ELCA Assembly Hears Report on Church Engagement in Justice for Women

CHICAGO (ELCA) - Attention to justice for women is being
furthered in the activities and the manner of conducting ministry
across the ELCA according, to the "Report on Justice for Women"
presented to the 2007 Churchwide Assembly.
Since a restructuring of the churchwide organization in
2005, the way the denomination is responsible and accountable for
its ministry with and for women shifted from a Commission for
Women to the whole of the churchwide organization, with a Justice
for Women Program being conducted by the Church in Society
program unit. The 2005 Churchwide Assembly requested a written
report be given to the current assembly, describing
implementation since the shift and a framework for pursuing
gender justice in the ELCA.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6-11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall.
About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,068 ELCA voting
members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in God's
Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"
"Across units, sections and offices, the churchwide
organization is working towards justice for women," said Dr. Mary
Streufert, director for justice for women, ELCA Church in
Society. Streufert highlighted examples from a comprehensive
written report, such as awarding 50 percent of international
scholarships to women through the Global Mission program unit, a
pilot program to develop Latina lay leadership in the ELCA
through the Multicultural Ministries program unit, and the
creation of the position of Consultant for Misconduct Prevention
in the Vocation and Education program unit.
In addition, she said, "We are engaged in a constant and
evolving conversation about how justice for women relates to and
permeates all of the work that we do." In the revamped ELCA
churchwide structure, four "alliances," composed of
representatives of various churchwide program units, convene to
review and monitor work through each focus. "The Justice for
Women Alliance meets monthly and works to infuse the work of
justice for women into the respective work of each unit and
section," said Streufert.
A consulting committee advises the Justice for Women
Program, according to Streufert. One activity under discussion by
this committee is to call for an ELCA social statement on gender
justice.
Church in Society issued an "invitation to action" in the
report, calling on the church to educate for justice, advocate
for change and lead into the future. "The whole church is called
to this work. Such a template or pattern does not require -- nor
can it depend on -- the churchwide organization to be the sole
instigator for the work of justice for women in this church,"
said Streufert. Likening confrontation of sexism with "a movement
for changes in social and religious understandings of race,"
Streufert said, "It is hard work. It will be hard work."
The assembly was shown a video montage of participants in
the hallways of Navy Pier envisioning and defining justice for
women. The working definition used by Church in Society states:
"Justice for women occurs when the ways in which women and girls
are objectified are rejected and the imago dei (i.e., image of
God) of women and girls is affirmed through both theology and
policy, in church and society."
The Rev. Rebecca S. Larson, executive director of Church in
Society, told the assembly, "We commit this church to
courageously address the scandalous frailties that address the
human family and this world. One of the scandalous realities is
the glaring absence of justice for women."
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Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be
found at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly/ on the Web.

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