boys club, women bishops and stained glass ceilings...

If you didn't catch Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald, there was an article on the front page regarding the consecrating of women as bishops. Rather than re-hash the article, go read it here.

In my four years at college and in my visits to various churches, the question over the role of women in ministry is probably the one which is raised most often to me as a women studying theology and as a women who is intending on pursuing full-time ministry. The question over women preaching, to leading services, whether they should study at college, to whether they should be ordained with oversight of a parish.

So once again I was asked what my take was on Saturday's article and in particular, what my position was on Archbishop Jensen's comments. While responding, it has given me cause to reflect on a few things.

In some ways, there is a boys club mentality to college. While boys only events are right and proper in their place, the same as youth events, or women's events, etc, a boys club mentality can make it difficult for a women studying at college and in ministry.

In a class that is 50 men and 6 women, it is the blokes who are my peers, the ones I have studied alongside for 4 years, the ones who I will be in full-time ministry alongside. And these are also the ones who have locations and social events dedicated for them alone. It can hurt when one of your peers pulls the boys club card on you. It can make you question if they really see you as a peer.

As for the women at college. They are great. I have had the intense joy of getting to know many wives. But there is also a vast difference between us. There are many events and bible study groups for all women to get involved in during their time at college, but there are also events that are only for wives, events that the women students do not fit into the category.

So who are my peers?

In some ways, there is an exclusion from both categories, and an inclusion into both. While this can have some great benefits or crossing boundaries, it can also be isolating. I wonder if the seeking out of peers that is a contributing factor in the push for women's ordination?