Theologians sign Madeleva Manifesto
By KATIE McVOY
News Writer
Sixteen prominent women theologians made a statement of hope and courage to women in the Catholic Church when they signed the Madeleva Manifesto Saturday at O'Laughlin Auditorium
A charter of women and faith, the document was signed by 15 previous speakers and next year's speaker in the Madeleva Lecture series, which are talks on women and faith given in honor of Saint Mary's founder.
Following the presentation, the women held a forum to explain what the Manifesto means. It is a liberal call for change based on the solemn traditions of the Catholic Church.
The manifesto calls on women in theological study to "reimagine what it is to be the body of Christ. How things are now is not the way of God." It asks young women in the Church to follow gospel feminism, to overcome oppression based on gender, sexual orientation, race and social class. It calls for women tempted by despair to "reimagine what it means to be a full human being made in the image of God and to live and speak this truth in our daily lives."
"This is tradition at its best," said Joan Chittister, who led the panel discussion.
The Manifesto reminds women who suffer the cost of discipleship that they are not alone. It calls young women of the Church to carry forward gospel feminism to institute far-reaching changes in the Church and society.
The Manifesto states that individuals are morally bound to change things that treat men or women as less than fully human. It is a pledge to biblical justice and to continue "dialogue on issues of freedom for women." The women who wrote the Manifesto "invite others to join [them] in imagining the Great Shalom of God."
"This statement is not ours," Chittister said. "The statement is meant for you."
The women who wrote the Madeleva Manifesto are strong believers in the Catholic Church looking for a necessary change.
"We're entering into a dark time and we need to bank the fire," said Elizabeth Johnson, the 1993 guest lecturer. "This statement is going to keep that fire."
The 16 women call for justice and for "freedom, joy, contemplative intimacy and dignity," according to Monika Hellwig, the first Madeleva lecturer.
The women also look for change. They adopt the term feminism, but they want to change it to gospel feminism. Secular feminism, they said, has certain dead ends that gospel feminism does not.
"One of the meanings of mentoring is to create a space where obedience to the truth can be practiced," lecturer Elizabeth Dryer said.
"Gospel feminism is a way that doesn't deny our differences, but allows us to embrace the good news from any position in society," Jeanette Rodriguez, the 1996 lecturer, added.
The women are hopeful that they will bring about change.
"We are the witness of the commitment of women," Johnson said. "God is on our side, and God doesn't lose."
In addition to the presentation of the Madeleva Manifesto, Sandra Schneiders delivered a lecture on feminism in the future, "With Oil in Their Lamps: Faith, Feminism and the Future."
Schneiders' talk focused on issues women will face in the future of the Church and what direction they should take to face those issues.
Schneiders is a professor of New Testament studies at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley and has written several books, including "Women and the Word."
All News Stories for Monday, May 1, 2000
