A Two-day Workshop on the Contribution of Chinese Women to the Church celebrated in Sankt Augustin – Germany – September 25-26 2014
“We need to intensify our research”
Very satisfied appeared the hosts of the workshop “I have called you by name. Contribution of Chinese Women to the Church,” which took place a few days ago on the campus of the Divine World Society in Sankt Augustin (near Cologne) in Germany. About 60 participants from Europe, Asia, and America followed the invitation of the Monumenta Serica Institute (IMS), the China-Center and the Philosophical-Theological Faculty SVD St. Augustine. Other event organizers were the Taipei branch of the IMS, the Monumenta Serica Research Center, and the Academia Catholica of the Fu Jen University in Taipei. For two days the participants of the workshop discussed the role of women in the Christian churches of China. It was the first conference of its kind that considered the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Churches alike.
“Women always played a significant role in Chinese Christianity. We need to intensify our research to find out more about these roles,” underlines Father Dr. Piotr Adamek, Director of the IMS. “Especially inside of the Chinese Church itself the awareness of the importance of women has to be raised. Unfortunately, the problems of Chinese women nowadays remain unheard by the men in the Church. We definitively have to campaign for awareness”, says Adamek.
With regard to research, the biggest challenge is the lack of traces left by Chinese Christian women of former times. Barbara Hoster, sinologist at the IMS, remarks: “We don’t have many documents or names, particularly because Christianity was forbidden for several times in the course of Chinese history. Nevertheless we know that women made a major contribution to preserve the Christian faithand pass it on to younger generations.” For Chinese women of former times Christianity was an opportunity to overcome traditional role models. “Instead of marrying and subordinating themselves to her husbands, many women remained single and become active for their faith as Catholic virgins.”
Professor Bernd Werle, President of the University of Philosophy and Theology St. Augustin, directs the eye beyond China: “The question of the role of women is highly topical in the Catholic Church as a whole. Pope Francis emphasized that we have to deepen the theology of womanhood and to achieve a new perception of it.” Indeed, the head of the Women’s Section of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, delivered the opening speech: “Women in the Church: the perspective of Mulieris dignitatem”.
Among the participants of the workshop the mix of different confessions was well received and also the combination of speakers from the academic world and from the laity. “As we had scholars and lay persons from different parts of the world, we had lively debates,” says Hoster. The participants appreciated the ecumenical prayer which took place on the first evening. A cordial atmosphere developed during the two days of the workshop. All in all, concludes Adamek, the conference provides a good basis for future collaboration and dialogue. The IMS intends to publish all papers of the workshop in a conference volume.
Links:
http://www.pth-augustin.eu/pth/index.php
http://www.monumenta-serica.de/monumenta-serica/
Source: Press office of the Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule SVD St Augustin
