Reflection (on INESIN)
Article written by Sarah Faye McMullen
Greetings! I'm excited to share some thoughts on my experience with the Ecumenical Studies and Indian Theology departments at the Institute for Intercultural Studies and Research (INESIN), one of the organizations with whom I am working. I originally decided to work with INESIN, at least in part, because I believe it is incredibly important that people be able to have and define their own relationships to God/Spirit/Truth in the way that is most true for them. Among other things, INESIN works to create spaces of dialogue and understanding amongst people of faith in the state, and assists people in reflecting more deeply on their experience with the divine.
I spent last week in the town of Huixtan, located about 40 minutes east of San Cristóbal, at a four-day training for Catholic catechists from throughout the San Miguel de Huixtan parish. Approximately 200 catechists had come together to learn about and reflect on a variety of topics, including Ecumenism in Latin America, Biblical and Mayan Symbology, and Cultural Regeneration. The material developed during the training was then to be taken back to their respective communities and shared with their churches. I felt incredibly privileged to participate in the week and excited to finally more fully understand what Indian Theology is, and what it means to the people who make it.
For some (not all) Mayan Christians, in addition to going to the Bible to reflect on what God says is right and just for their people, they believe that "there is a depository where the original explanations that come from many years back can be found. There are some people who have capabilities to explain what is happening to us: elders, servants of the community, wise people. These are the theologians of the community." (Quotes taken from the summary of the First Encounter for Mayan Indian Theology in October of 1991). The learning experience at Huixtan was based in this conception.
I would like to share one example that impressed me deeply, but also made clear one potential weakness of Indian Theology in being able to affect change in communities. Corinne Lanoir, a pastor and theologian from France, had earlier explained to us how the creation story of Genesis 1, in combination with the story of Noah and the Arc, reflects the desert Hebrew people's beliefs of about the danger represented in uncontrollable water or fluids. When order is not maintained, the waters, or Chaos, are unleashed. She then led the group in examining various chapters of Leviticus, to see what happened to women when one social class in ancient Hebrew society began using the symbols and beliefs of the culture to paint women as potential sources of chaos and thus beings in need of control. Together we read about how women spread impurity through menstruation, childbirth and sexual relations because of the uncontrolled nature of fluids produced; this impurity signifies mandatory periods of separation from God and the need for ritual purification.
{mospagebreak}
As I read these laws, I felt my own anger rise, but the anger of my catechist companions was much greater. "I always thought that the Hebrews were an incredibly wise people, especially in how they explained the order of the world [we had earlier compared Hebrew and Mayan visions of the structure and order of the planet]. Now they show themselves to be complete idiots! If any of them are still around they should be thrown in jail!" We agreed that the Hebrews had lost God's will in making these rules and telling their women that they were not capable of standing before God for a good portion of their lives.
But then Jpetul Gutierrez, the Indian Theology Department head at INESIN, brought the group almost to silence with these words: "Brothers and sisters," he said, "how many women serve as Deacons, Principle Elders, Pastors in our churches? Are there even any candidates? Muyuk (none). We just finished tearing apart the Hebrews. What about us? How do we treat our women?"
The group broke into quiet discussion and then a few people came forward to speak. I found one elder's words to be truthful and telling: "When we make space, they don't talk. They get nervous and embarrassed. But maybe it's easier for us. That's why we don't insist. We're Hebrews now, too, it looks like."
It was in some ways uplifting to hear the men acknowledge the unjust status of women in their churches, but it felt incomplete. On the one hand, it is obvious that this parish has been working for a long time to reach even this point, where there are women catechists and a third of the Parish Council is female. But there is so much work left to do, and I know that many women are frustrated.
That night the women conducted the ritual prayers and dancean incredibly uncommon occurrence. I wanted to know how the women's hearts had felt during this occasion, if they were scared, nervous, excited. The two women I talked with shocked me with their reply: "sadness and pain." Why? "Because in community women are never heard, are never given the chance to participate, and even when they try they are made fun of and laughed at. This [the prayer ceremony] won't happen when I go home."
Indian Theology is a means for people to connect with their Creator, find meaning for the events of their lives, and search for what to do next within the context of both their indigenous and Christian beliefs. It shows its weakness in that those with more control of the religious system can control what final decisions are made and how committed people will be to ridding their community of that which "is not from God." I send out my intention that the Mayan Christians have the courage, patience, and persistence to reach for that which both the Bible and their own wisdom tells them to be right and just.
Greetings! I'm excited to share some thoughts on my experience with the Ecumenical Studies and Indian Theology departments at the Institute for Intercultural Studies and Research (INESIN), one of the organizations with whom I am working. I originally decided to work with INESIN, at least in part, because I believe it is incredibly important that people be able to have and define their own relationships to God/Spirit/Truth in the way that is most true for them. Among other things, INESIN works to create spaces of dialogue and understanding amongst people of faith in the state, and assists people in reflecting more deeply on their experience with the divine.
I spent last week in the town of Huixtan, located about 40 minutes east of San Cristóbal, at a four-day training for Catholic catechists from throughout the San Miguel de Huixtan parish. Approximately 200 catechists had come together to learn about and reflect on a variety of topics, including Ecumenism in Latin America, Biblical and Mayan Symbology, and Cultural Regeneration. The material developed during the training was then to be taken back to their respective communities and shared with their churches. I felt incredibly privileged to participate in the week and excited to finally more fully understand what Indian Theology is, and what it means to the people who make it.
For some (not all) Mayan Christians, in addition to going to the Bible to reflect on what God says is right and just for their people, they believe that "there is a depository where the original explanations that come from many years back can be found. There are some people who have capabilities to explain what is happening to us: elders, servants of the community, wise people. These are the theologians of the community." (Quotes taken from the summary of the First Encounter for Mayan Indian Theology in October of 1991). The learning experience at Huixtan was based in this conception.
I would like to share one example that impressed me deeply, but also made clear one potential weakness of Indian Theology in being able to affect change in communities. Corinne Lanoir, a pastor and theologian from France, had earlier explained to us how the creation story of Genesis 1, in combination with the story of Noah and the Arc, reflects the desert Hebrew people's beliefs of about the danger represented in uncontrollable water or fluids. When order is not maintained, the waters, or Chaos, are unleashed. She then led the group in examining various chapters of Leviticus, to see what happened to women when one social class in ancient Hebrew society began using the symbols and beliefs of the culture to paint women as potential sources of chaos and thus beings in need of control. Together we read about how women spread impurity through menstruation, childbirth and sexual relations because of the uncontrolled nature of fluids produced; this impurity signifies mandatory periods of separation from God and the need for ritual purification.
{mospagebreak}
As I read these laws, I felt my own anger rise, but the anger of my catechist companions was much greater. "I always thought that the Hebrews were an incredibly wise people, especially in how they explained the order of the world [we had earlier compared Hebrew and Mayan visions of the structure and order of the planet]. Now they show themselves to be complete idiots! If any of them are still around they should be thrown in jail!" We agreed that the Hebrews had lost God's will in making these rules and telling their women that they were not capable of standing before God for a good portion of their lives.
But then Jpetul Gutierrez, the Indian Theology Department head at INESIN, brought the group almost to silence with these words: "Brothers and sisters," he said, "how many women serve as Deacons, Principle Elders, Pastors in our churches? Are there even any candidates? Muyuk (none). We just finished tearing apart the Hebrews. What about us? How do we treat our women?"
The group broke into quiet discussion and then a few people came forward to speak. I found one elder's words to be truthful and telling: "When we make space, they don't talk. They get nervous and embarrassed. But maybe it's easier for us. That's why we don't insist. We're Hebrews now, too, it looks like."
It was in some ways uplifting to hear the men acknowledge the unjust status of women in their churches, but it felt incomplete. On the one hand, it is obvious that this parish has been working for a long time to reach even this point, where there are women catechists and a third of the Parish Council is female. But there is so much work left to do, and I know that many women are frustrated.
That night the women conducted the ritual prayers and dancean incredibly uncommon occurrence. I wanted to know how the women's hearts had felt during this occasion, if they were scared, nervous, excited. The two women I talked with shocked me with their reply: "sadness and pain." Why? "Because in community women are never heard, are never given the chance to participate, and even when they try they are made fun of and laughed at. This [the prayer ceremony] won't happen when I go home."
Indian Theology is a means for people to connect with their Creator, find meaning for the events of their lives, and search for what to do next within the context of both their indigenous and Christian beliefs. It shows its weakness in that those with more control of the religious system can control what final decisions are made and how committed people will be to ridding their community of that which "is not from God." I send out my intention that the Mayan Christians have the courage, patience, and persistence to reach for that which both the Bible and their own wisdom tells them to be right and just.
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