06 July 2010

UK Christians challenged to act on global gender injustice

An event  convened by Cymru Institute of Contemporary Christianity (CICC) - an initiative of the Wales Evangelical Alliance - hosted world renowned evangelical feminist and theologian Elaine Storkey, who discussed global gender issues and challenged UK churches to raise their voices against injustice.

The conference was held at two separate venues in Wales on 24 and 25 June and presented 70 visitors with the reality of global sex trafficking, abuse, forced marriage, and slavery.

Dr. Storkey emphasised that one in three women worldwide claims to have experienced sexual abuse or rape and thousands state that they have become victims of sex trafficking. The issue has become more relevant over the years and is a serious problem in the UK as well. Many women lack legal protection and experience economic hardship and disempowerment.

With a passionate conviction, Dr. Storkey called Christians in Britain to consider this worldwide injustice and develop a compassionate response that will make a difference. The audience gained a global understanding of today's gender problems and controversies as well as a biblical view on the subject. Storkey communicated that the Bible's teaching on human gender relations is concerned about more than just issues of church leadership and family life. She stated that it is important to understand the male-female relationship as one of equality and accept that God created both men and women in his image. For her, this is a starting point in building a theology.  

Elfed Godding, national director of the Evangelical Alliance Wales was pleased with the turnout of the event: "As the church's eyes are opened to the atrocities experienced by so many women globally, it is our responsibility to expose and act to remedy such social injustice, through engagement with   the United Nations and our government."Godding hopes that the leaders in attendance would give careful attention to the way churches treat women. He encourages Christians to pray and even consider giving to ministries that alleviate social gender issues.

Storkey's challenging and engaging lecture dares people to radically act upon the issue. "It is a believer's responsibility to speak out again injustice," says Elfed Godding.