How to Practically Help Women in Ministry and in the Academy
Andy Rowell noticed three thought-provoking blog posts among 20/30-something bloggers. Below the links are listed and then his summary of some of their practical suggestions.
http://www.generousorthodoxy.net/thinktank/2006/02/more_on_women.html
http://www.thursdaypm.org/blog/rachelle/20060117/be-careful-what-you-wish-for/
http://www.generousorthodoxy.net/thinktank/2006/02/book_discussion.html
The List
1. Be intentional about quoting females.
2. Be an encourager and advocate to women who are working with you and under you.
3. Provide scholarships for women to attend important gatherings and provide childcare.
4. Be intentional about having women be part of the planning team.
5. Leave some space in the conversation for women’s voices.
6. If you are asked to speak somewhere, ask if some of your honorarium can go towards making sure women are there.
7. Invite women in to publish in your journals and books.
8. Keep your eyes open for women doing outstanding things under the radar.
Andy
(((((((((((((Andy))))))))))))))) Thank you.
Just yesterday I had a conversation with an official in our local Assemblies of God district office. I was trying, somewhat clumsily, to express my dismay at the fact that many of the denominations that have only recently begun ordaining women (recently meaning in the last 30 years or so) have a MUCH greater percentage of women clergy than we do. How can this be, since we have (in theory) allowed women in the pulpit from our earliest beginnings? The answer, in part, is to be more specific and intentional. It does little good to have an excellent position paper on women in ministry (as we do) if our publications use masculine terms when referring to pastors, if every illustration of a pastor is of a man, if letters to pastors speak of a “wife” instead of a “spouse,” if we seldom if ever hear a woman speaking at a denominational function, and so on. The message is subtle, and not-so-subtle. Thanks for this post. I’ll be sharing it.