C21: Women lead in church

The Catholic Church is more known for its strong tradition of male leadership than it is for its strong female leadership. On Ash Wednesday, however, members of the Boston College community gathered to celebrate the underestimated, but nonetheless rich, tradition of prominent women leaders within the Church's history.

Church in the 21st Century's "Foremothers in Faith: Historic Women of Our Time" was held in the Heights Room in Corcoran Commons and included reflections by Lisa Sowle Cahill and M. Shawn Copeland, professors in the theology department, Dr. Patricia DeLeeuw, vice provost for faculties, Colleen Griffith, faculty director of spirituality studies, and Ruth Langer, associate director for the center for Christian-Jewish learning. These speakers represented a diverse field of views from the Christian and Jewish faiths, reflecting on the role of the most prominent women members of the Judaeo-Christian tradition.

Cahill began the night by reflecting on Mary Magdalene, a historical figure not very well understood in the modern church.

Cahill said that Mary Magdalene is portrayed in much of later Christian tradition as nothing more than a reformed prostitute and as the one who washed the feet of Jesus.

Cahill said that Mary Magdalene was defined by much more than her sexuality.

She said that Magdalene was given a role in the church as an "apostle of the apostles," which was the same apostolic level as St. Paul.

"All four gospels portray Mary Magdalene as one of the first witnesses to the resurrection … She is given the mission to preach the gospel," Cahill said. She added that the reason that Magdalene is never seen as equal to St. Paul in church tradition is because of her womanhood.

Nevertheless, Cahill said she hopes that others can spread the truth about Mary Magdalene so she can be looked upon as a role model for women as leaders of the church.

Presenting on the Jewish tradition was Langer, an ordained Rabbi. She spoke on the glaring lack of strong women role models in the Jewish tradition.

Langer said that even though there is only marginal evidence of women leaders in Jewish tradition, current scholars can use what is known to construct historical fiction with strong role models. "We as a community end up building imaginatively on the few clues that are preserved in history to construct models for ourselves, and this active construction is precisely what a few female novelists have been doing, writing historical fiction … grounding their work in significant research, but often elaborating on a tiny, tiny handful of clues," Langer said.

She pointed to Rashi's Daughters, a series of novels, as an example of historical fiction that takes available fact and expands upon it to create strong women leaders who can serve as an example to which all modern women can aspire.

Langer pointed out that although these women are fictional, their basis in historical fact allows the reader to surmise that these types of women did exist.

Copeland then gave a reflection on Catherine of Sienna and the degree of influence Catherine has had on her own life.

Copeland said she was inspired by Catherine's prophetic mission of reform and her great public works, including the resolution of the great schism within the Catholic Church.

"She worked to broker peace between the warring city states of Italy and persuaded Pope Gregory XI … to leave Avignon and return to Rome," Copeland said. Copeland demonstrated through the example of Catherine of Sienna that women can be both religious and politically powerful and should serve as role models for women today.

DeLeeuw spoke next and chose to discuss Mother Julian of Norwich. She drew inspiration from the profound impact that Mother Julian had on the world despite being an anchoress. The majority of scholarship on Mother Julian comes from "The Showings," her book of revelations. "They are remarkable in their color and detail," DeLeeuw said.

DeLeeuw demonstrated that even though a woman may be a recluse, as in the case of Mother Julian, she can still have an enormous impact on the world.

The final speaker was professor Colleen Griffith, who presented on Evelyn Underhill.

Griffith emphasized Underhill's focus on "practical mysticism" as a point of particular admiration. She said, "Underhill de-mythologizes mysticism … She puts us in touch with historical mystics from the Christian Tradition and then invites us to the practice of it [mysticism] ourselves."

Griffith focused on Underhill's ability to infuse everyday life with mystic prayer and her encouragement of everyone to pray in a style that fits them best.

She concluded with Underhill's practical advice: "If not the renunciation of the cloister, then at least the virtues of the golf course."

After the presentations, those in attendance were invited to reflect on the speakers and share their own experiences with spiritual women who have served as role models in their lives.