Chasing Equality

A little while ago I wrote a post that finished with this quote  "That we are not called to self celebration or glorification, but that we are all called to a meek, humble, self-effacing and obedient service in the footsteps of Christ and his Blessed Mother Mary."  They are qualities that all Christians are called to follow, but one would hope it would be particularly true of it's clergy.

Yet I am disappointed to say that I have little evidence of this among the PR image about female clergy. We have in the space of a few weeks had a service which has glorified those women who have been ordained in the last 20 years. We have never had such a service for men, nor indeed for those women who, quite quietly work in the background in the service of Christ.  Now we have an announcement that Women Bishops (of which there currently are none, nor is the Church able to consecrate a woman as such yet) will be fast tracked into the House of Lords.

These events have troubled me deeply on many levels. First of all for many years now the rallying call of all liberal people has been "Equality for all" . It has always been at best a call for equality amongst liberals. However in the last few weeks, it has become quite clear that it is a call to trample on and eradicate the true meaning of the word equality. We have come full circle, except now rather than men dictating a patriarchal agenda, we have women dictating their matriarchal one.  There is of course that phrase "Absolute power corrupts absolutely". The current situation is an excellent example of this.

The second issue that troubles me is, the concept that just because they are women they have a right to promotion and episcopal power. My opinions on the theology and ecclesiology of ordaining women to priestly, let alone episcopal ministry aside. No one, not male, not female has a right to be to be ordained at all. It is something we search for in the process of discernment, something which is given as a gift from God. It is not something found in the desires for power and leadership, it is found in the search for meek, self effacing, humble obedience to God and the Church. No one should enter the Priesthood if they desire to be promoted, it is against everything their ministry should stand for.

My third and final problem is, the rules for entry into the House of Lords are their precisely because it makes the chance of being admitted and equal and fair process. They are also there to ensure the correct level of wisdom and experience gained from life in episcopal ministry, can be applied upon admission into the House. What is so super human and fantastic about women that they do not also need to gain this wisdom and experience before speaking on policies that have pastoral effects on all peoples in this country?

The desire to chase power in the name of equality is undignified and does much to undermine the purpose of feminism. It is no longer a quest for equality, but a quest to be best and suppress the rest.
I will leave you again with the thought, we are all called to a life of meek, self effacing and obedient life. One that allows us to walk in the footsteps of Christ and his Blessed Mother.