The Latin American ecumenical movement understands God's mission to mean participation in rebuilding the kingdom, from the starting point of striving for a more just and supportive society, where the fruits of the Spirit make themselves felt.

Biblical and theological reflexion have always been regarded as fundamental to this proposal, which in due course laid the basis for the emergence of Liberation Theology and continues today to enable us to make progress with a fresh reading of the Bible from the standpoint of our own practical reality.

Seen in these terms, the Latin American ecumenical movement, from its inception, reached out beyond church limits with its message of solidarity and transforming social action, capturing the willingness of men and women who, in partnership, have agreed to run the risks involved in their commitment.

In its initial stages, in the 1960s, participation was the only word used. What mattered was for both men and women to have the opportunity to exercise their responsibility for fulfilling the mission of the church, even though they were not regarded exactly as equals and despite the fact that within the movement power still lay essentially in men's hands. The predominant topics related to social practice, with the shaping of an ideal supportive Christian community.

Doubtless, the movement was affected by the style of relations prevailing in society. Leonardo Boff clearly describes this in his article "Por un siglo XXI con mayor esperanza" [For a more hopeful 21st century]:

"We have male-dominated knowledge, a fundamentally male-oriented society and misogynist churches. The paradigm of power as domination of the world and its peoples among other things has led to three deviations that stamp our culture that today runs worldwide: the diminished concept of the human being, the demeaning of what is female or feminine and the lack of respect for Otherness and nature".

Within this social framework, the Latin American ecumenical movement forged a vision of God's mission for the continent.

Expressions of ecumenism

Ecumenism in the Caribbean and Latin America was expressed in three fundamental ways arising at different times but existing at the same time with differing characteristics.

Dome ecumenism

The first of these is what is known as "dome ecumenism" i.e. the ecumenism stemming from the churches' representative authorities.

At that level, Latin American Protestantism has not managed to have significant relations with the Catholic Church, although there have been moves towards closer ties and meetings with the bishoprics and the Episcopal Conferences. The situation in the Caribbean is somewhat different since there the Caribbean Conference of Churches for over 15 years has managed to achieve structural integration with the Catholic bishops in the area.

Ecumenism is manifested in our circles through the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI), the Caribbean Conferences of Churches (CCC) and of course the Association of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches in Latin America (AIPRAL) which is the continent's branch of WARC.

In these three forms, CLAI, AIPRAL and the CCC, there is a specific slot for women's support activities. CLAI has a Secretariat for the Family, Women and Children, AIPRAL has a department for women and the CCC has a Women's Programme, all of which work on topics such as Complete Health, Self-Esteem, Violence against Women, the Pastoral Ministry, the Economics of Survival, a Fresh Reading of the Bible from the Standpoint of Women, Gender Identity and Awareness.

Through this work women are reached in the churches. By making them conscious of the position of women, they are helped to create opportunities to enable them to break the silence surrounding those things that oppress them, and they are encouraged to identify and attain their place in God's mission.

But this is pastoral care for women and it is still not strong enough to bring about significant changes on the social or institutional level; it is also affected by the forward or backward movements made by the churches and by the prejudices found in the churches that form the institutions, which have a strong tendency to reflect male-dominated power from the society in which we live, and from the prevailing biblical and theological readings.

Proof of this is found in the fact that to date no woman has held a management position in any of the three bodies mentioned-CLAI, AIPRAL or CCC. Despite the fact that the church grassroots is made up in the main of women, the power still lies mainly with men.

Grassroots ecumenism

The second kind of ecumenism is known as "grassroots ecumenism" characterized by great diversity of topics and membership. It is made up of sectors from the Catholic and Protestant churches, united to work together to address social needs such as continuing education, human rights, culture, etc.

Grassroots ecumenism attracts the interest and commitment of leaders-generally young ones-who see in it the possibility of taking part in promoting a new society untrammelled by the hidebound limits of their denominations that are generally conservative. Some people regard it as an alternative to confrontational church participation and others see it as an opportunity for social participation without giving up church membership.

The Reformed churches of the Caribbean and Latin America have played a major, varied and extensive part in grassroots ecumenism. Among the most well-known organizations are the following: The Student Christian Movement, Church and Society, Urban and Industrial Mission, Latin American Ecumenical Commission for Christian Education (CELADEC), the Christian Conference for Peace, the Confederation of Young Men's Christian Associations, the Ecumenical Research Department in Costa Rica, the Diego de Medellín Centre in Chile, the Ecumenical Documentation and Information Centre, and the Ecumenical Service Centre for Evangelization and Popular Education in Brazil.

Relations of solidarity between women and men in grassroots ecumenism unquestionably followed the social pattern of male-dominated power and, within the characteristics of the social interplay of the sexes, both men and women have run certain risks by participating. However, we have not heard that any woman has been appointed as Director, executive secretary or General Coordinator of any of the aforementioned ecumenical bodies.

Many women also have expressed regret that in participating in grassroots organizations they must do twice the work of the men before their abilities are acknowledged or not questioned.

They further complain of a lack of understanding or respect for the feminine way women do things, and a tendency in groups to recognize and respect only the male approach in the exercise of power. Some women say that it makes it very difficult for them really to experience being part of a team.

However, we must say that despite these difficulties women have been major movers in grassroots ecumenism and in turn the movement has proven to be a training ground to empower a whole generation of young women.

And that is not all. Grassroots ecumenism has gained fresh impetus by some women in the movement, whose ideas have been well expressed from the theological standpoint by the Brazilian nun Dr Ivone Gebara:

"In an early stage, women joined men in theological reflection and became disciples of Liberation Theology. I remember that each of us had her favourite theologians. For example, I always had a preference for Gustavo Gutiérrez and Rubem Alves. In that first stage, we women joined our male colleagues in the need to work for change in the social, political and economic structure of the continent.

Then a second stage began in women's theological involvement, stemming from a meeting of women theologians in Argentina. There we began to investigate gender oppression not taken into account in Liberation Theology. The thought processes of men on class oppression, political and economic oppression had set aside gender oppression. I think that all of this came about from a thinking that bore the stamp of patriarchy."

Since that time, topics more relevant to women's gender issues began to emerge-such as gender identity, women and power, sexual harassment, inclusive language, sexism, female spirituality and so on, strengthened by a continuing theological reflection from the women's standpoint.

Partnership between women and men in this second stage of grassroots ecumenism has not reached full flowering.

Some of the topics have been taken up by groups at the first stage and others not. In many instances, women have not been properly understood and in others have been rejected, so this part of the process has been led basically by the women themselves who have managed to secure the support of a few male colleagues.

Among the organizations that have emerged at the second stage we can mention only a few-it must be remembered that there are certainly others we are unaware of at the time of writing: Network of Women Pastors and Theologians; Women's Health Network; Catholic Women for the Right to Decide; Women's Ecumenical Group in the Ecumenical Foundation of Cuyo, Argentina; The Project of Aquegua, Argentina; and the Talitha Cumi Group of Peru.

Macro-ecumenism

A third expression of ecumenism has appeared among us more recently, and is known as "macro-ecumenism" so brilliantly described by Dr Míguez Bonino:

"In closing, something has to be said about "large-scale ecumenism" that goes beyond the religious sphere to bring together people and groups either drawn from other religions or with no religious connotations whatsoever that are none the less committed to the quest for justice, human dignity, solidarity, peace or environmental protection... The fact that these relationships exist and are substantial is of considerable importance not so much for the numbers involved as for their significance as symbols and active agents in the search for a historic project where a reasoned approach to life has primacy... it is a matter of seeing a "new oikoumene", a home for humankind (humanity), where everyone can live in peace and justice."

Latin American macro-ecumenism is based on the protection of life, threatened in so many ways in our environment, in respect for and integration of all ethnic groups on the continent be they indigenous, black, East Indian, white, mulattos, mestizos etc. in promoting the unity and solidarity necessary for the survival of the planet.

It is a very vital movement that easily establishes relations with other expressions of ecumenism around the world and is seen as an alternative for creating a new platform that would provide common ground for the continent's ecumenical groups.

Of macro-ecumenical events, we know of the Assembly of the People of God (APD), which describes itself as a movement and not as an organization and Con-spirando [Tr. note: play on words suggesting breathing together, sharing inspiration as well as complicity] which is a review published in Chile that covers spiritual matters, theology and eco-feminism.

The topics dealt with at the macro-ecumenical level are as follows inter alia: identity, health, reproductive rights, sexism, human rights, urban work among the masses, the economic alternative, the increasingly female face of poverty, neoliberalism, peasant farmers, indigenous women, blackness, gender issues, spirituality, the ecological ego and theology.

To sum up, we can say that in all the expressions of Caribbean and Latin American ecumenism there is still from the viewpoint of partnership between women and men in God's mission a challenge to be taken up: to discover the mystery that lies at the heart of "otherness", to identify church misogyny, to understand the harm done to all by the swaggering male archetype, to believe genuinely in the pressing need to address gender issues and to continue to produce biblical and theological thinking from the woman's standpoint.

Ecumenical vision of the Fellowship of the Least Coin and World Day of Prayer in the Caribbean and Latin America

We have been asked to consider the movements Fellowship of the Least Coin and World Day of Prayer as ecumenical expressions of Reformed Protestantism in our region to see how they can help us add to and consolidate partnership between women and men in God's mission.

It has been a challenge to place them within the three expressions of ecumenism available to us, and finally we decided to include them under "dome ecumenism" since that is the category that most closely describes the way they have developed among us.

The activities of these two movements are carried out by the women in the churches and basically they bring together the same women and some men who by attending demonstrate their solidarity with them.

We detected a paternalistic outlook among the men in the churches towards these activities-they are pigeon-holed as "women's affairs", a sort of extension of the activities of the traditional ladies' clubs. Something that does not interfere with or bother anybody but is of no particular importance either.

Unfortunately, in our continent, these two movements have not had the impact or been given the importance we know they have achieved elsewhere in the world.

It would be advantageous for both these movements to be imbued with the fresh Latin American approaches and thinking that have given new impetus to our ecumenical sharing as well as the Latin American liturgy and the fresh Bible readings from the women's standpoint. We feel that in this way they could establish stronger links with the ecumenical movement in general and reinvigorate their movement, bringing in the contribution of their life experience and their thinking.

As for the celebration of World Day of Prayer, we feel that the reference to different countries must go beyond the anecdotal and folkloric and try to be more actively supportive of women and children in the various countries and their efforts to survive, through practical action such as collections or messages, written or pictorial, that involve the entire church.

At the organizational level, we feel that the World Day of Prayer needs to dovetail in more practical fashion with the continent's "dome ecumenical" movements such as CLAI, AIPRAL and CCC.

As for the Fellowship of the Least Coin, people should be informed about what it does to promote solidarity with women around the world and which projects it supports. To date, as far as most of our women are concerned, this movement is somewhat removed, not involved in our daily round and bears no relation to the issues of concern in our lives.

At the organizational level, it is our view that the Fellowship of the Least Coin should be present in the appropriate national bodies, in the case of the CLAI, and as far as programmes are concerned, in the case of the CCC.

We also wish to recognize the major effort made thus far by women who have kept these movements alive by organizing and carrying through the activities they proposed, which took an enormous amount of time and determination.

We know many of them and appreciate the conviction that carried them forward and their untiring efforts to find a better answer to their proposals. Since we are familiar with the work done and know some of the women involved, we can say with certainty that they agree with what we are saying here.

Ecumenical vision of work with young people and children

Youth

The World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) is a global ecumenical project with both continent-wide and national associations. The Latin American movement has associations in thirteen countries in the region and convenes young people within eight programmes of work: Building the Movements, Bible and Theological Training, Ecumenical Relations, Pastoral Care for Students, Education Systems, Finance, Gender and Communication.

With the Gender Programme it expresses its support for young women, making it a key issue that permeates all the other programmes. The topics put forward are: gender identity from the student standpoint; sexual harassment on campus and at work; theology from the women's standpoint; inclusive language; leadership by student women, and opening up opportunities for participation.

The WSCF has worked for several years on the topic "Partnership between women and men" the result being a better understanding and more gender awareness among the members. The need was also recognized for promoting greater participation by women in leading the movement.

In the light of what we said earlier about handling supportive relationships between women and men in the grassroots ecumenical organizations, we can say that the WSCF also has lived under the influence of the social environment with regard to the traditional exercise of power by men.

However, in accordance with the experience of the last few years, it is clear that a process has been set in train that may lead them to experience major change and could produce a method of work and an approach that we could copy.

Children

There are in the continent two ecumenical networks working with street children or children at risk. One belongs to the Latin American Council of Churches and the other to the National Council of Churches of the United States.

They both support child care projects and try and create awareness in the church and in society at large about the pressing need for solidarity required by an ever-increasing number of children.

To work with these kinds of children calls for government social policy support and solidarity from the church as well as society as a whole. It is because the problem is so enormous that many people do not participate since, given the impossibility of finding a comprehensive solution, or because of a lack of sensitivity, they prefer not to get involved in any way. Many take refuge in thinking "it's not my problem" and dissociate themselves from it.

Statistics tell us that in the Caribbean and Latin America every year more than half a million children under five die and that about 30 million boys and girls live in the street, either as abandoned children or as child workers, a prey to exploitation of labour, drug addiction, prostitution and delinquency, with the attendant harm on their physical and emotional development.

Given this prospect, the existence of these two ecumenical networks that work with street children or children at risk are a sign of hope, although the current magnitude of the problem and its consequences stemming from exclusive neoliberal economic policies being imposed in the continent, do not give us any grounds for rejoicing. Many more groups are needed to join these networks so as to reach a larger number of boys and girls.

Somebody once said that the children and young people are not the problem but we do have a problem of "Responsible Motherhood and Fatherhood". We acknowledge this to be so since more than 50% of Latin American and Caribbean homes have only a mother as head of household and we also recognize the unjust structural situation that does not consider the protection of people and of the family as a priority.

Within the framework of this situation we see that among other things there is a crying need for greater awareness of responsible sexuality, the expression of emotions, self-esteem and reproductive capability; and that this has to do with establishing more supportive relationships between men and women so that together we can fulfil God's mission.

Conclusion

The Latin American and Caribbean ecumenical movement is facing challenges inherent in its vision of God's mission in the continent but, in addition to those, there is the challenge of responsibly tackling the gender issue, with a willingness to be changed by what it entails, in unveiling the mystery at the heart of otherness. It will be an effective way of continuing to deepen solidarity with the women of the continent.

What is more: we must find a way of involving boys and girls in the practice of more supportive relationships between them so as to start from there to make the needed changes.

We close with an extract taken from a collective reflection by the Latin American network on ecofeminism, spirituality and theology.

"We have been discovering that the same relationship
which in patriarchal or male-centred cultures
is established between men and women,
a hierarchical relationship of domination
never side-by-side or egalitarian
is that which man establishes with nature.

This form of relationship has today become
a problem that goes beyond ethical considerations
to become a matter of survival;
it is not only a matter of having to change
the ways we relate to each other
of having to replace domination
with cooperation and respect
the top-down with the side-by-side approach
between men and women
between human beings and nature;
in order to be "better".

It is just a matter of realizing that if we do not make the effort
we are going to end life on our planet."

(Con-spirando, March 1992)

Questions

How could the women's department of AIPRAL begin a process leading AIPRAL women to take part in running the organization?
How to see to it that sexism or the gender issue is taken up as a current topic in all AIPRAL secretariats and work?
The challenges of Latin American and Caribbean ecumenism are those facing AIPRAL. How could we respond to these?
- unveil the mystery at the heart of Otherness
- identify church misogyny
- understand the harm done by the swaggering male archetype or syndrome
- produce biblical/theological thinking from women's standpoint
How could we give a new and greater dynamism to the Fellowship of the Least Coin and the World Day of Prayer movements so that they can function more extensively as ecumenical movements in Latin America?

Rev. Migdáleder Mazuera is the executive secretary of the Central Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Venezuela.

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