The Woman's Creed

Thinking About Women and the Christian Church.

I've got to admit that I've never really given much thought to this topic until recently. Yeah, I knew that in the circles I grew up in, I would never become a pastor, but I wasn't too worried - I didn't want to be a pastor anyway - I knew the fish bowl like existence of that world, and wasn't interested in that being part of the rest of my life.

I'm a history major with a specialty in European religious history, but I've zealously avoided topics such as feminist theology, womens' roles in various ages of the church, female mystics, and so on... until recently.

I started to get interested in more "feminist" (a word I hesitate to use, because I'm not sure I can find a definition I'm entirely comfortable subscribing to) topics about a year ago, when I was studying the Moravians. Count von Zinzendorf had a theology of the family in relation to the Trinity, viewing aspects of both Christ and of the Holy Spirit as female in nature and role. At the time, I wrote the ideas off as fascinating if somewhat sketchy.

I've spent a great deal of time over the past several months reading spiritual autobiographies, and plan to devote quite a bit more time in the new year to doing extensive research. As I read the stories of some women, and began to deal with issues in my own relationship with God and with my dad, I began to become more interested in the idea of a "feminine" God, or at least a God who valued women highly. I'm by no means ready to subscribe to the idea of a female God, but I can certainly see feminine traits in the character of God. On the other hand, I don't really subscribe to a "male" God either - God is spirit, and thus neither male nor female.

My thinking has been particularly shaped by Renee Altson in her book Stumbling Toward Faith and in some of the posts at her blog. The things Renee has to say have challenged me. I have also been shaped by some words from John and Stasi Eldredge's Captivating. Early in the book (of which I only read a couple chapters) they talk about the fact that not just men are created in the image of God - but women are too, and discuss the aspects of God's character that women seem to mirror - things like God's compassion, his relational nature. Interestingly, these aspects of God are the ones I have struggled to understand. I have been comfortable with an authoritarian God, but surprised and overwhelmed by a gracious, loving and relational God.

My final term paper of my degree was the first one I have ever written on a feminist topic. I examined the fact that the feminist movement in North America was birthed by the evangelical revival movement. Famous evangelical revival preacher, Charles Grandison Finney, was one of the first men to encourage women to preach and pray publicly at what in the nineteenth century were quaintly termed 'promiscuous' meetings (meetings of mixed gender). Finney was a strong advocate of higher education for women. The feminist movement in the nineteenth century was inextricably linked to the evangelical church. I came away from the paper asking the question, "what happened?" or "what changed?" I can't answer that one for you.

I attended a lecture this morning in one of my classes on "liberation theology" and the "feminist theology" that is closely tied to this. It is an interesting topic. The professor gave us a copy of a "creed" that one feminist theologian wrote. I found it strikingly biblical, and challenging. The author, Rachel Conrad Wahlberg, wrote "The Woman's Creed" in 1978 after reflecting for a time on the Apostle's Creed. I would not use her creed in a liturgy, as it lacks discussion of key elements of faith such as the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, but I find her conception of Jesus and his relationship to women fascinating. So, I thought I'd share it with you!

I believe in God
who created woman and man in God's own image
who created the world
and gave both sexes
the care of the earth.

I believe in Jesus
child of God
chosen of God
born of the woman Mary
who listened to women and liked them
who stayed in their homes
who discussed the Kingdom with them
who was followed and financed
by women disciples.

I believe in Jesus
who discussed theology with a woman at a well
and first confided in her
his messiahship
who motivated her to go and tell
her great news to the city.

I believe in Jesus who received anointing
from a woman at Simon's house
who rebuked the men guests who scorned her
I believe in Jesus
who said this woman will be remembered
for what she did -
minister to Jesus.

I believe in Jesus
who acted boldly
to reject the blood taboo
of ancient societies
by healing the audacious woman who touched him.

I believe in Jesus who healed a woman
on the sabbath
and made her straight
because she was
a human being.

I believe in Jesus
who spoke of God
as a woman seeking the lost coin
as a woman who swept
seeking the lost.

I believe in Jesus
who thought of pregnancy and birth
with reverence
not as punishment - but
as wrenching event
a metaphor for transformation
born again
anguish-into-joy.

I believe in Jesus
who spoke of himself
as a mother her
who would gather her chicks
under her wings.

I believe in Jesus who appeared
first to Mary Magdalene
who sent her with the bursting message
GO AND TELL...

I believe in the wholeness
of the Savior
in whom there is neither
Jew nor Greek
slave nor free
male nor female
for we are all one
in salvation.

I believe in the Holy Spirit
as she moves over the waters
of creation
and over the earth.

I believe in the Holy Spirit
as she yearns within us
to pray for those things
too deep for words.

I believe in the Holy Spirit
the woman spirit of God*
who like a hen
created us
and gave us birth
and covers us
with her wings.

*the Hebrew word for Spirit is feminine

So, there you have it. I like this picture of a God who values me as female, who presents important messages to women. I don't have all the answers, I certainly don't subscribe most days to a feminist (there's that awful word again) mindset, but I can subscribe to this God, who values me, who created me uniquely female, and says that there is something beautiful in that.