stuck in people's minds. We need to think about the real meaning of purification before God — is it physical or spiritual?

Nowadays more and more women are becoming prominent figures in the social, economic and political realms all over the world. It took a lot of daring and risk to be where they are. Meanwhile, there are many more women who continue to suffer oppression simply because they are women. On top of that they suffer because of socio-economic-political systems operating in their countries and throughout the world. As Christian students, we need to understand their situations seriously and critically. We need to look deeply into the effects of such big systems as globalization, development, industrialization, and the like. How are women misused by the global economic system? How is industrialization and development changing the face of poor countries, poor people and minorities of our region? What are the effects of such systems on the natural environment?

Doing theology therefore is a necessary task for us Christian women. Our lives are constantly being shaped by Christian faith and tradition, particular languages and cultures. We will come to better understand our oppression and aspiration for liberation through critiquing our religious experiences as women as well as critically reading the Bible. In reading the Bible, we need to review the presence and absence of women; and to critique the positive and negative images of women. We also need to look closely into the practices of the church, critiquing our religious traditions, ecclesiology and liturgy. We also need to recover and discover spiritual traditions that are authentic to women's experiences so as to bring these into our consciousness and that of the church for the purpose of genuine renewal and transformation. We

 

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explore new translations, interpretations, images and expression of the divine reality acting in the world today and hopefully respond to it in this age.

I wish to quote from the Rev. Dr Elizabeth S. Tapia, faculty member of the Union Theological Seminary in Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines who described the emerging Asian feminist theology this way:

(1) Asian Women's Theology, like other liberation theologies, is contextual theology. For the Asian women, their context is poverty on the one hand, and religiousity on the other. Asia is poor economically but rich in cultural and religious traditions. The Asian woman reflects on the meaning of life and faith in the midst of life's contradictions and difficulties.

(2) It is an experiential theology with the starting point of theologizing in the Asian women's experiences of pain and suffering. It recalls people's experience of power amidst powerlessness. It acts creatively and develops insights to create social change. It ends with a message with vision and hope shared in solidarity with others.

(3) Asian women are engaged in a struggle-centred and change-oriented theology. Their theologizing embraces their own people's struggle for freedom, justice and peace. Participation in movements for political action and social transformation gives authenticity to their theology. Their advocacy stance for the poor and oppressed, especially women from the poor-. est of the poor, is necessarily obvious.

(4) Critique of cultural and religious oppression is an essential part. Because all religions and cultures carry both oppressive and liberating forces, it is necessary to identify the elements that either hinder or enhance women's full humanity. For this reason and from this perspective women are beginning to study the different religions in Asia.

(5) Attention is given to conscious reinterpretation of theological teachings such as God, Christology, Holy Spirit, Church , etc. in relation to womanhood.

(6) The experience of the poor and marginalized can become one of the primary sources for theological reflection. Personal stories and sociopolitical histories can serve as texts for theological and ethical reflections.

(7) Asian Women's Theology employs the hermeneutic of vision and hope. Women envision new possibilities for themselves and for their communities while they struggle daily. Because they have hope, they find courage to tell their stories again and again. Their vision and hope enable them to celebrate death amidst life, and life amidst death.

(8) Women are making room for creativity and connectedness. Their theological conferences have fewer lectures and more opportunities for mutual learning. They engage in painting, poetry, singing and dancing, as well as thinking and worshipping. They provide one-site visits (exposing participants to the reality of people's lives) and do socio-economic analysis as well faith reflections. Asian women seek to nurture and encourage each other, but also attempt to connect with others beyond their stories.

(9) Asian women theologians are engaged in a fundamental search for a new identity for women and a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. Hence women's theology in Asia requires a redefinition by women of their identity as women, as human, as Asian.

(10) Asian women doing theology express their

 

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spirituality in compassion and solidarity. Compassion for the least of their sisters and brothers is translated into concrete action of love and service.

I think these characteristics can guide us in our own acts of "doing theology" as Asian Christian women. We do this not only for ourselves but also to bring light to our sisters living in the darkness of suffering, injustice and oppression. We do this because it is our task to affirm that Jesus already came to show that "there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free men, between men and women, you are all one in union with Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

 

 

Australian SCM women to hold gab on sexuality

 

The Australian SCM Women's Conference will be held in Polana Campsite, Healesville, Victoria, Australia, on, 8-11 July.

According to Avril Hannah Jones, ASCM women's project coordinator, the theme of the conference is "Sexuality." The aims are: to learn about Sexuality, to enable ASCM women to get to know each other, to share their wisdom and experience, and to encourage women to participate fully in ASCM and to be enthusiastic about the movement.  

Resource persons' include a woman religious speaker from the Prostitutes Collective, a psychologist and a dancer.

There will be a Bible study on the Song of Songs; creative activities with paint, clay and crayons as well as time for shared cooking. There will also be a joint session with the men's conference and hopefully a book could come from the conference.

Some 20-30 women members of the ASCM from around Australia are expected to join the conference.

 

 

 

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SOLIDARITY

 

Human Rights Contact Persons Named

 

In our desire to build a better solidarity network with the national movements throughout Asia and the Pacific, the Regional Committee has enjoined all member SCMs to name their respective human rights contact persons.

The idea came from the current volunteer Solidarity Work coordinators, Mandy Tibbey and Michael Mitchel who are both based in Australia.

It is hoped that by having the national human rights contact persons, solidarity work in the region would be better coordinated and could have more fruitful and faster results.

Part of the solidarity work is to respond to urgent appeals for SCMers, student and church leaders, or friends of SCM/WSCF who are arrested. The Solidarity Work coordinators will send copies of such letters to the national contact persons who will then initiate a response for their respective movements to do. The Solidarity Work coordinators will make a response on behalf of the Region, but each country is enjoined to respond as well.

The Solidarity Work coordinators will also be regularly sending some materials on human rights to the SCMs through their contact persons. These materials will deal with current issues and campaigns, analysis, worship and theological materials focusing on human rights and other items to help inform and strengthen the understanding of human rights and commitment to it in SCMs in the region.

So far four national movements have sent in names of their contact persons. Other SCMs are requested to name their contact persons soon. The four human rights contact persons, so far, are:

 

Alfredo J. Papa

SCM Philippines

c/o CYSM-NCCP

879 EDSA, Quezon City

Philippines

 

Richard Davis

SCM Aotearoa

c/o 4 Cleary Street

Lower Hutt

Aotearoa/New Zealand

 

Gordon Wong

SCM Hong Kong

12/F, Kiu Kin Mansion

568 Nathan Road

Kowloon, Hong Kong

 

Choi Kyung Ju

Korean Student Christian Federation

Rm, 608, C.P.O. Box 7248

Korea Church Building 136-46

Seoul, Korea

 

Meanwhile, the Solidarity Work coordinators are also developing contacts with other human rights non-government organizations in order to circulate information to and from them. National movements are encouraged to send in names and addresses of possible organizations to link with.

 

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Support Needed for Arrested Women Organizer

 

Support is needed for Irene Fernandez, director of Tenaganita, a women's organization in Malaysia. SCM senior friends from Malaysia recall that Irene and Tenaganita as a whole were among the friends of the SCM in Malaysia.

Irene was arrested at her home last March 18, later charged for alleged "false reporting" on the situation of detained migrant workers in Malaysia, and her passport impounded by the court. This charge carries a maximum sentence of three year-imprisonment or fine of US$8,000, or both upon conviction.

Tenaganita had interviewed over 340 former detainees whose statements revealed serious abuses by detention center officers since 1993. These abuses included: being beaten everyday, punched and kicked on the stomach, doing pushups and standing in the sun for hours, unhygienic toilet conditions, insufficient water and food, lack of medical treatment, falling sick because of unhealthy conditions, personal belongings not being returned, and other such abuses.

There are about 3 million migrant workers in Malaysia coming from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Philippines and Thailand. Many of them get cheated by recruiting agents who leave them stranded in Malaysia. Those whose passports are held by employers or agents get arrested for not holding their work permits or travel documents.

Tenaganita exposed its findings on the "abuse, torture, dehumanized treatment and deaths of migrant workers at detention centres" during a press conference last July 27. Tenaganita had hoped that this would bring the authorities to launch an independent inquiry into the situation of migrant workers instead of punishing human rights groups for exposing the abuses at detention centers.

Support for Irene Fernandez may come in the form of polite letters or faxes calling for a fail trial; setting up an independent commission with non-government representatives to investigate the allegations; ensuring migrant workers in detention centers are protected against abuses and ill-treatment; and setting up a more accountable enforcement agency in detention centers. These letters may be sent to:

YABH Datuk Sen Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers, Peja at Perdana Menteri, Jalan Datuk Onn, 50502 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [Fax (603)256-2666]. Please c.c. copies to Malaysia's diplomatic representative in your country.

Support is also welcome in the form of solidarity contributions to help cover the transportation and accommodation of migrant workers, including those who have returned home, to go to Malaysia and bear witnesses for Irene's case. These contributions may be sent to:

Messrs Daim & Gamany, Advocates & Solicitors, 9th Floor, Wisma Yakin, Jalan Masjid India 50100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Cheques may be made payable to "Messrs Daim & Gamany-Client Account." *!*

 

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REGIONAL NEWS

 

SET 1996 focuses on human rights

 

As August comes closer, preparations for the Student Empowerment for Transformation take full swing. The Indonesian SCM, this year's host of SET '96, has confirmed the venue in Bina Darma Foundation, Salatiga, Central Java.

SET '96 will run from Aug 5-31 on the theme, Responding in Faith: Our Struggles To Be Free. It will have the usual components of worship, exposure, biblical reflections, inputs and presentations, and workshops but this time with special focus on human rights.

The exposure program will be on these concerns: human rights of workers in the industrial development; human rights and environment (issue of nuclear power plant construction); human rights and development (issue of the World Bank-funded dam project); and impact of tourism on human rights (issue of tourist centre development in a traditional fishing community).

Inputs and presentations will include an overview of the human rights situation and social realities in Indonesia; Asia-Pacific human rights situation and analysis; human rights and economic rights; human rights violations and concerns in the Bible; women's rights as human rights; cultural and religious values which promote human rights; human rights and gender issues; human rights from theological perspectives.

SET is WSCF's month-long leadership formation program with the venue providing the "classroom" for participants to learn from and draw on for new insights and experiences.

 

 

Leadership program planned for South Asian women

 

A leadership program for South Asian women is being planned for October 1996 in Calcutta, India to address the need of promoting and building SCM young women leaders in this sub-region.

The program will be in two parts: (1) self and gender awareness raising and (2) building of leadership skills for women. Part 1 will include exercises in self and gender awareness, sharing of women's situations in Asia and gender tool of analysis and exposure. Part 2 will include inputs and workshops on leadership, movement building and managing an organization.

All sessions will use participatory methods that will hopefully touch both the cognitive and affective needs of the participants.

The aims of the program are: (1) To increase the level of awareness of SCM women on gender and gender issues; and cultivate critical analysis among the participants on women's situation in particular and people's issues in general; and (2) To equip young South Asian women SCMers with basic skills necessary for participation and leadership in SCMs and other ecumenical organizations and social movements.

 

 

An SCMer and a senior friend to join CCA

 

Two women, a former WSCF staff and an SCMer, have recently been appointed to two positions in the Christian Conference of Asia. They are Christine Ledger from Australia and Lung Ngan Ling from Hong Kong.

 

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1996 q24.jpgChristine F. Ledger, former co-secretary general of the World Student Christian Federation, was recently appointed Associate General Secretary for Finance of the Christian Conference of Asia beginning October 1. Chris currently works as director of Christian World Service of the National Council of Churches in Australia. She has also served as director of the World Christian Action of the Australian Council of Churches (now NCCA). In such capacities, she has a wide experience of generating ecumenical sharing of resources.  

Chris holds a number of degrees and continues to do studies in various fields. She holds the degrees of Bachelor of Science from Murdoch University and Master of Science and Society from the University of New South Wales. She has incomplete Ph.D. studies at Murdoch and studies in progress in theology at the United Theological College in Sydney. Chris will succeed Dr. Tosh Arai who will return to Japan at the end of his term on Sept 30.

1996 q25.jpgLung Ngan Ling, current assistant chaplain at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, was appointed executive secretary for youth beginning September 1. She has joined the Hong Kong SCM i early this year. She holds a bachelor's degree in social work from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a Master of Divinity from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She succeeds Chan Beng Seng, a senior friend from Malaysia, whose term will end in August.

 

 

 

Farewell…

 

WSCF Asia-Pacific Region wishes farewell to a number of people who have helped with some of bur work in the office.

Hope S. Antone, a part-time publication staff, will leave with her husband Chan Beng Seng and two children for the USA. Hope has been admitted to do doctoral studies in the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, Richmond, Virginia this September,

Yin Yin Maw finished her one-year internship with WSCF A-P helping with the women's programmes of the region especially during the time when there was no women's coordinator. Yin will go back to Myanmar, where she will resume her job as women's coordinator for the Myanmar SCM.

Phyllis other part-time publication staff, will be taking up a full-time social work position in July. She is also doing: her doctoral studies with The University of Queensland in Australia.

Thank you on behalf of the A-P Region and best wishes in your future endeavors