<Theofragen>

Last weekend I officiated my first wedding. This experience afforded me the opportunity to meet a fascinating woman, Jen Lemen. I was thoroughly intrigued by her wisdom, passion for ministry, and spiritual depth. During the reception, we chatted at length about the state of women in the emergent conversation. As she relayed bits and pieces of her struggle as a woman straining to effect change in a group dominated by men, I was saddened. If a person like Jen has become disheartened by the emergent conversation, then perhaps we are having the wrong conversation! Perhaps those of us who have found refuge under the Emergent umbrella from the incessant onslaught of the theological right or the lethargy of the theological left have become too self-absorbed.

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On the one hand, this is understandable. When people go through various crises they tend to withdraw into small associations of like-minded supporters; others who can existentially identify with what one has gone through. As one left embittered by several hurtful situations stemming from conservative fundamentalism, I myself have found a good bit of solace in the emergent conversation. On the other hand, this is no excuse for me or my emerging brothers to deign the lived experience of our emerging sisters. The majority of those actively participating in Emergent are white-males. Unless we are intentional about including minority voices, it will always be a majority conversation. It is incumbent upon those of us who are ensconced in the double-societal privileges of whiteness and maleness in America, to diffuse this power by supporting those with less.

I'm reminded of an historical event that bears semblance to this situation. In 1895, nearly 50 years after the women's suffrage movement got its first start at Seneca Falls, the NAWSA (National American Women's Suffrage Association) decided to exclude black women from their movement. This was largely a political move, or at least that is how it was rationalized. Some of the group's leadership (Susan B. Anthony included) did not believe that they could garner the support necessary for women's suffrage by including their African American sisters, so they excluded them. BTW: Elizabeth Cady Stanton was vehemently opposed to this decision. This resulted in the formation of the National Association of Colored Women in 1896. Here two groups of women who were fighting for the exact same thing were forced into schism because the majority was not willing to subsume the minority voices and speak as one. I'll leave it to you to draw the connections to our present situation.

This morning I read the latest post on the US Emergent blog about the Emergent Women's Roundbarn ReGathering. I was encouraged by Julie's reflections of the event. However, I was also saddened that these emerging leaders felt the need to withdraw to a barn in Indianapolis in order to have their voices heard. I understand the need to do this completely, but it saddens me nonetheless. So what can I do about this fissure that has the potential of forming a schism in Emergent?

Here's the deal: I have been a part of the emergent conversation for a few years now. I've vented, and bitched and deconstructed for much of this time. (One needs only to read some of my early blog posts here at theofragen to see how emotionally effusive I was.) I feel as if I have gotten (most of) that out of my system. I am now interested in reconstruction. I want to build bridges that are positive. I am seeking ecumenical inclusivity, racial solidarity and the cessation of sexual segregation within this burgeoning fellowship. But I am still a white-male. Whether I want to or not, I still hold the reigns of discourse and, as a result, am responsible for the kinds of conversation that ensue.

I am also a church-planter located in Atlanta, GA. And although Trinitas is still a nascent dream in my obfuscated mind, I offer it up to any of my emerging sisters who might share a similar vision for ministry. Said more directly, if any of you reading this blog would be interested in co-planting and eventually co-pastoring with me, please contact me. As long as white-males are planting and pastoring emerging churches, these will be the faces we see on book-jacket covers and on television. I would like to see this change and I now have the means to see it happen, maybe.

To other white-males who are a part of Emergent, use your privilege to support your emerging sisters. To Jen, and other emerging women, I say "Illegitemati non Carborundum."

White-male Privilege

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