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Title: In Her Own Rite: Constructing Feminist Liturgical Tradition by Marjorie Procter-Smith, Marjorie Proctor-Smith ISBN: 0-687-18790-7 Publisher: Abingdon Press Pub. Date: April, 1990 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (2 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Behold, I make all things new...
Comment: I first read 'In Her Own Rite' a decade ago, shortly after the initial publication of the book. At this time, I was in a church that had a woman as assisting priest, and another woman was being supported in her discernment of a priestly vocation. Prior to this, I had experienced women as chaplains, service leaders, etc. - I had never known a time or situation in which women were specifically and institutionally excluded. Perhaps in my ignorance, I assigned the more pressing issues of the feminist struggle to the past. Britain had had a very successful female Prime Minister, as had many nations. Women were rising in the ranks of all professions. Surely the worst aspect of male-dominated cultural exclusion of women was over.
So, it was with great surprise that found Proctor-Smith's statements about the continuing problems and issues. Issues of memory, inclusion, participation, and recognition were vibrant and alive. Particularly in the liturgical and theological realms, there was a long way to go - we had only begun to make strides toward something resembling equality. And, in fact, this may be the wrong term.
As Proctor-Smith says, to work with feminist spirituality is to indicate on whose behalf one's spirituality is engaged, as a woman-identified spirituality, a manner of being in the world that is ultimately accountable to women (p. 165). This is not equality - certainly not an equality in every respect. There are definite ways in which women's experience, learning, and understanding, particularly for other women, will be superior. There is a difficulty in the way historical norms and authority has come down to us - the role of women has been neglected or erased, their presence as well as right to participate in much of the liturgy removed, and even the names of women have been forgotten, which Proctor-Smith relates to the Jewish idea of death being the forgetting of names.
Proctor-Smith concludes not with a sense of despair, but with a call to action and a sense of hope. She names specific spiritual disciplines for women, which require strength and integrity to pursue (as do all valuable spiritual disciplines); she likewise names those things men can do to aid this process. Perhaps in this part she would find the most resistance from many other feminists, for she calls on men not necessarily to give up power, but to use it on behalf of women.
I would like to know if Proctor-Smith sees this as a process with criteria for success, i.e., an adequate balance and mutual respect in liturgical practice (and in society generally) such that women will feel fully present without men losing identity and presence also. She touches on a few dangers: of women sometimes, in initial formation of feminist groups, distrusting any authority or talent as being patriarchal; of women sometimes co-opting and duplicating patriarchal forms of hierarchy, simply with a women as leader; and of women disengaging entirely from the wider world. Perhaps it is hard to see the 'promised land' Proctor-Smith envisions in all its dimensions because it is so difficult to look past present structures.
This book addresses language issues (how we talk about God), the structures of liturgy and church, both formal and informal, the role of biblical authority, and suggests different ways of envisioning and practicing a woman-oriented way of worship.
This is an important foundational piece written by someone with great care for the community and church, and wants to find a more inclusive and more relevant connection of liturgy to 'real life'. Many of the ideas expressed in this volume will be new to traditionalists, but approached with an open mind, it can yield interesting insights. I would recommend while reading this to take particular note of those things that seem most challenging (or even offensive) -- this is where growth of understanding can begin.
Rating: 5
Summary: Behold, I make all things new...
Comment: 'Feminist liturgical anamnesis is the active remembrance of our collective past as seen through women's eyes and experienced in women's bodies.' (p. 53)
I first read In Her Own Rite a decade ago, shortly after the initial publication of the book. At this time, I was in a church that had a woman as assisting priest, and another woman was being supported in her discernment of a priestly vocation. Prior to this, I had experienced women as chaplains, service leaders, etc. - I had never known a time or situation in which women were specifically and institutionally excluded. Perhaps in my ignorance, I assigned the more pressing issues of the feminist struggle to the past. Britain had had a very successful female Prime Minister, as had many nations. Women were rising in the ranks of all professions. Surely the worst aspect of male-dominated cultural exclusion of women was over.
So, it was with great surprise that found Proctor-Smith's statements about the continuing problems and issues. Issues of memory, inclusion, participation, and recognition were vibrant and alive. Particularly in the liturgical and theological realms, there was a long way to go - we had only begun to make strides toward something resembling equality. And, in fact, this may be the wrong term.
'To speak of feminist spirituality is to indicate on whose behalf one's spirituality is engaged. It is woman-identified spirituality, a way of being in the world that is ultimately accountable to women.' (p. 165)
This is not equality - certainly not an equality in every respect. There are definite ways in which women's experience, learning, and understanding, particularly for other women, will be superior. There is a difficulty in the way historical norms and authority has come down to us - the role of women has been neglected or erased, their presence as well as right to participate in much of the liturgy removed, and even the names of women have been forgotten, which Proctor-Smith relates to the Jewish idea of death being the forgetting of names.
'This sense of abandonment by God, coming from experiences of suffering, is for women intensified by the liturgy's forgetfulness. This progressive loss of women's heritage and memory in the loss or distorting of names has had profound consequences for women.' (pp. 44-45)
Proctor-Smith concludes not with a sense of despair, but with a call to action and a sense of hope. She names specific spiritual disciplines for women, which require strength and integrity to pursue (as do all valuable spiritual disciplines); she likewise names those things men can do to aid this process. Perhaps in this part she would find the most resistance from many other feminists, for she calls on men not necessarily to give up power, but to use it on behalf of women.
I would like to know if Proctor-Smith sees this as a process with criteria for success, i.e., an adequate balance and mutual respect in liturgical practice (and in society generally) such that women will feel fully present without men losing identity and presence also. She touches on a few dangers: of women sometimes, in initial formation of feminist groups, distrusting any authority or talent as being patriarchal; of women sometimes co-opting and duplicating patriarchal forms of hierarchy, simply with a women as leader; and of women disengaging entirely from the wider world. Perhaps it is hard to see the 'promised land' Proctor-Smith envisions in all its dimensions because it is so difficult to look past present structures.
This book addresses language issues (how we talk about God), the structures of liturgy and church, both formal and informal, the role of biblical authority, and suggests different ways of envisioning and practicing a woman-oriented way of worship.
This is an important foundational piece written by someone with great care for the community and church, and wants to find a more inclusive and more relevant connection of liturgy to 'real life'. Many of the ideas expressed in this volume will be new to traditionalists, but approached with an open mind, it can yield interesting insights. I would recommend while reading this to take particular note of those things that seem most challenging (or even offensive) -- this is where growth of understanding can begin.
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Title: Introduction to Christian Worship by James F. White ISBN: 0687091098 Publisher: Abingdon Press Pub. Date: January, 2001 List Price(USD): $30.00 |
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Title: African American Christian Worship by Melva Wilson Costen ISBN: 0687009316 Publisher: Abingdon Press Pub. Date: November, 1993 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: The Study of Liturgy by Cheslyn Jones, Paul F. Bradshaw, Edward Yarnold ISBN: 0195209222 Publisher: Oxford Press Pub. Date: October, 1992 List Price(USD): $43.95 |
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Title: The New Handbook of the Christian Year by Hoyt L. Hickman, Don E. Saliers, James F. White, Laurence Hull Stookey ISBN: 0687277604 Publisher: Abingdon Press Pub. Date: December, 1992 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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