Painting: Hidden by Fred MatthewsWe have recently been in much discussion locally about different kinds of spaces (public/personal/private) and how as Jesus' people we behave in those spaces. Some things in speech and behaviour are hidden. Some things are kept hidden, by others & us, for varying and complex reasons. In relation to faith it is important to sift out what is inherited hiddenness through the control of public and private/personal space and how we understand and approach God and Gods nature in the world.
Are there words which can be said in one context and be appropriate & said in another and be out of place? Words and behaviour are contextual aren't they?!
When people have been invitating others to come to a performance called The Vagnia Monologues at our church building, St. Marks United Reformed Church, the responses have been fascinating. One man phoned & left a message on our church phone saying it was a disgrace the church was putting on a disgusting performance and how could we do such a thing. He didn't leave his name & number. Another message checked that the performance had been cancelled due to its absence in our local newspaper last week & when he found out it was still going ahead with the organisation and support of the church he hung up muttering without leaving any contact details. These were the only 2 'complaints' the church has had to this. We did not advertise a second time in the paper because of financial constraints and would have done so had we sold more tickets beforehand!
Other responses were: interested as to why a church would want to get involved in 'this kind of thing', embarrassment, encouraging congregations in Sunday morning worship to come along in solidarity with the women whose stories are often taboo or hidden, to offer names of people to be involved, to put posters & flyers up in churches, shock, preferring not to talk about it, being strongly opposed to a performance in church but ok if in other places.
When some heard the performance was being put on in church and that there was some swearing and explicit language this was very difficult for a handful of people. Church is church and swearing should not happen in here sort of thing and I don't want my mind to be filled with these things. I can appreciate that, having been to see a play or read a script someone may have concerns about the language and content about The Vagina Monologues. It is a series of monologes covering a huge range of complex and difficult issues not least:
- Promotion of & reclaiming peace
- Taboos
- Bodies
- Sex, pleasure & desire
- Menstruation - periods
- Sexuality
- Saying words out loud in public that are not often said by women or men
- Violence in the home
- Violence of the state & in war
- Mental health
- Forgiveness & apology
- Language against women
- Abuse
- Celebrating & affirming women & girls
The funds for the 2 performances go to support Overcoming Violence - Building Peace in Wythenshawe & South Manchester & this is why many people got involved or made donations or subverted something which they did not want to come along to & hear but did what they were able to with integrity without compromising their integrity or faith. This is interesting - to subvert something, to still be part of something for the bigger picture and to overlook an aspect of it. It is nuanced and complex. It shows a willingness to find out, explore, make a decision, thing, weigh things up, pray, chat with others, check a decision, do something, go so far, go around, work with what is there & what is not...I respect some of the ways in which individuals have chosen not to come to The Vagina Monologues - having thought, prayed, had information, shared concerns and prayed for those who are part of it publicly. What is hidden is not seen and often therefore not valued. In the same way as it took courage to be onstage, in the audience & offering invitations to The Vagina Monologues at our church for some people it also took courage for hidden people to be involved in the way they were. Those decisions are as vital in our process of Overcoming Violence - Building Peace in Wythenshawe as the others. But I still would want to challenge some more of the barriers which exist about language and sacred space!
By the way - the performance on Saturday afternoon was wonderful and fabulous! There were lots of men and women there and the cast were amazing in honouring the stories of the women and girls. Roll on Friday 2nd March 7.30pm for our second and final performance of 2007!
