In protestant theological institutions: a critical appraisal of contextual challenges in kerala, india jessy jaison b b s., M d

TABLE 15

Men Students’ Views on Cultural Attitudes towards Women

RESPONSES	ES (a)	NES (b)	NES(c)	NES (d)	Responses
Marriage of a woman determines her fate	5	6	6	5	91.6%
Culture strongly resists women in leading roles	5	5	6	5	87.5%
Culture does not uphold women who make their own decisions	5	5	4	4	75%
Young people feel suppressed with no personal freedom	3	4	5	4	66.6%
Too much segregation between boys and girls bring more problems	2	4	5	4	62.5%

“Priestly hierarchy in the Syrian tradition has no role for women; women are mere spectators in church matters. This has gone deep into the minds of people and hence into their daily lives” said a student from ES(a). Men students commented that Kerala society is patriarchal, where only men are recognized in the leading roles.

A response from NES(b) was, “The system functions as if women are totally incapable of anything. Girls are under the strict supervision of their parents until they are given over to the protection of husbands. Families are more concerned about their girls’ safety than their social achievements or earnings.” Men responded in the same voice on the role of marriage in deciding the status of women.

This situation was explained by an interviewee from NES(c) thus,

Though a dowry [money/material goods given by the bride’s family to the bridegroom at the time of marriage] is legally banned, a bridegroom’s family often expects more than a double of what they deserve. Today it is not just money, but furniture, valuable domestic equipments, gold, car and anything valuable. And as this huge responsibility falls on parents, theirs is the most powerful say on girls. We should also note that over the age of 26-27, finding a spouse for a girl is becoming extremely difficult.
From NES(b) came this assessment, “It is a universal fact that women are secondary and it is good for them if they accept and live by that. Whatever the case might be, women’s calibre does not come any near to that of men.” This respondent, (a pastor) was confident in his view and claimed most people support this.
A student from NES(d) compared the situation in Kerala and other states of India thus, “Only Kerala seems to be so frightened by the evils of women. But we forget the truth that more segregation might make people more aggressive.” About another South Indian State called Karnataka he said, “There men and women can share the same seat in buses; any man can give a woman a lift home after a prayer meeting. But in Kerala- it’s all forbidden. Here people fear each other and the culture, and live in such bondage.”
But another interviewee strongly held that the situation in cities has radically changed and now women are working with freedom in all areas as men do. He opined that people in Kerala need to learn how to live and that it will not happen until the culture is reformed. He also spoke out his frustration that he finds no way towards such change.
The following table shows the personal internalized ideas about the status of women. The frequent change of mind regarding the role of women in ministry and theological education was very evident in the data received from this group of respondents. Their ideals and their personal views often clashed.
TABLE – 16
Men Students’ Personal Views on the Role of Women

Responses	ES (a)	NES (b)	NES(c)	NES (d)	Responses
Let women come up in ministry on their own if they want to do so	4	6	6	5	87.3%
The Bible accords only a secondary status to women- we cannot change it	4	5	5	5	79.16%
Seminary will get a bad name if men and women build up marriage relationships there	2	6	5	5	75%
In my future ministry, I will not make any radical change to develop women in ministry	4	5	3	4	66.6%
Feminist call for equality will destroy Christianity and our families	3	6	3	3	62.5%
Let women have private Bible study instead of formal Seminary training	3	3	1	4	45.83%
I would not prefer marrying a seminary graduate	0	2	3	4	37.5%

Men students seemed to be less supportive of women’s full acceptance in ministry in this table despite what was presented before. Arguments and ideals were stated but when coming to their very personal views, most of them openly held on to a less supportive position. Altering from the stated values of approving women in theological education and church’s ministry in some responses, some interviewees drastically changed their mind as if all that was said previously was for the sake of giving idealistic information and what they personally believed was different.

There was open resistance to the feminist moves towards equality. Though they wanted churches to change their attitude, they are neither able to suggest how to get there nor keen to take any active part in that course of action. One student who suggested that women must come up on their own will said, “Churches are not sending women to theological education; therefore they have no obligation to provide women a place in ministry. Seminaries do not work in association with the church; therefore, they have no voice in this. Ultimately, women have to make up their own mind on what they must do” Although the majority of men students talked about the Bible as relegating women to a secondary status, they were not able to provide a concrete theological case on it.

There were obvious contradictions in the responses of men students. For example, simultaneously they called women to take very brave steps and said that they personally never promote such a temperament in women. Though they criticized the church and the seminary and wanted to see the situation changed, 66% stated that they personally will not take any steps in this direction. They were critical about the women students who are not developing their full potential in public activities, while about 38% of them did not like to marry a seminary graduate. With regard to a question on suggestions to improve the status of women in theological education in Kerala, came the responses below.