Shenandoah Presbytery is presenting a conference for women entitled: HerStory: Women Who Testify, Proclaiming the Gospel in Our Own Voice.
The Keynoter is Anna Carter Florence of Columbia Theological Seminary.
A number of excellent workshops will be presented including exploring the feminine face of God, spirituality and aging, and peacemaking in Iraq.
Looks like a great conference. If women in your congregation haven't heard of this yet, you might let them know about it. Thanks to the Office of Women's Advocacy for promoting it.
Woops. Wait. What was that? Hey look who's here!
It's the Voices of Orthodox Women!
HerStory. Well isn't that special. Especially if you are a witch!! It is a conference of "false words and false deities...filled with problematic theology..." celebrating the crone, the goddess, and the radical feminists. Those hussies! Spank them. Spank the Office of Women's Advocacy for promoting this! We need to spank them and spank them quickly so they will turn into godly biblical women like me.
I heard Anna Carter Florence last summer at the Young Clergy Women conference at the National Cathedral's College of Preachers. I did not agree with everything she said, but found it to be a worthwhile and enjoyable experience. The best part was spending a week with other young women who also happen to be preachers. It was an important experience in my own spiritual formation -- and the "girls' only" vibe was rare and wonderful.
ReplyDeleteDon't you know that women are nothing but trouble, perhaps just the tools of the evil one?
ReplyDeleteSigned, Catholic Woman (double whammy to be sure!)
Hey Alex,
ReplyDeleteThanks. That "Girls only vibe" can lead to trouble. Look what happened to Fran. : )
Well, hey,
ReplyDeleteI followed the link to the Orthodox Women's website, and I'm able to certainly see Viola's concerns.
What on earth are some of these workshops doing at a Christian women's conference, anyway?
It makes little sense to me either.
If I wanted to learn more about the goddess, I think I would be exploring the local Wiccan or Druidic group in my area. God have mercy!
Why wouldn't it be better to explore issues relating to domestic violence, and racism, etc. from a Biblical perspective.
But, I"m open to hear anyone's thoughts.
Is it possible there has been a misunderstanding?
Hoping for the best, here. Otherwise, you can post my picture up there too. My hair is longer, though. (laughing)
Grace, please take the official statements of VOW with a HUGE grain of salt. I don't want to make any unfounded accusations, and I'm not sure if VOW was specifically involved (though it smells like they were), but conservative groups with which they are aligned (most notably The Layman) drove people into such a frenzy over the Re-Imagining Conference in the 1990s that people were rejecting the Presbyterian Hymnal because they were convinced of its hidden Black Lesbian Manifesto. I won't rehash all of it again, but needless to say, while parts of Re-Imagining (which was not run by the denomination) were a little eyebrow raising, it wasn't nearly as bad as The Layman made it out to be.
ReplyDeleteCheck out John's link to the REAL activities of this conference. We'll find such "concerning" things as:
-The keynote, which centers around Carter Florence exploring the stories of Miriam, Mary mother of Jesus, Mary & Martha, Rhoda, and the woman in the Song of Songs.
-Reaching out to young adults in church
-Spirituality & Aging
-Sermon prep for plain folks
-Diversity, by God: weaving GLBTQ folks into the fabric of Christian communities
-One Woman's Peacemaking Journey in Iraq
-Liturgical dance
-Making prayer shawls
Forgive me if I missed the Stevie Nicks Idolmaking Class.
How can those women lift the baby Jesus up through song and praise without the aid of a man? It's unChristian I tell ya!
ReplyDeleteI suppose to some, this might sound like Goddess Worship:
ReplyDeleteHail, Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
And blessed is the Fruit of thy womb,
For thou hast given birth to the Saviour of our souls.
You naughty man John Shuck!
ReplyDeleteIt is however, true.