So, I watched the take-off of Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Hillary Clinton done by Saturday Night Live. I can see why it has become such a popular clip. The humor was almost slapstick without being rude, and the comic timing was faultless. If they can keep this up, they may very well take over from The Daily Show as the premier place for political humor.
At the same time, they were making a quite valid point. Sexism has, indeed, been a problem during this entire campaign. And, the Hillary character was quite correct in saying that it is the very Republicans who were claiming that she was being overly sensitive (another “womanly” trait) that have now turned around and become the most ardent supporters of anti-sexism imaginable. Both the irony and humor of that particular situation certainly provides much fodder for the comics.
But, what about us Orthodox? We are accused so often of being sexist because we do not have women clergy. And, sometimes, but only sometimes, the accusation is correct. The St. Nina Quarterly points out that there were periods when misogynism crept into Orthodoxy, citing customs that developed in some places late in Orthodoxy’s history, such as women not attending church during their monthly time, etc. Moreover, there is little doubt that the West was particularly prone to deprecating statements about women, particularly during the time of St. Augustine, etc.
Nevertheless, it was in the East that the female diaconate developed to great heights. It is also in the East that there is a long history of powerful women saints, whose sainthood did not derive simply from being “super women” but derived from powerful and courageous actions that made many of the equal-to-the-apostles. Many of them died as martyrs. Many preached the Gospel as full-fledged missionaries of the faith. Many of them became the advisors of kings, and some were empresses who directed countries, in their own right. In many ways and in many lands, Orthodox women have contributed greatly to the life of the Church and even to Holy Tradition.
Is Orthodoxy perfect? No, not even close to perfect. There are still too many remains of those inappropriate cultural customs that crept into Orthodoxy during the Middle Ages. They are slowly fading away. But, it is in the East that women have had the strongest place of influence. And, it has been the East that has celebrated strong women. We may have a ways to go yet, but we have a solid foundation from which to follow our Lord. It is a foundation of women who are Apostles to the Apostles (the women at the tomb), women who are Equal to the Apostles, and women who, in every way, have been both faithful and strong in serving our Lord.
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