“You all created and held a space where people shared and heard remarkable things. And I came away feeling seen and heard; respected, connected and changed. You also showed care for us as we heard what it can be like to know of evil – done to us and others – and stay faithful to God. This has been a life-long struggle for me (and it will always be so), but you are all beacons of hope in the ways you’ve worked through your personal stories and stayed faithful.” (Male participant)
GERI Christian program lead Michele Breene reflects:
For generations, the religious ecosystem has been dominated by male hierarchies centered on male images of God. Both men and women miss out on the many blessings of their gender because of this. Within Christian institutions and communities, the Divine feminine is often silenced, excluded, or seen as less valuable. The voice of women and the vision of flourishing and fruitfulness arising from the combined gifting of men and women in partnership, is only infrequently realized. And of course, there remains a considerable amount of unresolved pain for women seeking to fulfill their true sense of calling, especially in the Church.
From January 18 – March 1, Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) held an online program specifically designed for Christian leaders working to bring healing and reconciliation between men and women. We shared a profound seven weeks together. This beautifully diverse group of 24 participants across 3 continents from 10 different countries engaged with a level of authenticity and openness that is often hard to experience virtually. We touched rare depths of cross-gender, cross-racial sharing and listening – and through this, discovered and celebrated a richness of unique gifts that we have to offer each other as women and men.
Our hope was that, by speaking the truth about the hurts and burdens of gender-based assumptions and wounding cultural norms, the GERI participants would discover for themselves some new pathways towards restoration – recognizing the fullness of their identity, no matter what their gender is.
As participants reflected,
“I’m grateful for this beautiful space which has – as I anticipated – provoked deeper levels of reflection, consciousness, and healing for me in the areas of gender and sexuality”.
“As I went through the course, I realized that I was doing it for my own healing, and I became more vulnerable towards people, which has been a significant change for me. I found a family that did not condemn me for my weaknesses but rather showed me support and love by sharing their own weaknesses as well.” (Male Participant)
“You [men] have brought to me the reality of the world of men, something I had never brought into consideration. Bringing the human perspective of a man has really transformed my life, allowing me to see my dad, my brothers, and those I care for – in you. Thank you for the opportunity to better understand men, and to imagine what their life might be like.” (Female Participant)
We have great hopes that, building on the success of this online pilot program, we will be able to offer in-person ‘taster’ events, discussions and workshops around the globe in 2024. We have established a “guiding coalition” of leaders and GERI alumni, to both develop the strategy for increasing adoption and scaling of this work in our Christian communities and related faith-based organizations, and to use their connections and networks to enroll others into this important work. We believe the real impetus for change will come from ‘champions’ who become early adopters and, through their passion and example, draw others to become partners in the movement. As one member of our GERI family said, “Radical love and community is not just what we preach and teach but who we are and what we do”.