Church Times - Art review: Judy Chicago: Revelations at Serpentine North, London

My latest exhibition review for Church Times is on Judy Chicago: Revelations at Serpentine North, London:

'A final recent drawing And God Created Life, sums up Chicago’s belief, as described by Martha Easton, that a “united humanity” through “the blending of genders in the very body of God anticipates the reclamation of Eden and the resultant peace on earth” as envisaged at the end of Revelations. This fascinating exhibition and Chicago’s body of work challenge us to consider how we might “imagine a more equitable and inclusive world”.'

Other of my pieces for Church Times can be found here. My writing for ArtWay can be found here. My pieces for Artlyst are here, those for Seen & Unseen are here, and those for Art+Christianity are here.

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Judee Sill - The Kiss.

Friendship, courage and resourcefulness in a patriarchal world

Here's my Address for the Townswomen's Guilds 90th Thanksgiving Celebration at St Martin-in-the-Fields today:

The Junior Theology group at St Martin’s is one of the most interesting and frightening groups we run. Why? It is made up of teenagers and operates on the basis that they can ask the clergy any question that they wish about the Christian faith. So we go in fear and trepidation, not knowing what we might to be asked by this group of thoughtful teenagers who have no fear in regard to asking the big questions. A favourite question has been to ask why God is usually portrayed as being male or to put it another way round, why, when God became a human being, was it not as a woman?

Part of the answer to their questions is that the Bible was compiled by men living in a patriarchal culture and this influences the way in which God is understood and depicted. On this basis, it is surprising that female voices feature or that feminine imagery for God appear, particularly in the Old Testament, and yet they do. Patriarchy does not completely dominate. There is a struggle contained within the pages of scripture that leads back to the foundational understanding that, as Genesis 1 makes clear, both women and men were created equally in the image of God. It points forward, too, to Jesus’ ministry where women played key roles among his disciples and the Early Church where female leaders were to be found despite the continuation of patriarchal structures.

The Book of Ruth is one of those places in the Old Testament where women are central to the story and where the story is told from the perspective of the female characters. The book ends however with a genealogy in which the women's world of the story was completely ignored by the male voices of those who compiled a traditional patrilineal genealogy. So, this is a story of women surviving and thriving in a patriarchal world, a struggle that, as you know, continues to this day.

Ruth and Naomi became refugees driven by economic necessity from Ruth’s mother country in Moab to Naomi’s mother country in the land of Judah. They survive and thrive in these challenging circumstances through their commitment to and support of each other. Ruth could have left Naomi, as Orpah did, but there was a bond of friendship between the two women that held them together, as Ruth said to Naomi, ‘Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die.’ The world of women and female solidarity are at the centre of this story.

Ruth and Naomi then show great courage in leaving one culture to enter another, as do all those who become refugees today. In addition, they are proactive and resourceful in seeking ways forward to find security and a significant place in the history of Naomi’s people. Indeed, throughout the Book of Ruth, women are portrayed as active and decisive, taking the initiative, able to set goals and achieve them.

These qualities – friendship, courage and resourcefulness – are what was needed to survive and thrive in a patriarchal world and they are also qualities to be found in the Townwomen’s Guilds and among those who founded and those who have led the Townswomen’s Guilds through the 90 years you are celebrating today. Since your inception in 1929, members have collectively voiced their concerns to change and improve the livelihoods of women, something that is still pursued as passionately as ever. You do so whilst also providing the opportunity for women everywhere to find support, encouragement, friendship and fun!

Margery Corbett-Ashby who, together with Mrs Hubback, founded the first Townswomen’s Guilds, stated that the goals of the Women’s Movement are ‘equality, international understanding and peace’ which could be achieved by sweeping away ‘those ancient superstitions, customs and laws which hamper women’s free development’. At her last public appearance on Women’s Action Day in 1980, Dame Margery told delegates that she had ‘seen an enormous improvement in the status of women in this country’ while also recognising that women of today were ‘working under very much greater difficulties, economic and otherwise,’ than she had ever had ‘the bad fortune to encounter.’

Speaking out, as you do, against all aspects of violence against women and girls demonstrates the need to continue the campaigning undertaken by Dame Margery while combining that work with the friendship, courage and resourcefulness we noted in Ruth and Naomi. Change does come – the publication last year of gender pay gap information at BBC and the resulting controversies was the beginning of a new culture change in that organisation which led to the recent announcement of an all-female team for Newsnight. Your work as the Ruth’s, Naomi’s and Margery’s of today is just as necessary and radical as that which they undertook.

So, may you collectively continue to voice your concerns to change and improve the livelihoods of women whilst also providing the opportunity for women everywhere to find support, encouragement, friendship and fun! May you do so with courage and resourcefulness, putting friendship at the heart of all you do, and may God’s blessing rest upon you and all you do now and into the future. Amen.

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Judith Weir - Love Bade Me Welcome.

plus+ presentations: Women on Company Boards

As part of further developing the relationships St Stephen Walbrook has with the business community in the City of London, we have begun a new series of events to explore the place of faith in the world of business. This new ongoing series of events is entitled ‘plus+ presentations’, as the series is one part of the way in which St Stephen seeks to add value to the City.

The format for ‘plus+ presentations’ is:

• 6.15pm: Evening Prayer (optional)
• 6.30pm: plus+ presentation
• 7.00pm: Drinks reception & networking
• 7.30pm: Close

As part of her talk on campaigns to see more women on company boards, Sally Muggeridge highlighted the examples of two remarkable woman. The first was Revd Paula Vennells. Sally said that "Paula happens to be Chief Executive of the Post Office and is an ordained self-supporting minister like myself. Prior to her present role Paula, like myself, had had a long business career, starting with Unilever in 1981. I listened to Paula speak last week as to how she manages to work at the heart of two national institutions that shape and support us in our communities all over the UK. Paula also has three Parishes in Bedford!"

The other example she quoted was that of Liza Strong, the group head of organisational talent and diversity at Royal Mail saying that: "Liza had put a whole new meaning into diversity when she asked a transgender champion to speak on a panel at an event for female employees, alongside the business’s CEO and a range of distinguished authors and experts. Liza said that she wondered if the organisation was ready, but she told me people loved it and Liza was the one who got all the questions afterwards. Other key signals were Royal Mail taking part in the Pride Festival in London for the first time, together with a Post Box at Mount Pleasant sorting office in the Capital being painted in rainbow colours."

Sally noted that Royal Mail has also pioneered balanced shortlisting, where any shortlist for frontline roles must have an equal gender split. To some, she said, these might seem small changes but from little actions, larger ones emerge, and it helps change the ethos of the workplace. 

The overall message has been that ‘Our CEO believes that employing more women will change the culture.’

The programme of plus+ presentations going forward is as follows:

• 9th November Barbara Ridpath, Director of St Paul's Institute, will speak on Transitions: how to make life-changing career changes by choice or necessity.
• 18 January 2018, our presenter will be Professor Richard Higginson (Director of Faith in Business, Ridley Hall Cambridge) speaking about Christian entrepreneurs living out their faith.
• 15 February 2018 - Revd Dr Fiona Stewart-Darling, Canary Wharf MultiFaith Chaplaincy.

Each plus+ presentation is preceded by Evening Prayer at 6.15pm.

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Karen Peris - First Days In The City.

Women in the City

At tonight's 'Women in the City of London - More than just a place of work' event held at St Stephen Walbrook we heard Glen Moreno, Chairman of Virgin Money, as an advocate for the advancement of women to Board positions, unpack his belief that gender balance on boards not only encourages better leadership and governance, but diversity further contributes to better all-round board performance, and ultimately increased corporate performance for both companies and their shareholders.

Moreno has over 40 years’ experience in business and finance gained from senior positions in a wide range of industries. He combines deep financial services knowledge and experience, leadership qualities and standing with key stakeholders.

The evening which was organised by Revd Sally Muggeridge, together with Women in the City, also included guided tours of St Stephen Walbrook and highlighted civic, cultural, charitable and social opportunities in the City of London. The event was supported by the Sheriffs of the City of London.

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Corinne Bailey Rae - Been To The Moon.