The Lutheran Church of Alsace, a member church of the Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine (UEPAL), has adopted gender and youth quotas at its Consistory in accordance with the recommendations of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). In a statement on the balance of women and men in the church, the Consistory has committed to achieving, as early as possible, a quota that would mean a representation of at least 40% women and 40% men in each decision-making body, as well as to include at least 20% youth representatives who are younger than 30 years old.
“The dignity due to every human being must first and foremost be lived out together with those closest to us – our sisters, wives, mothers, daughters or colleagues,” says the President of the Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine, Christian Albecker. “For Protestant Christians, humanity, in accordance with the will of the Creator, is one whole, just as God is one: ‘In the image of God he created them, male and female he created them’ (Gen 1:27),” Albecker quoted, adding, “unity does not mean uniformity, but difference does not mean inequality either.”
Overcoming gender stereotypes
Members of the Consistory were called to evaluate and to act in such a way as to overcome the gender stereotypes that assign certain roles to women in the church, as well as to consciously support women who take on leadership positions. In the same way, the statement calls on congregations and all church structures to condemn violence against women, to take a firm stance on sexual harassment, and to broaden the criteria regarding the balance of women’s and men’s representation, and to extend them to the communities supported by the Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine through its mission projects, as well as the awarding of scholarships.
The proposal that was put forward to the main decision-making body of the Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine for decision was taken from the LWF documents on quotas on gender equality matters and on youth, which were adopted in 1984 and 1990 respectively. The LWF Gender Justice Policy document (Gender Justice Policy) was sent to the members of the Consistory for study. The programme assistant of the LWF’s “Women in Church and Society” (WICAS) department, Maria Cristina Rendón, was invited to speak about this theme and about how the Gender Justice Policy document was implemented in member churches in various contexts. Afterwards, the leadership of the Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine met in small groups to discuss the challenges on the matter of equal participation and the possible ways of overcoming them.
“Today, in touching on this theme, which is only the beginning of a process, we receive reflections and proposals, and this is a matter on our agenda, because we are participants in the Lutheran communion,” Christian Albecker, President of the Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine.
Profoundly changing the image
The President of the Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine, Albecker, acknowledges the challenge: “Just as the image of God has been profoundly changed in Jesus Christ, so too the relationship between man and woman needs to be liberated from the archaic schemes based on the domination of the man, which in turn was inherited from earlier ages and from the stereotypical thinking of men, characterized by a marked inclination toward competition and often toward violence as well,” said Albecker.
The LWF welcomed the statement of the Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine on the balance of representation and on equality. “The churches have had the courage to evaluate their structures and the real situation in the field of gender justice, examining the entire participation process, as well as to think about the instruments that would ensure the implementation of equality and transparency,” said Maria Cristina Rendón, assistant of the “Women in Church and Society” programme. “To see how the Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine has incorporated the principles of the LWF Gender Justice Policy document into its decision-making process and adopted them in an official document – that is a great encouragement.”
STRASBOURG, France/GENEVA
1/05/2018.
Source: Lutheran World Federation news: “French churches push for gender equality at all levels”.
Photo: UEPAL/ Bernard Guillot