Rite and Reason: The starting point for any discussion about authentic relationships between men and women is not to be found in the weight of popularopinion, but in Sacred Scripture, writes the Archbishop of Armagh, Seán Brady
Men and women are equal, but different, called to collaboration and harmony rather than to a radical rivalry between the sexes. This is the key theme behind the recent Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and in the World, published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Holy See.
Asserting the need to combat "all unjust sexual discrimination", and correcting any view that suggests "women should be considered from the sole perspective of procreation" or a "passivity inspired by an outdated conception of femininity", the document is both timely and challenging.
As chairman of the Irish Bishops' Conference I welcome this publication. It touches on trends and issues already evident in Irish social and family life, but insufficiently discussed or challenged by commentators. I share the hope of the Holy See that this document will be a "starting point" in a "dialogue with all men and women of good will, in a sincere search for the truth and in a common commitment to the development of ever more authentic relationships".
For the Christian, of course, the starting point for any discussion about authentic relationships, is not to be found in the weight of popular opinion, but in Sacred Scripture. Throughout the Bible, the authentic relationship between men and women is presented in terms of mutuality and interdependence. Any concept of men and women as adversaries is rejected as sinful and the "unity of the two" is presented as a call to exist, not just side by side, but mutually "one for the other".
In this "peaceful vision" of interdependence, given to us by Scripture, men and women not only bring their shared attributes to a relationship, but also their distinct masculine and feminine characteristics, which together make up the totality of our being made "in the image and likeness of God" (Genesis 1:26).
Today, of course, some people get anxious about talk of "distinct masculine and feminine characteristics". This arises out of concern that such distinctions could lead to facile stereotypes of men and women which do not acknowledge the uniqueness and complexity of the individual, or that they could lead to the domination of one sex by the other.
The Catholic tradition, however, celebrates the uniqueness and dignity of every human person, while at the same time upholding the biblical and theological conviction that, as individuals, our complete identity as men and women is found in co-operation with the complementarity, indeed the gift, of the other.
The celebration by the Church of those aspects of femininity which are displayed in a particular way by Mary, the Mother of God, dispositions such as listening, welcoming, humility, faithfulness, patience and perseverance, is not intended to limit the characteristics of femininity to these qualities alone. Rather their value, along with those characteristics considered more masculine, in the totality of human relationships, is affirmed.
When these so-called female attributes are undervalued or denied, culture and society are diminished and impoverished. They are qualities to be celebrated, qualities promoted by the Gospel and lived by the Mother of God. They are values treasured by many Irish women, and which Irish men need not themselves be afraid to manifest.
The Letter from the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith challenges both men and women to recognise, respect and appreciate certain values, often present in the lives of women to an extraordinary degree. They are values which offer a useful remedy to self-sufficiency - "dreams of power and the drama of violence". Women, in particular, are therefore urged to recognise and accept that they often possess an immense capacity for self-sacrifice and for loving others. This is no weakness, even though a worldly mentality may view it as such. Rather it is an indispensable strength, a very necessary pillar of a healthy and functional society.
Equality for women is presented as an absolute priority in this document which insists that "women should be present in the world of work and in the organisation of society" and "should have access to positions of responsibility which allows them to inspire the policies of nations".
There should also be "a just valuing of the work of women within the family". Central to the document is the issue of how parents reconcile the ever-increasing demands of the workplace with the needs of the home and family life. I salute the heroic generosity of mothers and fathers who give so much both to their work and to their children.
Government and employers, however, are required to develop supportive policies allowing women and men to harmonise their mission within the family with their need to work. The family can never become the servant of the workplace or market forces. A lot more than mere lip-service is required here. Any kind of discrimination against women or the family in society is unacceptable, and I invite Government and employers, North and South, to address this issue wherever necessary. There is a lot at stake here: our quality of family life, our worklife balance and ultimately, the moral and social fabric of Irish society.
In publishing this document, the Holy See has provided a radical response to a prevailing orthodoxy which sees women's equality primarily in functional or oppositional terms. As the dialogue continues, my own hope is that Christians will be faithful to the biblical ideal of unity in distinction, the "recognition of the difference and reciprocity between the sexes where this is relevant to the realisation of one's humanity, whether male or female." The "proper condition of the male-female relationship cannot be a kind of mistrustful and defensive opposition. Their relationship needs to be lived in peace and in the happiness of shared love."
This Letter is timely because it offers the elements of a road map for a welcome exit from the blind alley of barren antagonism between the sexes. Rather than be informed by knee-jerk reactions, I would encourage everybody to read this valuable document for themselves. It is available on www.vatican.va (Roman Curia/Congregations/Doctrine of the Faith).
Most Reverend Seán Brady DCL DD is president of the Irish Bishops' Conference, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland