June 9, 2008

Nine women from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific have been awarded scholarships from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) to help them prepare for the ordained ministry in their churches.

In announcing the awards on 9 June, Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth, executive secretary of the Office for Church Renewal, Justice and Partnership, said that the ordination of women is a priority of the family of Reformed churches and a significant step in the advancement of women in the church.

This year's scholarship winners include:

• Emilienne Netom of Cameroon, 42;

• Missie Kananji of Malawi, 23;

• Romina Anabella Dubs of Argentina, 27;

• Flora Carolina Fuentes de Aguilar of El Salvador, 44;

• Lima Tura of the Solomon Island, 27;

• Lilian Tanaqu of the Solomon Islands, 32;

• Nakho Hlovy of India, 20.

Support will be provided for one more woman from Malawi to be named by her church.

Since launching the Theological Education Scholarship Fund for Women in the South in 2001, WARC has supported nearly 60 women from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific, providing scholarships worth more than 400,000 Swiss Francs.

It is supported by agencies, churches and individuals.

"The scholarship fund has been well received and is seen as another opportunity for discussion on the role and place of women in the church," Sheerattan-Bisnauth said. "It has been highly appreciated for reaching the grassroots in churches and for making theological studies accessible to women who are breaking new ground in their churches."

The fund has had significant impact on WARC's member churches, especially in the recognition of women in ministry, Sheerattan-Bisnauth added. WARC also accompanies women in ministry through solidarity visits, advocacy, training and networking.

The scholarship fund is one of the projects in WARC's gender, power and leadership work, which envisions a radical, revolutionary and transformative process as a necessity to unravelling power based on patriarchy and dismantling its systems and structures.

"The current ethics of dominance and control, in which many leaders prosper and find their power, are detrimental to the quality of life, not only for women but also for the majority of men and for communities as a whole," Sheerattan-Bisnauth said.

WARC's Gender Justice network is currently developing a global study on gender, power and leadership, which will look at reading the Bible, globalization, cultural identity, leadership, as well as racial and ethnic identity.

"The aim is to challenge leadership based on a domination/subjugation model of power and to explore liberating, empowering and participatory models of leadership as well as addressing the gap between women and men in leadership positions."

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) brings together 75 million Reformed Christians in 214 churches in 107 countries – united in their commitment to making a difference in a troubled world. The WARC general secretary is Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana. WARC's secretariat is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

World Alliance of Reformed Churches