Giving Up Sexism for Lent

 

Yesterday I noted that observing Lent was not a Protestant practice until the latter part of the 20th century and doing so may have come about because of the rise of ecumenism. Some Roman Catholics and some Protestants decided that playing nicely together was something of which Jesus would approve. 

RC Lent seemed to be focussed on giving stuff up, abstinence and fasting, presumably to bring spiritual awareness. An older monk in a monastery told me that when he joined his order there was lots of heavy physical labour and it was not uncommon for a brother to faint in the fields due to hunger. Starving the faithful didn't sound particularly spiritual to me.

In recent years some Christians have been inventive, choosing to abstain from social media or purchasing unnecessary goods. They may take on more charitable giving or observe an environmentally aware Lent. Why not? 

How about giving up or turning away from sexism and misogyny for Lent?  A Roman Catholic women's organization fed up with doing most of the work within the church but shut out from meaningful leadership are calling for a Lenten "strike" during which they won't fulfil the tasks that are taken for granted and they won't attend Mass either. Here is the Religious News Service description: 

(RNS) — As Lent began on Ash Wednesday (March 5), Catholic women frustrated over being disenfranchised by the church despite promises of greater recognition are going on strike, withholding numerous services and ministries to their Catholic parishes, schools and universities.

Organized by the Women’s Ordination Conference, a 50-year-old group based in Rome that advocates for women to be made priests, bishops and deacons, the Catholic Women Strike is planned to go through Easter, April 20. It also includes a day of action on March 9, where women are invited to protest and advocate for greater inclusion and influence in the church.

“We’re calling the women of the Catholic Church to join together in striking from sexism by withholding labor, time and financial resources from the church during Lent,” said Kate McElwee, executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference. 

The conference has prepared a toolkit to answer questions about how to participate in the strike, suggesting that women refrain from attending Mass, send letters to their local priest or bishop highlighting the need for recognition of women’s roles or withhold donations and work.

The ailing Pope Francis has made the right noises and even instituted a few measures toward a more inclusive church but the efforts have been strongly resisted by traditionalist. It's not as though Roman Catholicism has a corner on misogyny. Many Protestant denominations are the same -- let women do the work and claim that God put men in charge. In the Southern Baptist Convention a couple of their largest congregations were given the boot because they began ordaining women and giving them significant leadership roles. 

Call it a strike or fasting or spiritual abstinence, it seems like a worthwhile Lenten endeavour.