2. AN EXAMPLE OF RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE

The reader is probably aware that, in the second half of the 20th century, the women's movement reached the mainline Christian churches. The central question: why is it that the priest or pastor must be a male? Some churches, after reaching the conclusion that there is no theological basis for such practice, have started ordaining women to the priesthood or ministry. Other churches still refuse to do so, in particular the Roman Catholic Church. This is not the proper place for a theological discussion about the ordination of women. The following is an example of mimetic violence in the context of the process followed by the Vatican to suppress the issue. Specifically, the example refers to the apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (1994) and the subsequent declaration Responsum ad Dubium (1995). This exercise was orchestrated so as to seemingly claim that the 1994 letter was infallible teaching (which is not the case [02]). Such manner of proceeding is a psychologically violent example of misinformation, manipulation, and intimidation to perpetuate the patriarchal system in the Roman Catholic Church.

The reconstruction of the Ordinatio Sacerdotalis-Responsum ad Dubium episode as a process of mimetic violence is as follows:

1. Mimetic Desire
As the women's movement unfolds, many of the faithful desire to see the maternal face of God reflected in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. There is increasing awareness that women deacons, priests, and bishops would enrich sacramental ministry for the glory of God and the good of the faithful -- both men and women.

2. Mimetic Rivalry
The rivalry is triggered by the Vatican's refusal to consider the issue, and allow an open process of prayer and theological reflection, even though most catholic scholars (including the Pontifical Biblical Commission) agree that there is no theological basis for reserving priestly ordination to men alone.

3. Skandalon
The skandalon in this case is that other Christian churches start ordaining women, including liturgical (sacramental) churches such as many provinces of the Anglican Communion, most Old Catholic Churches, and most Lutheran Churches. This increases the heat on the Vatican, especially when surveys show that a significant majority of the faithful (not only in Europe and North America, but in other traditionally Catholic countries such as the Philippines) would welcome the ordination of women.

4. Scapegoating
In this case, the scapegoat is God. More specifically, the scapegoat is the Risen Christ. The Roman Catholic Church, according to the Vatican, "is not authorized by Christ to ordain women." The implication is that Christ is the one who is making things difficult for the pilgrim church on earth.

5. Sacred Violence
The sacred violence in this case is the publication of Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (1994) and Responsum ad Dubium (1995), and the implication that the male-only priesthood is a matter of faith. This has a cooling effect on the movement for the ordination of women in the Roman Catholic Church, because now all the effort must be displaced to show that Ordinatio Sacerdotalis lacks the requirements for infallibility as defined by Vatican Council I in 1870 and explained by Vatican Council II in 1964.

It is not difficult to find other examples of religious and/or secular violence that fit Girard's mimetic theory. But this particular episode may have many undesirable repercussions in the years and decades ahead [03].

Evandro Vieira Ouriques, Professor of Communications, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and developer of a Sustainable Theory of Communication. Those who can read Portuguese can find his online publications by searching for his complete name. He sent a new article, A New Epistemological Perspective for Solidarity and Sustainability in the Essentially Patriarchal and Emblematic Crisis of Western Mindset, to be published as a supplement to a future issue of this newsletter.

Kamala Sarup, a Nepali writer and journalist, and currently editor of the e-magazine peacejournalism.com. "I hope, we will work together to bring peace for the world. Together, we can heal our broken world and defeat terrorism and promote peace." See her article, Armed conflict takes several forms on women, Los Angeles Chronicle, 12 May 2006.

Robert Volpicelli, Ithaca College, wrote to share an interesting paper entitled Preachers Preach of Evil Fates. This paper also may be published as a supplement to a future issue of this newsletter.

Announcements

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WOMEN AND ORDINATION IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES: Conference at Lincoln Theological Institute for the Study of Religion and Society, University of Manchester, UK, 12-14 July 2006. For more information, visit the conference website, or contact Dr. Ian Jones.

CALL FOR PAPERS: A conference on Global Built Environment: Towards an Integrated Approach for Sustainability is to be held 11-12 September 2006, Preston, UK. Please submit abstracts by 15 February 2006 to Professor Monjur Mourshed, Senior Lecturer, Built Environment, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, United Kingdom.

CALL FOR PAPERS: The 14th international conference of the Society of Human Ecology (SHE) will take place 18-21 October 2006 at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. SHE welcomes proposals for sessions, multi-session symposia, as well as individual papers. Contact the Conference Committee, SHE XIV.

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United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

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UN MDGs UN MDGs: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Develop a global partnership for development Interested in more information and data? Click the map below:

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AC/UNU
Millennium Project

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Global Challenges The Millennium Project of the American Council for the United Nations University is proposing the following 15 questions on the global challenges facing humanity. 1. How can sustainable development be achieved for all? 2. How can everyone have sufficient clean water without conflict? 3. How can population growth and resources be brought into balance? 4. How can genuine democracy emerge from authoritarian regimes? 5. How can policymaking be made more sensitive to global long-term perspectives? 6. How can the global convergence of information and communications technologies work for everyone? 7. How can ethical market economies be encouraged to help reduce the gap between rich and poor? 8. How can the threat of new and reemerging diseases and immune micro-organisms be reduced? 9. How can the capacity to decide be improved as the nature of work and institutions change? 10. How can shared values and new security strategies reduce ethnic conflicts, terrorism, and the use of weapons of mass destruction? 11. How can the changing status of women help improve the human condition? 12. How can transnational organized crime networks be stopped from becoming more powerful and sophisticated global enterprises? 13. How can growing energy demands be met safely and efficiently? 14. How can scientific and technological breakthroughs be accelerated to improve the human condition? 15. How can ethical considerations become more routinely incorporated into global decisions? For more information, visit the Global Challenges Facing Humanity web page. To submit your ideas on how to answer these critical questions, send them to AC/UNU with a copy to Jerome Clayton.

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Gender Balance in Religion

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Women in Roles of Religious Authority Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori Source: Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, USA

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Gender Balance in Society

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Women in Roles of Secular Authority Prime Minister Han Myung-Sook of South Korea Source: The Seoul Times

Roman Patriarchy

Vatican Patriarchy