Power and Leadership in the Methodist Church

As part of its ongoing commitment to raising awareness of gender justice and equality issues within the Methodist Church, the Gender Justice Group has been keen to promote discussion around models of power and leadership in the church context. To become better informed on these issues, it facilitated a colloquium to which District Chairs and other interested parties were invited.

The colloquium was addressed by three speakers whose academic work was relevant to the issues under consideration. Each presentation was followed by small group and plenary discussion and notes were taken. The following document is a summary of these notes, which are necessarily impressionistic and open to comment and amendment. It is intended that it will form the basis for wider communication to decision-makers in the Church and also for a resource for use at local level.

Session 1

“Ain't I a Woman?” (Winnie Gasa)

The experience of Black women involved with the criminal justice system

Themes of racism and gender are intertwined and united by a commonality of discrimination.

We can best understand the over-representation of Black women in the criminal justice system and in mental health statistics through the study of deviance. Five "faces of oppression" from the work of Iris Young1 help us to understand the processes affecting Black women:

  • marginalisation
  • exploitation
  • powerlessness
  • cultural imperialism
  • violence

Entrenched social stereotyping and selectivity prejudice Black people, especially women, caught up in the criminal justice system. They come to public attention mainly in roles with negative connotations such as

  • drug smugglers ("mules")
  • domestic violence survivors
  • immigration detainees
  • mothers or partners arranging bail
  • mothers of perpetrators or victims of violent crime

The role of the drug "mule" exemplifies the interplay of all of Young's "faces of oppression". Black women are socialised to be helpful, to serve, but are also coerced by socio-economic factors. They are often the breadwinners of the family and mothers are driven by the need to provide for children. They may be ignorant of the risks, or just prepared to take the risk. Some women suffer low self-esteem, not loving themselves but thinking their worth consists in being "for others".

The "war on drugs" is largely a war on the women who are the low-level foot soldiers and most likely to get caught.

1 Young, Iris, 1990, Justice and the Politics of Difference, Princeton University Press

Discussion

Similar prejudices and stereotypes surround women in ordained ministry or leadership roles, who are deemed to deviate from the (mainly white) male norm. This raises the questions: how does the Church handle deviance, and what is "normal" in church?

Church is a female space – the shortage of men in church congregations points to the perception of churchgoing as an essentially feminine occupation. Being a Christian is perceived to be about gentleness, service and caring, not the more rugged "masculine" virtues. The way male clergy are depicted in the entertainment media reflects this. There is still some fascination with ordained women as a novelty, for example in "The Vicar of Dibley". In the last five years more women have been accepted for ordained ministry in Methodism than men, yet the Church is still perceived as a male space in terms of where power is vested.

Women are unequally subject to the constraints and demands of family life, and to society's expectations of their role as mothers, home managers and carers. A female presbyter with a sick daughter found that the NHS expected that she would be the main carer. This would not have been the case for a male presbyter.

The position of clergy spouses reveals different expectations of women and men. Churches often expect the wife to be part of the package, with disapprobation for those who are not at home being the supportive wife. Male spouses of female clergy are blazing a trail in being seen as the individuals they are.

Women are strongly influenced by cultural expectations that they will take the servant role within family life: "Family comes first." How can those called to ordained ministry exercise it, given these other demands on their lives?

Changing this requires new learning for some women – that leadership is an acceptable role. Some men have to learn that domesticity is acceptable for them. In liberating women for leadership and full participation in church life, some men have to learn to be child carers and take on more domestic roles. They may need confidence building, for example through fathers’ groups. It is liberating and encouraging to hear male presbyters say that the family comes first.

The "superwoman" tag is not something to aspire to. Women don’t want to trade one straight-jacket for another, nor do men want to put on a straight- jacket that doesn’t suit them. If the powerless are freed, then we shall all be freed.

The domestic availability of women and rigid separation of gender roles as the norm has been shown to be a myth. It is a 1950s creation, a myth which the Church has bought into and preserved. Prior to that, there was a diverse picture with many women working, for example in the mills, to support the family. Expecting women to be available during the day, to do the flower arranging and catering, and handling Mother’s Day with sweeping generalisations, are examples of how many people in the Church cling to this myth.

There are regional variations determined by culture and sometimes by occupation. The Cumbrian farming community shows traditional patterns giving way under the impact of changed economic circumstances. Many women in farming are now discovering new roles as they help to diversify farm businesses, or are taking jobs outside to supplement the farm income.

The use of language perpetuates the stereotypes. In church circles women are often referred to as "ladies" or "girls", and women frequently collude in this. There is a generation which believes this to be polite and is unaware of any discriminatory undertones. The word "woman" needs to be rehabilitated.

To achieve greater participation in leadership, Black women need more role models, as preachers for example. The Church must recognise the importance of the impact of the socio-economic situation of many Black women and the multiple pressures which may disempower some people in terms of full participation in church life and leadership. Another way of addressing the problem is to change what is done and how it is done, so that Black women can more easily participate if they wish.

Culture, mindset and attitude are deeply embedded. Despite alternative examples, the traditional tends to re-assert itself. However, there has been some progress. Once we denied and did not talk about culture, gender or class in church. Ways of bringing about change include facilitating participation to empower those who traditionally lack a voice. Listening threes is a technique for this, giving each person five minutes to speak, instead of the large group discussion dominated by “the usual suspects”.

The ultimate aim is a community which unites people in the search for justice, enabling each individual to become the person they were created to be and to realise their full potential and ministry as individuals.

Questions and challenges for the Methodist Church

  • Can change best come by a radical leap forward or small steps?
  • Are the "faces of oppression" identified in the stereotyping of Black women also operating in the Church – for example, in the processes of selection, stationing, appointing to leadership roles?
  • Do we assume that domestic and cultural factors are operating to marginalise women without considering any other possible causes?
  • Do we need to collect any information or statistics? If so, what will they be used for?

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Session 2

“How can we release and support the gifts of women and men for leadership in the Methodist Church?" (Roberta Topham)

Insights from a social anthropological study of Methodism.

(Summary provided by Roberta Topham)

The paper began with the premise suggested by the colloquium that there is a problem in recruiting women to be superintendent ministers but added that a number of men are also unhappy with the role as currently understood. In order to develop understanding of leadership roles of not just superintendents but all ordained roles throughout the Methodist Church it is necessary to appreciate the culture of organisation within Methodism.

The Methodist Church has a tradition of fostering a strongly egalitarian ethos, while at the same time maintaining a ministerial hierarchy. A distinctive Methodist balance of these elements is achieved by the Methodist system of governance based on the conferring together of lay and ordained people in governing bodies which have a representative nature Alongside this the existence of an ecclesiastical hierarchy is often denied and consequently the power exercised by presbyters is to a degree covert, unregulated and subsequently all the greater. This engenders an uneasiness with power and even some anti-clericalism within the Church.

Many Methodist women leaders are even less comfortable with hierarchy than Methodist men have been. In part this may be due to the negative connotations of power associated with hierarchy, where power has often been thought of as domination, suppression and control. However, power can also be understood as “the ability to achieve your own or your group’s interests” (Stephen Lukes 1986). Power can have positive, generative, aspects when it is tied to authoritative leaders who act to further collective goals. Within the Methodist Church members play key roles in investing ministers with institutional power designated as authority.

In order to widen and develop our leadership, the Methodist Church would benefit from increased recognition of these issues and both as a church and as individuals establishing greater self-reflection and accountability in the use of power with clear limits and checks. One way forward would be to recognise the different sources of power (personal gifts, faith traditions and knowledge) and also to establish clearer accountability structures.

Some female ministers have resisted forms of the role which emphasise difference from lay people. It has been suggested that there is a female-gendered preference for pastoral work. This is too simplistic, since many women play key oversight/leadership roles within families where they are responsible for the flourishing of the whole family, both in its constituent parts and as a unit. We should be able to recognise more fully, value and release these and other gifts for the Church – as those in secular employment are beginning to do.

Also within secular employment , current research suggests that the job roles being created, the values being prized and the training provided still fail to motivate women to the same degree as men. Within Methodism there is a traditional model where ministry is viewed as the primary all-encompassing identity, which often subsumes family and all other aspects of life and results in a sense of needing to be available at all times to the Church. By contrast to this, many women and indeed men are conscious today that they are involved in a wide variety of equally important relationships, all of which affect each other and all of which require time and attention for an integrated, fully adult self, thus engendering limits and boundaries.

A fresh understanding of the dynamic relationship of power between minister and congregations which acknowledges both dependency and the adult nature of the relationship could result in a stronger more empowering leadership for both women and men. This approach which is built on trust and transparency allows for the recognition and employment of skills as appropriate whether they are provided by lay or ordained and will restore the Methodist sense of everyone having a full role to play in the life and mission of the church. Real teamwork, (both between ordained and lay colleagues and within churches) an end to sexism, and clear accountability and support structures (i.e. theologically informed management) are the keys to releasing women’s leadership, and leadership more generally across the Methodist Church.

Discussion

Assessment and prioritisation of need can be collaborative and mutual, not based on an assumption of continuous availability. God expects us all to make decisions and to be adult in the way we take responsibility for ourselves. However, God shows infinite patience with our failure to operate in adult mode. The Church as a community is always in a process of becoming, as is our relationship with God.

Congregations sometimes want to play the "child's" role to the minister's "parent" and expect the minister's availability for them to emulate that of Christ. This understanding of servanthood is reflected in the Covenant Service, which Methodists treat with great awe and respect.

In the Church there is a conspiracy of silence about our true human condition. Dependency is seen as a sign of weakness. A lack of openness prevents us from admitting to not coping, from saying who we truly are. What we fear in others may be what we fear in ourselves.

Sexism (and racism) have occurred and gone unchallenged within the stationing system. One could speculate about what the results might be if personal identifying details of presbyters were omitted at the first stage of the process. Would it be right to do matching on this basis, or is gender so inextricably bound up with our identity that it is unthinkable to operate in this way?

Questions and challenges for the Methodist Church

  • What commitment does the Church show towards sex equality? Does any circuit or district have a policy on this?
  • There needs to be a way of addressing institutional sexism. The commitment would be visible if we challenged sexism for each other, instead of having to do it for ourselves. How do we take this on in a Christ-like way, out of righteousness, not anger?
  • How could there be an advocacy role in Methodism? Would it be part of the role of District Chair?
  • In general there is a lack of consciousness of the problem of sexism within the Church. One is faced with a dilemma about how to respond to the patronising or sexist remark. This is best done by staying resolutely in adult mode, but should we always challenge it?
  • Who are we talking about when we say "the Church"? Who exactly are the actors and agents with responsibility?

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Session 3

"How can models of leadership in the Methodist Church harness the gifts of men and women?" (Clive Marsh)

Leadership, Power and Gender in theological perspective

(Summary provided by Clive Marsh)

The question as to whether there are essential differences between men and women in terms of personality traits, leadership styles and so on, which has run its course in many areas of debate, is still alive and well in the Church, even if it is not made explicit. Many believe that men make better leaders and that if women are to lead, they must act and think like men. Men are often understood as exercising ‘strong leadership’, though this is individual/ist rather than collaborative.

Jesus is proposed as the role model for Christian leaders. As he was male, his maleness is then understood in light of this background. Christians believe they know what Jesus was like – sensitive, caring, and available – but also a model manager, so ‘he must have been’ like this or that. We all find, to some extent, what we want to find in the Gospels. There is a need to focus less on individual leadership and more on leadership vested in a group.

Notions of a "corporate Christ" challenge individualistic models which look to Jesus as the ideal, individual, isolated leader. All Christian understandings of leadership have to allow for the divine Spirit to work through what human beings are doing. "Being in Christ" needs to be understood concretely and corporately. The doctrine of the Trinity, a communal understanding of Christ and a concrete doctrine of the Holy Spirit all help us to focus on a shared, relational style of leadership.

Servant ministry needs careful definition, and some of the forms in which it is supported require critical scrutiny. It is exercised not just by the individual but also by the group. We must expect and learn to deal with tensions between Spirit and structure. Collaborative leadership does not have to be directionless. It can be directive and responsible. When a wrong decision is made, individuals and groups need to own the failure corporately, even if differently. This is more possible when a strong sense of ‘distributed leadership’/’shared oversight’ (and thus corporate responsibility) is experienced to begin with. A useful metaphor for what the Church needs might be that of "symphonic leadership", where the individual leader (conductor) is charged with holding together, guiding and encouraging the gifts of all the participants.