Tennis, anyone?
This week was the 50th anniversary of the WTA—Womens’ Tennis Association. In a BBC interview, Billie Jean King identified three goals in creating the WTA: that any girl who was competitive, anywhere, would have a place to compete, that women and girls would be appreciated for their accomplishments, and that women could make a living doing the job they loved.
This was the first professional women’s sport to have equal payouts in the top tournaments beginning with the US Open in 1973. It took until 2007 for all the Grand Slam tournaments to accomplish this goal. When the WTA began, women could not obtain a credit card in their own name. That did not happen until 1974. The passage of Title IX, the non-discrimination act regarding educational institutions receiving federal funds, passed in 1972. The Equal Pay Act became law in 1963. Even so, today, women receive 83₵ for every $1 a man makes (FT wage/salaried positions). Appreciating and affirming the gifts, skills, and calling of women is not an accomplished feat, whether we consider payscales, opportunities, or healthcare.
It’s not pie.
This is spiritual warfare in its oldest form—pitting men and women against one another—as if we are in a winner take all tennis match. Grace is sweet but it’s not pie. Grace and love and the bearing of God’s image is not offered in small servings. There is not a limited amount that needs to be divvied up and fought over. Jesus does not dole out God’s love in measured doses based on gender identity.
When we follow Jesus, neither should we. Equality is good news in a world where the last shall be first (see Mt 19, Mt 20, Luke 13), there is no longer slave nor free, male and female, for all are one in Christ (Gal 3: 28). The good news is the victory of equality is assured. The question is whether we will be known for aligning our labors, our lives, and our love on the side of equality.
We have good news.
SAPC is in a unique position in church culture. Called to be a church where everybody belongs, the women here currently outnumber the men in elected positions of ministry. Not only do we appreciate and affirm the women of this church, we empower them. Because belonging is more than being welcome. Belonging includes shared power and privilege in leadership, in decision-making, and in the church of Jesus Christ, in proclaiming the gospel.
Because these gifts of God, and the fruit of the Spirit in each of us, is not a limited grace, we need to be very clear that women’s equality does not free men from their calling. Rather, this equality restores the beloved community to the state in which all humanity sees itself as one and each serves God more fully and capably as a whole and holy people.