Discipleship - A Space for Women’s Leadership? By Pauline Chakkalakal

Discipleship - A Space for Women’s Leadership? By Pauline Chakkalakal. Mumbai: Pauline Publications. 394 pp. Rs. 265.

Until the birth of liberation theology in South America, with the newfound openness of the Second Vatican Council, the Bible was read and theology was created mostly from the perspective of European male clerics and this was universally accepted as normative for all. With new challenges from numerous socio cultural contexts, traditional biblical hermeneutics has been uncomfortably challenged and remarkably broadened. Liberation theology, black theology, feminist theology, Dalit theology, tribal theology, etc. are fruits of new ways of doing theology, where the context and text are mutually challenged as well as reinterpreted. Among these, feminist theology seems to have the broadest scope, with empowerment of half of humankind as its objective.

Pauline Chakkalakal’s book is a revised and modified version of her doctoral thesis. It is undoubtedly a major contribution to the ongoing contemporary global debate on women’s dignity and equality, with special focus on ecclesiastical leadership in a patriarchal church where women are unfortunately marginalised against the gospel vision. A special feature of the volume is a well-balanced blending of social analysis, feminist hermeneutics and theological reflection on the theory and praxis of leadership in the Indian Catholic Church. The author’s powerful critique of existing hierarchical and patriarchal leadership pattern might elicit strong reactions from those who are inclined to hold that traditional western theology is normative for all places and times.

Chapter 1 begins with the statement and analysis of the problem. Although the Vatican Council II and subsequent documents, including those of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, are creatively responding to emerging consciousness of a democratic society which demands equality for women, still they are viewed as far from being satisfactory. The caste-ridden Indian society is male-dominated and women play second fiddle. (The book fails to mention a few exceptional communities that are matriarchal and matrilineal with certain influences on the Catholic Church). The church tradition, starting from the fathers of the church like Tertulian and St. Augustine with powerful impact on the whole Christian theology and spirituality, is profoundly anti women and in general continue to influence the church’s current leadership. According to St. Augustine the ultimate cause of the fall of humankind and original sin (Genesis 3) is Eve. So Tertulian condemned women, “you are the devil’s gateway” (p. 62). St. Paul’s injunctions to women to cover their heads and keep silence in the church (1 Cor. 11:2 16; 14:26 40) accentuate the problem if they are not interpreted as culturally-bound norms of behaviour.

The author’s uncompromising position on patriarchy, sin of sexism and exclusion of women from decision-making bodies in the church are supported by findings of empirical investigations in Chapter 2. The analysis of data from around 350 respondents to questionnaires and interviews, mostly from urban areas, confirm male domination in family life, society and church. Because leadership in the Catholic Church is intrinsically linked to ministerial priesthood, exclusion of women from ministerial priesthood logically leads to their exclusion from sharing leadership at every level of the church. The root cause of the unjust structure of authority is identified with this theological issue, according to the writer. “Matters requiring the exercise of power of governance be reserved to those on holy orders” reiterates Pope John Paul II (p. 40).

Critical investigation into the legitimization of socio religious order based on biblical authority is the focus of Chapter 3. A critical enquiry into women’s leadership in the biblical tradition, this chapter examines the creation account of man and woman (Genesis 1:26 27; 2:7 8, 18 25). After showing their equality as images of God, this chapter studies the role of women in the Jesus’ movement. Jesus’ style of dealing with women disciples, including women at the foot of the cross, broke the Jewish patriarchal and rabbinical model. Contemporary Mariology challenges the distorted image of Mary of the traditional catholic popular devotions. “The Magnificat (Lk. 1:46 55) is a powerful testimony to this counter cultural action of God” (p. 133). After his resurrection which is the foundation of Christian faith, women, not the male disciples, had the privilege to be chosen by Jesus to be the first missionaries. Women at Pentecost (Acts, 1:14; 2:1 4), Priscilla and Aquilla (Acts 18:23; 18:26), Mary, mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12 17) are subjected to scholarly examination to establish women’s leadership in the early church. Yet I wonder why the hermeneutics of the crucial text (Acts 2:17 18), the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel (2:28 29), whereby the creation of the new Israel, the church, is missing. Radical equality of the members of the new Israel is founded on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all flesh—sons and daughters, young and old, menservants and maidservants.

The “role of feminist theology and hermeneutics” to enhance feminist leadership in the church is the concern of Chapter 4. Since all theological articulations are based on particular understanding of biblical texts, feminist theologians, in contrast to an androcentric and kyriarchal interpretation, propose their own hermeneutics, e.g. of suspicion, remembrance, proclamation, and liberative vision and imagination. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza is quoted as saying “the locus of divine revelation and grace is not simply the Bible or the tradition of a patriarchal church but the ‘church of women’ in the past and present” thus, feminist theology has for its point of departure women’s experiences in their struggle for liberation” (p. 216). Feminist theology is a type of liberation theology that hopes to liberate, transform and create communities of ‘disciples of equals’. This logically leads to a feminist ecclesiology. Since ecclesiastical power and authority are at present intimately linked to ministerial priesthood, debate on ordination of women is inevitable even if it is forbidden. The Women’s Ordination Conference in Dublin in 2001 is cited as a case in question (p. 242). What is the essence of Jesus’ priesthood? Did Jesus rule out women priests? These questions are elaborately deliberated from the feminist perspective. Revision of exclusivist God-language is a logical necessity of feminist theology. Apart from feminist theologians, many who struggle for a new way of being church are inclined to believe that by the fourth century, with the Edict of Milan (313), the church lost sight of Jesus’ vision of a community of discipleship of equals (Mt. 23:1-12) as it developed into a clerical sacerdotal hierarchy.

“In search of a relevant model of church leadership” is the fifth and final chapter. Feminist leadership is described as relational, flexible, intimate and passionate. The ultimate norm and example for it is the leadership of Jesus, which is prophetic, conflictual, and contextual, and in solidarity with the poor. The chapter concludes with two specific recommendations, among others, in the exercise of authority: (1) shift from authoritarian to participatory model; (2) dialogue and partnership. The author argues that women have a unique role in liberating church structure from sexism, clericalism and other forms of discrimination against women and laity in general. New ecclesiology, underlying equality, justice and dignity of women, is impossible without reconstructing traditional Christology that emphasizes his maleness over his new humanity. New Christology and new ecclesiology should be pneumatocentric where criteria for a new model of leadership is neither maleness nor femaleness but the Spirit-filled life (Gal. 3:28).

The book is scholarly, critical, creative and thought-provoking. It also breaks new grounds in methodology for theologizing in India. The author’s commitment and passion for a new vision for alternative model of leadership in the Catholic Church in India distinguishes her as a pioneer of Indian feminist theology.

Dr. Augustine Kanjamala, SVD holds a Doctorate in Sociology of Religion. He was Director of Ishvani Kendra (Missiological Institute), Pune, India, of which Streevani (Women's Voice) is a Research & Publication wing. He has served as Secretary to the CBCI (Catholic Bishops' Conference of India) Commission for Evangelisation. Author of several articles and books, Kanjamala is presently the Director of "Institute of Indian Culture", affiliated to the University of Mumbai.

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