Pope Joan

The circle of women in my life pass along books they have read, with the instructions to pass them along to someone else.  The book I am currently inhabiting is entitled Pope Joan.  Apparently, there is a legend, and likely a true story of a woman who sat on the papal throne for two years around 855.  She wore men's clothing and presented herself as male, so not surprisingly, her tenure as Pope has been expunged from the official record of those who served as Pope.

This is a very difficult book to read.  The reason it is difficult is because of the content---namely, the severe oppression, abuse, and  mistreatment of women.  The setting is during the Dark Ages, so it is extremely brutal. But perhaps the hardest part of reading this book for me, is that the brutality and cruelty and violence all spring from the early church and its officers and leaders.

I have always found it difficult to accept and process the reality that so much of the oppression of women stems from the interpretation and application of scripture.  Women were always suspect, considered either unclean or evil,  the very source of temptation and sin, and inferior by nature. In the Dark Ages, they were not allowed to read, study, learn.  To desire any of these things was considered unnatural, diabolical, dangerous.

Joanna was a German peasant girl of keen intellect.  She was severely beaten by her father, a church canon,  for reading a book. Had she not escaped, he would have killed her for disobedience.  She was fortunate to have those who encouraged her, and eventually, because of her great abilities, she rose through the hierarchy of the church and was eventually elected as Pope,  serving briefly.  I don't yet know what happened to her. (though I have read that there are several theories).

This book was written by a woman from Syracuse, New York and it has been made into a movie.  If I ever have the chance, that is one movie I would love to see, though the violence would be hard to take.

I also recently read Three Cups of Tea about an American who managed to build schools in rural Afghanistan, primarily for girls.  I must say that the description of the tribal people of the middle east, mostly uneducated,  is a stark reminder that little has changed in many parts of the world, where girls are of little value.

What is so excruciating for me is the suggestion that the inferiority, hatred, violation against women is, in fact, the very will of God.

I suspect that at some deep subconscious level,  it was that 'screaming within my soul' that contributed toward my ministry calling.  At the very least,  I could model Christ through love and faithfulness, compassion and intellect, leadership and servanthood.  That call is what I believed with my whole being to be the will of God.

There were always nay sayers.  Sadly, I guess,  there always have been, always will be.  We persevere.