Spirit Quest …
From the Pen of The Reverend Hanns
March 13 is my 79th birthday, but don’t tell anyone. A lot has happened in my lifetime. Not least is the progress in the status of women.
My mother was a feminist before her time. When she died 14 years ago, age 94, a picture appeared in a European newspaper. She is shown in the centre of a group of young women. The caption tells that Gertrude at age 19 gave leadership in the women’s rights movement in her city.
I recall the excitement of my mother when one day as we walked down street a car approached. What excited my mother was the sight of a woman at the wheel. I was then only about 6 years of age. Cars in the thirties in Europe were not that plentiful. There certainly were no traffic jams, parking places were easily available, indeed, and I can’t recall such a thing as a parking lot. Women drivers were even more scarce, thus mother’s elation. It was a sign of progress in a male dominated society. Times were changing and women like Amelia Erhardt who dared to climb into the cockpit of a plane led the way.
Progress for women in the church was even slower. Although the first woman to be ordained a minister in my denomination took place as early as 1936 there was still a good deal of gender discrimination. None made it into the “significant” pulpits for the next 50 years.
The Anglican Church now has women bishops. The United Church, the largest Protestant denomination in Canada, has had 4 women moderators. A moderator is the leader of the denomination and holds office for three years.
While the Roman Catholics have not accepted women into the priesthood there is growing pressure to open the doors to this enclave of patriarchy. Although I am entering the final year before the biblical four score, I hope to see that change which will undoubtedly transform the Catholic Church dramatically, and for the better. Undoubtedly priests will be married, perhaps even to same sex partners. Pause here to gasp!
Undoubtedly most significant is the American phenomenon we are presently witnessing when a black and a woman are battling it out for the leadership of the Democratic Party and the presidency of the United States of America. It too will bring a tidal change in our neighbour to the south, undoubtedly also for the better.
Although patrimony is still very much alive and rear guard action against change vigorous, it is my hope and conviction that in my own time, and I haven’t that many years to go, I shall see real equality among the sexes. Men and women will have to struggle. I believe the war has been won but there will continue to be significant skirmishes.
The Spirit is a’ movin’!
Hanns F. Skoutajan
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