Feature article

10 years!

1. Manifesto of the Women's Church concerning the world's actual situation (nov. 2001)
2. In German
3. In French
4. In four languages (German, French, English, Russian)
5. introduction (German)
   
6. 
   
7. 

1. Everywhere in the world women bear children and ensure through 
caring, nurturing and education that they become responsible and mature
 adults. Everywhere in the world people labour in the fields and 
provide prosperious life in their communities around the globe.
Everywhere in the world people produce useful goods and live through 
sharing each other's knowledge, skills and resources. Civilization in
 this basic elementary form is a world-wide phenomenon.
8. Thus, we speak up against the currently wide-spread idea that the 
world could be clearly divided into civilized and uncivilized areas,
 or to say, into a realm of good and a realm of evil. Traditions that
 encourage and support life, as well as traditions that hinder life,
exist in all cultures. In the current political situation the 
practices of clear cut capitalism, terrorist attacks, technological
 arms race, the inconsiderate treatment of natural resources, the 
incapability to tolerate cultural differences and the dynamics of
 vengance and revenge can be considered as extremely hindering to life.

9. 
   
10. 2. Women's achievements for civilization are traditionally limited to 
the well-being of individuals and groups, often within the context of
 families. 
Furthermore, in most cultures there are more or less strict rules for 
women defining their public and political articulations. Their 
interests, values and contributions to a well functioning society are
 often systematically belittled and negated. In spite of this it is a
matter of fact that no human culture could survive without the daily 
sense-giving and life-encouraging activities of women. Even during
 warfare one generally counts on the unspoken activities of women in 
the background. Therefore, we appeal to women and others who are 
primarily occupied and focused on caring and nurturing to come out of the
 background and proclaim their ways of successful living together. Here 
we see a global perspective for peace already put into practice but 
that needs to be realized and lived even more.

11. 
    
12. 3. As women from western societies we recognize the ways of means of 
freedom our ancestors have fought for. These paths are granted to us today in 
forms of equal rights for women and men in private and public life. We do 
realise though, that the goal of the women's movement has not yet been
 achieved. Women have gained equality in some cultures. Nevertheless, 
traditionally ascribed male virtues and models such as competition, 
dualistic patterns of thinking, war and other mechanisms of dominance
 are still considered as the only  useful ways to solve world-wide 
conflicts and problems.
We appeal to the public that the values and ways women have developed 
gain in recognition and use. Men as well as women can practice, use 
and live by them. They are such values as respect towards the
 wholeness of the other, first the concrete issues then general 
principels, awareness of the needs of people, the arts of listening
 and hearing.
13. 
    
14. 4. Religion is part of every civilised society. To be religious means 
to acknowledge realities that are beyond the availability of 
individuals. These realities make sense and they demand respect. Theo
logical consequence based on this fundamental religious, 
non-denominational position is to give other people, cultures and ways 
of life room to develop and grow. Nobody can demand good for one's 
self. In this sense being religious means a general openness for
 surprizes, new insights, conflicts and revelations that we meet 
through the unavailable OTHER. One aspect of the unavailable OTHER is 
that it can not be made available for a particular use. Such
 understanding of religion excludes that indviduals judge other people,
 put them in danger or even kill them. Christianity, through its
 history, has gone, and still goes, through this danger. Whereever the
 unavailable OTHER is put into dogmatic systems it is misused and 
occupied. Such an occupation we have seen for instance in the 
domination of Christianity by patriarchy for centuries.
15. 
    
16. 5. All over the world one can feel women's desire to change
 themselves and the world. Nowhere can the use of different powers for 
the good of life for all people be brought to a stop. In the shadow of 
an apparent omnipotent patriarchal order the signs of a growing new 
order are obvious. US-American women speak up against their
 politicians in the streets, in churches and newspaper articles, in
 Congress. Women in Afghanistan do not let stop the world know 
about their oppressive situation and about their powerful actions.
 They do not stop providing a minimum in terms of education, health,
clothing, food and shelter regardless of the terrible circumstances
 they are living in. They fight for a democratic future for their
 country that will enable women a public and political participation as 
well.
17. In Israel and Palestine, as well as in the former Jugoslavia, women
 have shown for years that the struggle for a peaceful life together is
 possible, regardless of all the differences and borders.
18. We, religious and feminist women from Germany, Austria and 
Switzerland want to express our solidarity with all those who, all
 over the world, participate in the growth of a new world order.
19. Together we believe in the unbelievable and in the power of our 
desire for an entire wellbeing of all people. We trust in our own
 observations, thinking and feeling, and recognising the limits of
 human power. We are willing to learn from each other and with each 
other. We are willing to be as honest as possible and to respect each
 other trusting in the power that grows in, and through, relationships. 
We will continue to spread this power widely!
20.