For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:27-28
“The plagues of Egypt are … to show the power of God in solidarity with the exploited slaves. God hears the cries of the exploited and liberates them. No biblical theme can be used to discriminate against or oppress another, as was done during the conquest. With respect to difficult passages, such as those that discriminate against women, some of us think that sometimes it is necessary to…cling to discerning the Spirit of the whole canon. This means that we will have to privilege the Spirit of the gospel, which, according to Paul, guides us toward justice, life, freedom, peace, and the dignity of all persons.”
Elsa Tamez in “The Bible and the Five Hundred Years of Conquest” in God’s Economy: Biblical Studies from Latin America edited by Ross and Gloria Kinsler (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2005) 10.
As I may change the header photo soon, for those who did or did not guess but want to know…Grace St. Catherine is the second puppy from the left. She is still with her mommy at the breeder.
I got to Guatemala City safely by noon yesterday and had a good first day of the discernment retreat with Paula Mendoza of Guatemala and Julieta Murillo of Ecuador. A discernment retreat includes fasting and feasting, listening and talking, Scripture and prayer, solitude and social time. It’s rich. By the end of three days God unites and guides us forward.
As we got acquainted, we each shared parts of our stories, and my respect for these two women grew yesterday.
Both reported with grace and humility, different ways men have treated them poorly in ministry circles. But they see GTP as different. It’s one of the things they love! The board, staff, and regional workers of GTP value the contribution men and women. We experience together the fellowship of our union with Christ.
Tamez, in using the term “conquest,” is speaking of ways Western culture has impacted Latin America over the past 500 years or so. One outcome of that has been the oppression of women with texts like 1 Timothy 2:9-15. In my doctoral research that text came into view because the adornment of women included plaited hair with gold and pearls.
From my research, I found that the text was not about the role of women in ministry but about disconnecting women from life revolving around Artemis, and instead urging them to center it on God. For more on this watch a YouTube video I did for Asbury and their Seven Minute Seminary.
So, after a great first day with these two women and hearing their stories and then in reading this book to inform my thinking about God’s economy in the Latin American context, this sentence struck me: “God hears the cries of the exploited and liberates them.”
My prayer for GTP in Latin America, in part, is that we can bring the reign of Christ to the corners of life where people, such as women, are exploited and discriminated against and liberate them. This is not done by setting up new social structures, but by unleashing and multiplying generous stewards who have grasped life in God’s economy.
Make it so, LORD, for serving those who cry to you for help.