Focus on CANADA
A Fresh Look at The Women

"IF IMPLEMENTED, (THESE RECOMMENDATIONS) WOULD CAUSE A REVOLUTION IN THIS COUNTRY." THUS GRACE MacINNIS, CANADA'S ONLY WOMAN MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, COMMENTING ON THE REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE, STATUS OF WOMEN. A WORK THAT HAS SUCH REVOLUTIONARY IMPLICATIONS SHOULD BE REPORTED ON IN PIONEER, AND SINCE THE WOMEN HAVE NOT DONE SO THUS FAR, I WILL RISK SOME GUILT FEELINGS BY STARTING THE BALL ROLLING ON THIS PAGE.

The subjects dealt with in the Report easily become controversial these days, 'thanks' to the activities of Women's Lib. But that doesn't mean that Christians can afford to ignore the issues. On the contrary, we have a responsibility to think through and make known what the Word of God says about this subject. If we let ourselves be guided by secular viewpoints, such as in the Report, we will soon be unable to understand the unique way in which the Bible deals with the relationship of men and women. Recently, we have had two articles in the PIONEER on the role of women in the church. Perhaps by reporting on the study of the Royal Commission, the discussion can be widened to include all the vital issues dealt with in the Report on the Status of Women and the relevant Scriptural teaching.

Equality the watchword

The Royal Commission, established in 1967, has come up with a well-documented study on the position and problems of women in our Canadian society. Its chapters cover a wide range of subjects, such as marriage, family life, abortion, birth control, child care, job opportunities, education, legal status, etc. The Report is based on the premise that women are equal to men. It proceeds to show that women are denied the by-products of that equality on nearly all fronts. Women, says the Report, are discriminated against oh all sides.

Though they make up more than 34% of the labor force, they are not often found in the executive jobs. Doing the same work as men, they are usually paid less. An employed wife's credit rating is often determined by her husbands financial record, rather than her own.

A basic viewpoint is found in the section on Family Life, where it is stated that "without economic independence for both spouses there cannot be true equality in marriage". It upholds the right Of women to choose freely whether they want to work outside or inside the home. It also frowns on the lack of financial security in the present system for the woman who, as a partner, works in the home. One of the recommendations of the commission is to give a pension to housewives!

The Commission further voices the opinion that many former ways of doing things within the family must change. In many families, the Report says, the satisfactions of the wife are largely second-hand, depending on her husband's and her children's achievements. Many wives are finding this too narrow an expectation. Ironically, in the past it was common for relatives to share muchof the responsibility for child care. But today, just as many women's expectations of life and marriage are changing, mothers are expected to be "in constant attendance" on their children. In this connection the Report reveals the sobering fact that in 1967 there were no less than 339.700 one parent families in Canada headed by women!

In this section the Report makes several recommendations for establishing a network of day care centres and a well-planned child care program from coast to coast. These facilities would serve not only the country's 540.000 working mothers who have children under 14, but would also assist mothers in cases of sickness and other emergencies. Two commissioners disagree with the concept of free centers except for welfare families.

The rights of women

The rights of women are stressed throughout the Report, but nowhere in such an emotional frame of reference as when it deals with the subject of abortion. The Report hits at the present abortion laws by stating its belief that "when a law had more bad effects than good ones it is a bad law". It urges that the Criminal Code be amended to permit abortion by a qualified doctor at the sole request of any woman who has been pregnant for 12 weeks or less. Three commissioners take exception: two are opposed to abortion on request; one member feels that the subject should be taken out of the Criminal Code altogether. Women's Lib groups all over the country are now demonstrating on behalf of the abortion recommendation of the commission.

On the matter of abortion, several churches have already responded to the Report. The Roman Catholics are opposed in principle to abortion on demand. The Anglican Church has decided to appoint a Committee to determine "what is human life?"! The United Church has approved a resolution which calls abortion morally justifiable in certain medical, social and economic circumstances, and is a private matter between a woman and her doctor. It called on the government to remove all prohibition of abortion from the Criminal Code.

Some comments

I hope that the women of our churches will respond in PIONEER on the subject of the Report. For the time being, I would like to make two comments on the subject of equality, leaving aside for separate treatment the 'hot' subject of abortion. I think the emphasis on equality is the wrong one. It leads to an insistence on 'rights', with all the dangers of neglecting someone else's rights (e.g. of children). The world may know of no other way - hence the prevalence of power groups in all areas of life but the Bible points in a different direction.

Man and woman are equal before God. They are equally human. But they are not equal. Man and woman are partners: They are also set in a certain order, in which man takes precedence. A few words on each.

1. Man and woman are partners. Woman was created to satisfy man's need for fellowship, for true

human life. Femininity is not a learned response. There is a structural and functional difference between man and woman which goes beyond the sexual. Both man and woman were given distinctive roles by God. The distinction, however, is clearly for the sake of fellowship and relationship. Since the Bible does not spell out the specific role of man and woman, we must learn ever anew, in obedience to the living Word of God, what these roles mean in the particular time in which we live. But the woman who, brought up in a secular and permissive society, rejects her role as a female is really rebelling against God.

2. The attitude and function of the man and those of the woman are not to be equated. They stand in a certain order. Man has his allotted place, and woman hers. Man and woman are fully equal before God, but there is no simple equality when it comes to the order in which they stand. This truth is most likely to be misunderstood by the world, and criticized as outdated.

In respect of order, man is first. tie precedes the woman, Yes, to use the controversial word, woman is subjected to man. However, this order does not confer any privilege or do any injustice. It lays a duty on all, but it also gives to all their rights (see especially the incomparable passage Eph. 5 : 21ff). If man is obedient to God, he can occupy his position only in humility,. He cannot occupy it for himself, or against woman. It is primacy of service. The exploitation of this order by man has led to protest and rebellion on the side of woman. However, no matter how understandable, such rebellion is not the way from disorder to order. It cannot be a question of woman attaining her rights as opposed to man. Indeed, it may very well be that her protesting springs from the very same source of contempt for God's order with which man offends her so deeply. The emphasis on equality with man which we hear on all sides might well lead to a state of affairs in which woman's position is deplorable because both it and that of man are as it were left hanging in the air.