Churches Study Sexism, Ageism, Racism in Educational Program and Media
Diocesan Press Service. September 8, 1975 [75300]
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- A new guidelines paper prepared by Father David W. Perry (Episcopal Church) and Dr. Edward A. Powers (United Church of Christ) has been received and distributed for further critique and for implementation by the educational staffs of all Joint Educational Development (JED) partner churches. The intention of the guidelines is that the church engage in education "as a means of helping persons achieve full humanness." This involves a sense of Individual dignity, capacity, and worth; interpersonal relations of trust, freedom, and love; and a society that enhances freedom, justice, and peace.
To pursue this "humanness," the guidelines state, the churches must develop leadership approaches and media that avoid discrimination and negative images related to age, race, or sex, and must also take affirmative action by which a full humanness may be portrayed, understood, and pursued.
"The current women's movement has alerted denominational leaders to the sexism that permeates our literature, our educational procedures, and other aspects of church life -- indeed that permeates our whole society. The national assemblies of at least three of the (ten) JED denominations have named the women's cause as a high priority for 1976," Dr. Powers explained. "The guidelines deal with sexist terminology not only about people and groups, but also in language about God. "
The guidelines point to the similar danger of ageism in our society where youth is idealized and older persons are ignored and neglected and sometimes openly slandered. The paper asserts that all prepared educational resources in print or other media should portray persons of all ages, and value their contributions to society.
Similarly, all materials should deliberately portray persons with diverse racial, religious, and ethnic background, the guidelines state. All persons should be shown in appropriate context and without caricature.
In reviewing the guidelines paper, the church representatives made it clear that they were not yet prepared to make definitive statements or affirm a particular stance. The Rev. Robert Kempes of the United Presbyterian Program Agency stated, "The paper must be carefully studied and compared with other denominational pronouncements on these subjects." The guidelines will serve as an important first step in the study process.
The paper will be circulated with substantial backup papers, such as the report prepared for the United Presbyterian General Assembly that has been referred to all United Presbyterian churches for critical analysis during the next biennium. The backup papers will be studied by all JED staff persons, especially writers and editors. The guidelines will then be reviewed and approved and a procedure for monitoring all new resources will be developed.