I thank "God" for being called upon to share my visions for participation and decision making by women in the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox communities are present in every continent. They are numerically large, strong in their spiritual roots, and rich in their ecclesiological significance. They are hallowed by a tradition. Tradition is a collection of the experiences of the past, treasured and followed as unchangeable and necessary to be retained and carried forth.

"I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances" (Ez. 36:27). Thus having received God's spirit through our baptism and our participation and the sacraments, we know that God's will can be realized through our active involvement and participation in the Church ­ our "synergeia" within the Body of Christ" (1) 1 believe and feel that "His will" can be realized and felt in its natural fragrance and radiance only through our active participation in Church life. "Living the trinitarian life is both the foundation of genuine community in the church and its goal". (2) So active and full participation of the members is essential in church life. The work styles developed by each church towards this direction is different and unique and not universal. Participation by every member - male and female is the one that is expected.

Since the formation of WCC, women in the various member churches gradually gained strength expressing their deep desire to have full participation in church life. Many of the new churches have positively responded to their wish and encouraged the full participation of women in the church ministry and in decision making bodies. The hallowed tradition of the Orthodox churches makes them react only very slowly to the idea of full participation of women in church life. There are not yet positive signs of action towards the idea. The Orthodox Church with its long and creditable heritage in time and space is likely to consider this issue also. The heritage we are proud of, the intellectual enrichment we have gained all no doubt have slowly opened up a new door - entry to Orthodox Church women as participating members of our Church. The history and tradition is not a mere mark of time but of richness of life. The Church everywhere is andro-centric in its hierarchy and bureaucratic in structure. This very attitude is against the principle and theology of participation in the Church.

The theory and theology of participation rests in the concept of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity is a loving God participating eternally in the being and doing of Divine love -Agape. The Triune God -the three Divine Persons are equal and never superior or inferior.

The three - the Father, the Son and the Spirit exist by existing for one another. They are persons in relation. The Father can be called Father only in His relation to the Son; the son can be called Son only in relation to the Fattier; the Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son. The Three Divine persons therefore exist in regard to one another and are defined in and through their relations to one another. The concept of the Triune God organizes himself in the original human family of man, woman and child. A consequence of this theology of the earthly image of the Triune God is that human beings are not only persons, and persons in their relation to one another but also the human community itself. God wills to recognize "Himself" in the human community - a community which resembles the Triune God - a community which contains human beings, as equals, share everything and have all in common, irrespective of their personal attributes.

In the community of the Holy Spirit, there arises a community of human beings without superiority and subordination. A community of women and men set free by love. This view is supported by the creation story in Gen. 1:27, that God created man and woman as equals. God created a participatory nature too. The same loving God incarnated to give divinity to humanity so that humanity may share that divinity.The Spirit is also referred as a consoling and comforting Heavenly Mother (3) The Orthodox churches are now challenged by this modern trend that raised the problem of exclusive or inclusive theological language

Except for the much debated controversial words of St. Paul, women are not given an inferior status in the Bible. The Ten Commandments require you to respect your "father and mother". In Jesus Christ's time the Jewish custom and law had an oppressive and subordinate attitude towards women. But Jesus Christ broke that attitude and placed women as equals. He accepted and respected the women just as he accepted and respected the men. He entered into serious dialogues with women - even with women considered to be sin(ners). The event of the adulterous woman, brought before Christ for permission to be killed by throwing stones by men, is another example of viewing man and woman as equal partners to a crime which even in many countries of present day cast the blame on women only. Christ showed the same level of respect to men and women. The Gospels of the apostles stand testimony to these. Jesus by living examples aimed to correct the inferior status meted out to the women folk of his time.

Women in many countries today adore worthy positions in social and political life. In Israel itself a woman named Golda Meir led the destinies of the country as Prime Minister. The Jews once considered women as a personal asset. Now Israel has passed legislation prohibiting sexual intercourse by a husband without the consent of the wife. It is only in Israel. This is a transformation of Jewish law.

Rev. Ofelia Ortega writing In God's Image, June-September 1986 issue (page 36), states that in Cuba, the communist party has made the household duty-work- domestic work as a legal obligation by both man and woman. This means that it is not helping or assisting in household duties - but having part in a shared responsibility. I would like the WCC to study in depth the working of this principle in Cuba as well as the similar law, recently introduced also in Sweden.

From this background let me proceed to my vision of participation and decision making in my Church - The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India.

As per the constitution of my Church:

1-4 All men and women who have received the Holy Baptism and believe in the divinity of the Holy Trinity, the incarnation of the Son the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father the Holy Church and application of the Nicene Creed there in all, the Divine Inspiration of the Holy Traditions, the intercession of the Mother of God and the Saints the commemoration of the departed ones, the administration of the Seven Sacraments, the canonical observances like fasting, etc. and have accepted the obligations to observe them will be members of this church. But when it comes to the Parish Assembly -clause. 2 (7) "All adult male members above the age of 21, who receive Holy Qurbana in Eucharist at least once a year, are only the members.

The women of the Malankara Orthodox Church are denied participation in the Church assemblies and other decision making bodies of the Church. They desire membership in parish assemblies, diocesan assemblies, diocesan councils, managing committees, and the rule committee, except the Holy Synod. The present day Church apart from its Trinitarian function is akin to a democratic state without a definite state and territorial boundaries. When the state - the nation does not prevent women from participating as its functionaries even
to the highest office of Head of State, the prohibition of women even to the lowest assembly in the spiritual structure appears to be humiliating to the women. Another field where women's participation has been denied is theological education. In the Orthodox Theological Seminaries where women are not admitted for theological education. Sisters from other Orthodox Churches are requested to reflect on their position.

My Church, I am hopeful, will consider this issue and make appropriate decisions. We, the women of the Orthodox Church are definitely against taking up a fighting stance against any of the oppressive or apparently humiliating practices of the Church. We are confident that our demands will be fulfilled democratically The Church had lifted some of its discriminatory practices followed on female children at the baptismal ceremony when it was brought to the attention of the church hierarchy.

At this juncture it may be legitimate for members of the western and new churches to ask me about ordination of women. At present or in the near future, it is not an issue among our women folk. I would like WCC to take this issue seriously and to study the position of ordained women ministers in the churches where their services are utilized as ministers. I would also request you to go through the report of the Consultation of August, 1978 at Bangalore sponsored by WCC. Further I would like to state that my Church recently permitted women to read the Bible in Sunday Services (Holy Qurbana) in the Church. But a woman was neither invited to read the Bible at the time of the Holy Qurbana, nor has a woman has come forward to read the Bible. I have had chances several times to read the Bible in Sunday Church Services of the Orthodox Church, only outside India.

To conclude, I would, like to say that my visions in participation - I would like to say trinitarian - model of participation are positive. The all prevailing Holy Trinity will grant our prayers in this direction as Jesus Christ never thought women inferior. In the body politic, in state and in society, we are not in any way inferior to our brothers in Christ and otherwise.

Reference

(1) George Lemopoulos, Your Will be Done-Orthodoxy in Mission WCC page 10.
(2) Elizabeth Behr-Sigel: Sheffield Report Page 8.
(3) - a. In a reference in Triune God, page 31. Jurgen Moltmann John 14:26 and Isaiah 66.13 are interconnected and the word RUAH in Hebrew and Syriac is considered feminine.
b. The term RUAH is used in the feministic as well as the western theology as the basis for modern interpretation of Holy Spirit as Mother.