A Gender Blind Church?

Nobody's ever yelled "Iron my vestments!" at me from the pews - or whatever the comparable church comment would be to what Senator Clinton has heard on the road. But all the discussion about gender and race in the current primaries makes me ponder how far (or not) the church has come.

Maybe the day has come when members of the congregation I serve "forget" that I am a woman. I kind of doubt it. But my hope is that it isn't really an issue these days.

Clearly, no female is about to be called to serve the first Christian church in Qatar, whether the congregation is named Our Lady of the Rosary or Calvin Presbyterian. But in most places at least in the western world, clergywomen are not freaks anymore.

One of my favorite clergywomen was just called to serve as head of staff of a church with three installed female associates, and my first response is that this is a very brave congregation. Since most associate pastors in my denomination are female, women seeking head of staff positions are at a disadvantage if Senior Pastor Nominating Committees feel pressured to balance their staffs in terms of gender. It's an easy excuse not to interview women candidates seriously if the associate pastor is a woman.

To tell you the honest truth, I like gender balance. But I also believe it's possible for the Holy Spirit to intercede and do some funky things.

No, I haven't forgotten that for 1950+ years of institutional church history, there have been years and decades of multiple men sitting on chancels, standing behind communion tables, preaching in pulpits. Aren't we due for several decades of all-female staffs? I hear this and I get it.

But I also remember what it was like to have only guys up there, and a church staff that looked like it was closed to me. What does any of this have to do with Holy Week?

I believe that there were women at The Last Supper and they weren't just cooking it. I believe there have always been female spiritual leaders. I am past the point when I want to argue anymore whether or not the Bible supports the ordination of women. (It does.)

There is still sexism in the church. But we are s-l-o-w-l-y moving towards the day when churches call the best pastor regardless of gender. Sadly, politics remain much uglier.

Stained Glass Ceiling designed by Antoni Rigalt in the concert hall of the Palau de la Música (Palace of Catalan Music) in Barcelona.