All Inclusiveness
I was going to label this post, "Equality", but how about All Inclusiveness instead.
I've been reading this week on Feminism jargon from the likes of Emma Watson and something about Iceland and equal rights. There's a lot going on there, but there's still something that rubs me up the wrong way.
In the name of equality, we ascribe labels to groups and talk about what they do and do not have and what we must do to get that group equality. But then we splinter this group even further when part of that group doesn't agree with the nuances of the other part of the group.
It's quite amusing as a man seeing a group of women bickering amongst themselves about how feminism should work and calling each other names!
It's actually not amusing at all, it's quite sad.
At Church, it sometimes saddens me when I hear about all the different groups and activities for the different sections of community, There are groups targeted for children, for families, for women, for the elderly, for practically every single group.
The Church of England in Birmingham is pushing forward a "Growing Younger" campaign to encourage more families to attend Church. But Church should apply to everyone! Why do we need specific policies and agendas - to attract specific groups, I get it. But being someone who falls outside of these groups makes me feel lost and isolated, in some respects not wanted.
How do we break down these isolationist, cliquey groups, into a system of All Inclusiveness? "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus". Are we truly living out this in the context of our lives? How do we truly love our neighbour as ourselves? How do we truly recognise that we are all reconciled to God, and if we are reconciled to God, then we are reconciled to each other?
How do we respond to those on the outside of established groups? Do we wait for them to make the first move, or do we drag them into the middle kicking and screaming?
There is something pushing me towards breaking down barriers and getting to know, love and care for people irregardless of gender, race, age, sexuality or anything else.
I've been reading this week on Feminism jargon from the likes of Emma Watson and something about Iceland and equal rights. There's a lot going on there, but there's still something that rubs me up the wrong way.
In the name of equality, we ascribe labels to groups and talk about what they do and do not have and what we must do to get that group equality. But then we splinter this group even further when part of that group doesn't agree with the nuances of the other part of the group.
It's quite amusing as a man seeing a group of women bickering amongst themselves about how feminism should work and calling each other names!
It's actually not amusing at all, it's quite sad.
At Church, it sometimes saddens me when I hear about all the different groups and activities for the different sections of community, There are groups targeted for children, for families, for women, for the elderly, for practically every single group.
The Church of England in Birmingham is pushing forward a "Growing Younger" campaign to encourage more families to attend Church. But Church should apply to everyone! Why do we need specific policies and agendas - to attract specific groups, I get it. But being someone who falls outside of these groups makes me feel lost and isolated, in some respects not wanted.
How do we break down these isolationist, cliquey groups, into a system of All Inclusiveness? "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus". Are we truly living out this in the context of our lives? How do we truly love our neighbour as ourselves? How do we truly recognise that we are all reconciled to God, and if we are reconciled to God, then we are reconciled to each other?
How do we respond to those on the outside of established groups? Do we wait for them to make the first move, or do we drag them into the middle kicking and screaming?
There is something pushing me towards breaking down barriers and getting to know, love and care for people irregardless of gender, race, age, sexuality or anything else.
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