Pope Francis and Women
I've been reading the web site Religion Dispatches (RD) for years. It describes itself as an "independent, non-profit, Webby-nominated source for the best writing on critical and timely issues at the intersection of religion, politics and culture." What I know is that their material--ecumenical (they cover everyone: Jews, Catholics, Mormons, Muslims, Buddhists, feminists, LGBT people--everyone), insightful, and never dull--always intrigues me. I visit the site a couple of of times a week, piqued by their daily dispatch, and I enjoy the thoughtful, provocative content.
Today's thoughtful, provocative content involves the Vatican's Council on Women--an event discussing women and women's issues without a single woman present or in active discussion or debate, and the central document around which their debate is being built. RD has run two pieces on this event, one that took a preliminary look at that central report, with its astonishingly tone-deaf cover image, and one that did a deeper analysis of the document, its authors, its content, and its underlying philosophy and implications. And then there's the Vatican's awkward effort at appealing to women to participate in their conversation via YouTube ("Hello privileged women of the world, we want to hear ::deep, breathy sigh:: from you"--see the video at that second link.)
There's fascinating and, truth to tell, disheartening stuff here. For all of the respect that Pope Francis has earned from me with his positions on the environment, poverty and--superficially, at least--LGTB issues (where the message is muddied up and tromped upon by the rest of the church and even, occasionally, the Pope himself--talk about conflicted!), these articles reveal a myopia that has not been mitigated in the least despite social evolution, progress on issues around social justice, the women's movement, nothing.
If you have any interest in religion, social issues and social justice, the church specifically, and culture in general, these articles (and the site as a whole) is excellent reading.
Today's thoughtful, provocative content involves the Vatican's Council on Women--an event discussing women and women's issues without a single woman present or in active discussion or debate, and the central document around which their debate is being built. RD has run two pieces on this event, one that took a preliminary look at that central report, with its astonishingly tone-deaf cover image, and one that did a deeper analysis of the document, its authors, its content, and its underlying philosophy and implications. And then there's the Vatican's awkward effort at appealing to women to participate in their conversation via YouTube ("Hello privileged women of the world, we want to hear ::deep, breathy sigh:: from you"--see the video at that second link.)
There's fascinating and, truth to tell, disheartening stuff here. For all of the respect that Pope Francis has earned from me with his positions on the environment, poverty and--superficially, at least--LGTB issues (where the message is muddied up and tromped upon by the rest of the church and even, occasionally, the Pope himself--talk about conflicted!), these articles reveal a myopia that has not been mitigated in the least despite social evolution, progress on issues around social justice, the women's movement, nothing.
If you have any interest in religion, social issues and social justice, the church specifically, and culture in general, these articles (and the site as a whole) is excellent reading.