Should We Be Our Sister's & Brother's Keeper?
by Peggy Harris W.A.S.H. Board Chair

1991 Association of Adventist Women Conference President’s Speech

Over the past ten years the Association of Adventist Women (AAW) has come of age.  When we look at the road we have traveled and the progress that has been made within our church, we can sense that although not all the battles have been won, along the way there have been many accomplishments.  Our name and credibility has become more widely known.  Our endeavors to sensitize church leaders to seek more equitable gender representation on committees and in leadership posts have received positive responses.

But what about the future?  Now that we have seen some progress here in the North American Division do we now sit back and relax?  Or do we also have a responsibility to respond to the needs of women and men in the world field?  Many ethnic groups are struggling to gain a voice in the church.  Are we willing to listen and help them?

Some overseas leaders feel that only here in North America does the church have to deal with equality and justice because our national laws require it.  They say that in other areas of the world, equity and justice is not an issue within the church because no laws demand it.

Yet, we hear more and more cries for help from different areas of the world field as laypeople and church workers see the incongruity of a church professing to follow the Word of God while at the same time denying individuals their fundamental rights because the laws of their countries do not demand it.  Specifically, these issues are equal pay, gender inclusiveness, sexual harassment of student and employees, lay representation on committees, and individual recourse when there is a problem in these various areas.

I believe our church must also deal honestly and sensitively with our youth and adults who experience date rape, sexual harassment, parental abuse of children, pastors who cross sexual boundaries, as well as institutional abuse at school or at work.  When such complaints are made they must be documented and dealt with appropriately and promptly.  This will help to prevent further harassment and resulting lawsuits, not only against individuals but also against our institutions.  Appropriate counselling must be available for the individuals that have been emotionally and/or physically harmed.  AAW takes the stand that it is not acceptable to allow persons who repeat these kinds of crimes to be moved on to another school or position where they can continue their abuse of others.

There is a growing lack of credibility in church leadership among some of our pastors, teachers, as well as our young adults.  It is perceived that church leadership is mainly concerned with being organizational and with self-interest.  Many of our pastors now entering their role as a local church pastor are recent converts to Adventism.  They need strong support systems within local conference leadership as well as the local congregation in order to be effective as pastors.  Our pastors, and their families, whether they are new to their role or veterans, need to experience the support and encouragement that laypeople, can give to them.  Likewise, our church leaders need to hear of our strong support for the positive steps they take in local and union conferences as well as in the division and world church headquarters.  

When women take a stand to correct problems within our church, we have to realize that we may be insulted and mistreated.  During a recent conference meeting in which the ordination of women pastors was discussed, an angry woman church member followed a woman pastor into the rest room, dug her fingers into her arms, and spat in her face and said,  “Who do you think you are?”  In another discussion regarding the same subject, a male conference director suggestively told a woman present that he certainly would be there to “lay hands on a woman”.

Unfortunately, workers who report improprieties within some conferences are threatened with the loss of their jobs or are relegated to minor pastorates.  Women church workers have, at times, had to endure sexual harassment while their husband’s hands were tied because of the threat of the loss of their jobs.  AAW should be alert for church workers and members who are going through such experiences and provide them with emotional support. 

I believe women in the church have been set up for sexual harassment and abuse by the oppressive practice of male headship in the church.  If the church had practiced equality of both race and gender, as we were instructed and started to do in the late 1800’s, we would now be ahead of the world in treating our people justly.

By addressing these issues fairly, the church will profit.  It can then regain the confidence of its constituents.  Members who have lost confidence and are putting their money elsewhere would then have good reason to put it back into the church organization.

Members would be able to openly share their insights in conference and union planning processes.  The church would gain a wealth of input from its lay members.  Members would have incentives to be involved with church planning and organization as well as with the problems facing our church officials.  Church leaders would then truly be in partnership with the membership and not be left dangling and struggling by themselves.  The accountability factor may frighten some of our church leaders.  However this can have the advantage of spurring them on to heights they were not aware they could achieve.  Our church desperately needs this unity of spirit and action in order to accomplish the great task with which we have been commissioned.

What kind of a message are we giving to our church members and to the world when we are willing to relegate intelligent people to limited opportunities and unfair practices?  Our church is not only in danger of losing the younger generation in North America but also in the world field.

God created men and women, not to be in competition with one another but to compliment each other.  Together, women and men can enhance God’s image in the world and give a fuller picture of God’s love and care.  It is our privilege and responsibility to continue to work towards the equality of all humankind.  This is the true essence of the gospel of Jesus.

Some women who have become discouraged with ever gaining equality and recognition in Christianity are being entrapped by New Age theology.  Ken Wade’s book “Secrets of the New Age’ tells how many of the people have been attracted to this movement because they have either been cruelly treated or mistreated by fellow Christians.  Our crucifixions today are not done crudely on a cross.  We are far more sophisticated.  We crucify by verbal, action, and institutional abuse on our members.

I recently read the biographical book “Eleni” written by her son Nicholas Gage.  He tells the story of his mother, Eleni Gatzoyiannis, and her struggle to save her children during World War Two and the civil was that was fiercely waged back and forth across Greece.  Her husband, had gone to America to prepare for a new life for his family, and was cut off during the wards.  I did not finish the book as I was too overcome by the tragic details of Eleni’s life.  But I did watch a video that poignantly captures the essence of the book.  Alone, Eleni and her mother struggled for the survival of their family.  Eleni’s struggle finally ended when she was tortured and shot by guerrillas after arranging for her children’s successful escape.

There are two touching scenes which capture the emotion of this young woman’s lonely battle for survival.  In the first one Eleni attempts to save her teenage daughter, Olga, from being conscripted into labor for the communist guerrillas by using a red hot poker to burn Olga’s leg so she could not walk.  Eleni says to her mother, “Where are our men?  Have I been told lies all my life?”  Her mother replied, “Eleni, you’re a woman.  You’re forgetting your place.”  Eleni responded, “This isn’t my place to torture my own child. Is it my place to stay behind?  Always to stay behind when our men run off and return for what?”

Later, after seeing a woman friend shot to death for speaking up for all the women trying to save the village children, Eleni and her mother had the following conversation 

“We can only hope and pray,” her mother sorrowed.  “We must do more than hope, mother,”  “If we do as we are told –“ her mother started to say but was interrupted by Eleni “No!  Mother, you brought me up the best way you knew how.”  “The way I was raised” responded her mother, “yes,” said Eleni,  “to obey and know my place and never to complain and in all that sunshine of my life I have lived in the shad of somebody else’s authority.  There were flowers in my heart, Mama, but there are some flowers that never blossom in the shade.  It was the price I paid to be like everyone else.  I didn’t complain and I’m not complaining now, but I am saying NO MORE!  They took our food, they took my home, they took my dignity and I gave it.  I gave in at every turn but I will not give them my children!”

Today there is a war raging across this world that involves the entire universe in the battle between good and evil.  It is time for each one of us not to just be like everyone else.  Many of our children have slipped away from our church. What about our grandchildren?  Will you resolve with me that we will not give them up!  It is time for use to take the necessary steps to regain the confidence and faith of our youth as has been revealed by the Valugenesis Reports.  It is time to restore the confidence of adults in the church by these positive actions.  It is time to hasten our Lord’s return!

Praise God, I do see changes taking place within the church.  These changes must continue if we are to accomplish the Global Mission of our church. There are men and women among us who are speaking out with courage.  Will you join me in a commitment to dialogue with church leaders and to encourage the creation of policies that will restore the confidence of members in our church?  Yes, we are our sister’s and brother’s keeper!  It is time to speak and to act boldly as we are prompted by the Holy Spirit.

This page last updated on Sunday January 29, 2006 11:25 AM

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