Building The Church without the tools of Patriarchy/Hierarchy
Time: Fri 10:00AM
Venue: Convo Table 01
Style: Conversation
Content Type: Conversation about non-hierarchal spaces
Description: I was ordained as pastor of an egalitarian church where I experienced a lot of micro-aggressions and subtle misogyny from both men and women. I have heard from countless women that they have had similar difficulties that I faced even within more supportive spaces. As a result, I began to question the church structure itself.
The problem is that complementarian and egalitarian churches both operate under oppressive systems of hierarchy. Even in more progressive spaces, we are still using the tools of hierarchy to attempt to build safe spaces. This is not sustainable. We cannot use the tools of patriarchy/hierarchy to build a safe and flourishing church. I see a movement away from this structure into something non-hierarchical.
In my current community, we are working on restructuring toward that end. This shift is not without its challenges. Hierarchy is still the waters that we swim in. These are big, adaptive changes. But I believe there is a way forward.
After a brief introduction, I would like this experience to be a discussion in which members can bring their own experiences and ideas to the table. I see this as an on-going conversation that begins here.
Co-Creators in This Experience