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For the event, the CBC chapel was decorated with greenery and strategically placed rocks; the rocks represented stones of remembrance, reminding participants of the importance of reflecting on their spiritual journeys. Each daytime session included a worship time, a plenary address and a personal narrative. During the worship times, poetic liturgies written for the conference introduced the day's focus on remembering, reaffirming and rejoicing.
During his morning presentation, Schroeder articulated a biblical basis for gender mutuality in the Christian community. Schroeder said Scripture mandates the restoration of the gender mutuality of Genesis 1, when God declared men and women as together reflecting the image of God. Asserting that male dominance began only after the Fall, Schroeder declared that patriarchal power structures are not mandated by God, but are the result of human actions. For the church to return to a biblical perspective, it must recognize that God has created men and women as equally responsible and automomous agents, free to respond to God's call in their lives.
Schroeder suggested that Jesus, who laid down His power as God's Son to become the servant of all, is the example of how to live redemptively in a fallen world. He also suggested that cultural sensitivity is important in discerning the movement of God's Spirit. Because of the culture of his day, Paul placed certain restrictions on women's participation in the life of the church, while at the same time recognizing them as equal and responsible before God--in sharp contrast to the patriarchal norms of the day, which viewed women as inferior. In our day, we need to let Paul's admonition to be culturally sensitive "for the sake of the gospel" find a different but equally valid expression: the church's demonstration of gender mutuality.
During the day, Schroeder also shared the story of his personal journey to an awareness of God's call to gender mutuality in church, home and community.
In the morning session, Cathie Nicoll shared about her life as an Inter-varsity Christian Fellowship pioneer on university campuses all over Canada at a time when few women were involved in public Christian leadership. She spoke of her determined response to God's call and of receiving affirmation through her male co-workers.
During the afternoon session, Nicoll spoke on John 4, the account of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman. She suggested that Jesus went against the cultural norms of His day when He chose a "fallen", Samaritan woman as the recipient of His theological truths. She emphasized that as Christians focus on knowing Christ, they will capture His radical vision that so often subverts the status quo.
During the evening session, which was open to the public, both speakers gave brief presentations, then spent time in dialogue, modelling mutuality at work. Each session ended with a time of interaction, with audience members responding and asking questions.
Maryann Jantzen
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