VOLUME • 73 NUMBER • 2 FEBRUARY 1990

Cryo in the wilderness: On freezing pre-embryos • Charles Meyer publication. Seminaries and liberation and • Alison Cheek reuse • Carter Heyward for

required Prayer — ever new • Malcolm Boyd Permission DFMS. / MY

Church ODD, Episcopal the of GOD,

Archives ave LJOU 2020. w orsakien Copyright Letters

Middle class scapegoats Read with eagerness 1,200 Hiroshimas. I am part of the Whitefish Peace Alli- The Navy likes the Trident and the D- It is kind of John Snow to identify the 5 missiles they carry because they are cause of all our problems, the white, ance and we send you our Peaceweaver newsletter, from which you quote on oc- accurate and fast — the missiles can straight, money-oriented, college edu- travel 6,000 miles and come within 600 cated, affluent middle class (December casion in Short Takes, so I feel like sending you a personal note. feet of their target. The Navy claims that WITNESS). He exhibits all the prejudice the D-5 can destroy Soviet land-based that he would deplore if directed at an- Many thanks for all you stand for. I would never have known about the Ap- missiles while they are still in their hard- other group. We have to have our scape- ened siloes. goats, don't we? palachian coal mine strike except for And aside from their awesome de- I would remind John Snow the white your coverage. You got to it early, and structive capabilities is the fact that each middle class feels, bleeds, and has its that has added help for me when I have publication. Trident submarine fully equipped with tragedies due to AIDS, drugs, delinquen- seen it in other media contexts.

and its load of 24 D-5 missiles (each carry- cies, etc. The two periodicals I always read with ing up to 12 nuclear warheads) costs No wonder the church speaks to a great eagerness are THE WITNESS and reuse $1.3 billion. Just imagine how many af- smaller and smaller audience when Sojourners. You represent a very impor- for fordable housing units could be built spokespersons of the Gospel drive tant part of the Episcopal Church, and a with that money, or community health people to the margins because of who voice that is sorely needed today. centers, or how many urban schools up- they are. The Rev. Richard A. Kirchoffer required graded. This is just a way of saying that Abner K. Pratt II Whitefish, Mont. what we need in this country is nothing Eastham, Mass. less than a profound reordering and Read with reservations reshaping of our economic priorities. Permission Snow responds I generally disagree with you 90% of the Anne Rowthorn I am sorry to see my article in THE time, but you are always stimulating, Hartford, Conn.

DFMS. WITNESS interpreted by Abner Pratt as and your December AIDS issue was re- / an attack on the middle class. What I ally excellent. was attempting to say is that American The Rev. Robert M. Darrow Shares resistance story

Church culture as it affects everyone from the West Bend, Wise. Pat Washburn's "Inviting the IRS to din- underclass to the very rich is based on ner" in November prompts me to share a Social Darwinist assumptions. Trident correction story of another EPF member's tax resis- tance. A dear friend of mine, long either Episcopal As a middle class person successfully I'm particularly pleased with the No- a student or otherwise unemployed, is the on the way up believes he or she is a vember issue commemorating the 50th now entitled to a respectable taxable in- of winner, so the underclass kid about to birthday of the Episcopal Peace Fellow- come. His solution was to live within drop out of high school believes deeply ship. I like all the articles, especially that modest amount that can remain un- that he or she is a loser. Both believe, or Nathaniel Pierce's piece and Mary

Archives taxed and donate the remainder to his rather assume, that the survival of the Miller's history. parish for the express purpose of making fittest adequately describes the human I would only make one small correc-

2020. it fully accessible to persons with dis- enterprise. The middle class is not an tion in Jim Lewis' interview which I also abilities. God only knows what good evil conspiracy to dominate American think came out well. It is understandable works will come from this method of tax society, it is captive to the same crazy that he would quote me as saying that resistance. Copyright idea that life is a struggle among indi- "just one Trident submarine has as much viduals, the "war of all against all," destructive power as 25 World War II Jane Jackson Oakland, Cal. where only the most fit must survive if submarines," because it's almost impos- there is to be human progress. sible to imagine the terrible extent of the Not only is this kind of reductionist destructive power of these weapons. Ac- Issue gave hope evolutionary socio-biology scientifically tually what I said is that just one Trident Having been "grounded" by a bad cold, I silly, it is in direct contradiction to the carries as much destructive force as 25 caught up on some of my reading, in- life and teaching of Jesus Christ. World War Us!! (According to cluding the November WITNESS. I was The Rev. John Snow Newsweek magazine.) Or put another so excited about some of the articles that Cambridge, Mass. way, just one Trident is also equal to I called numerous people to share with

THE WITNESS them my excitement. tor, "300 years late" (December). Cer- Kudos from Peru The article about the death penalty re- tainly his hostility toward the church is ally got to me. When Joseph Ingle men- Loving greetings for the New Year, and readily apparent, but I wonder if his hos- many thanks for keeping THE WIT- tioned about the throwaway diapers, tility masks a deeper alienation, suffered "stripped of his dignity ..." I wept. NESS coming our way. The contents are by many gay and lesbian people who always stimulating and we share the I have been a member of EPF since have left the church and, consequently, about 1960, so I was much interested in ideas with our Christian Feminist group, the faith which it represents. One can Talitha Cumi. It is good to feel con- the issue. I had also been a member of hardly blame Rice for his hostility. At the Episcopal Society for Cultural and nected in some way with all the efforts the same time it seems ironic that while to humanize our planet. Racial Unity (ESCRU) and always felt he would not allow the church to deter- that the two groups should join, but So many momentous events going on mine his right to his sexuality, he has in our world — does it mean there may publication. ESCRU just died. Why can't we make seemingly allowed the church — by be a breakthrough for transformation in connections? completely embracing his exile — to de- and the coming century? THE WITNESS pulled me back into termine his spirituality, and the corre- Sister Rose Timothy the Episcopalian fold. I was so discour- reuse sponding understanding of how God Sister Rose Dominic aged that I had given up going to church. for interacts with the world. Lima, Peru Of course, I knew that wasn't the answer but the November issue did me more Gay men and lesbians have not been the only group to suffer at the hands of Returns to Nicaragua required good, gave me more hope, than any ser- mon could have given me. the church: Women, blacks, Jews, chil- My husband and I have returned to Nica- dren, among many others, have equally Mary Austin ragua to work for a few years, si Dios experienced shame and rejection. Each Newtown, Pa. quiere. We're interim staff of the Quaker have been forced to clarify God's contin- Permission Center, then we'll work in the campo, I ued faithfulness to their people regard- doing health education and Charles, car- John Walker memories less of the prevailing attitudes of the in- pentry. I recently saw the Rev. Miguel DFMS. I was deeply touched by the WITNESS / stitution, a scandalous particularity espe- D'Escoto and remembered his fast for article on Bishop John Walker, as it cially to white, heterosexual men. Each peace in 1983 when so many came to brought back many memories of that have reclaimed their rich heritage, their fast with him from all over the world, Church wonderful evening at St. Margaret's, so rich traditions. Likewise, gay men and including THE WITNESS. What a spe- full of love and of the man who inspired lesbians are beginning to reclaim their cial moment in history that was. them all. heritage, even if it is only to remember Poor Nicaragua is suffering terribly. Episcopal Many people said after the service that the countless brothers and sisters who There is hunger among adults as well as the they needed a personal way to say good- were burned as "faggots" at the stake. children. With rising costs, it is a daily of bye. The Cathedral service helped us lay And gay and lesbian Christians are giv- struggle for the poor to survive. Since our bishop to rest. But we needed some- ing witness to a God who seeks justice Congress voted funding for the opposi- thing more intimate to express our love for those among God's people who have tion in the elections, the contras in the Archives for our friend and pastor. For nearly had no voice in their society, and too countryside have increased their killing, three hours, story after story was told by frequently in their own church. kidnaping, mining of roads, destroying 2020. young and old, rich and poor, friend and Perhaps Rice may never return to the cooperatives, robbing, even threatening stranger. You did an excellent job in church. Nevertheless, God continues to those who will not promise to vote for your article of sharing the flavor of that remain faithful to him. Thankfully, your the opposition UNO. The people are Copyright evening and of paying tribute to a great efforts and the work of others will be the weary. However, belief in the fundamen- man. Thank you for all you give to us voice crying in the wilderness: "Prepare tal goodness, rightness and ultimate vic- throughout the year. the way of the Lord, make straight God's tory of the revolution is strong. Chris- The Rev. Dr. Vienna Cobb Anderson paths." (Pardon the pun.) You have tians speak of this time as being their Washington, D.C. brought a new vision, a new hope to "40 years in the desert" after their es- those who have been kept in bondage or cape from slavery. 300 years late? exile. The Sandinistas are doing everything I am unable to set aside the remarks sub- Paul Bendan mitted in Glen Rice's Letter to the Edi- Pittsburgh, Pa. Continued on page 14

February 1990 THE WITNESS THE

Editor Mary Lou Suhor Assistant Editor Susan E. Pierce uinnESS Promotion Manager Lynne Hoekman Editorial Assistant Susan A. Small

Sr. Contributing Editor Robert L DeWitt

Contributing Editors Barbara C. Harris Carter Heyward MY James Lewis Manning Marable GOD J. Antonio Ramos William W. Rankin MY GOD, why have uou publication. Publisher Episcopal Church Publishing Co. forsaken

and me?

ECPC BOARD OF DIRECTORS reuse for

Chair J. Antonio Ramos Table of Contents

required Vice-Chair Carman St. J. Hunter Cryo in the wilderness: The ethics of embryo freezing Secretary Gloria Brown 6 Charles Meyer Treasurer Robert N. Eckersley Permission Daughter of privilege scorns elitism John H. Burt Alice Callaghan 10 Norris Merchant

DFMS. Otis Charles / Migdalia DeJesus-Torres Are You Running With Me, Jesus? probes prayer anew William R. MacKaye 12 Malcolm Boyd Nan Arrington Peete Church William W. Rankin Chester L Talton The legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Chris Weiss 15 Manning Marable Episcopal the THE WITNESSS (ISSN0197-8896) is published Martha, Mary: Cautionary tale held suspect by women of monthly except July/August by The Episcopal 16 Alison Cheek Church Publishing Company. Editorial Office: P.O. Box 359, Ambler, PA 19002. Telephone 'Seminary-in-wilderness' new concept for '90s Archives (215) 643-7067. THE WITNESS is indexed in Religious and Theological Abstracts and the 16 Carter Heyward

2020. American Theological Library Association's Reli- gion Index One Periodicals. University Microfilms Bishops' report lacks depth International, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, 19 John M. Gessell Ml 48106, reproduces this publication in micro- Copyright form: microfiche and 16 mm or 35 mm film. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 1990. SUBSCRIP- TIONS: $20 per year, $2.50 per copy. Foreign subscriptions add $5 per year. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please advise of changes at least 6 weeks in advance. Include your label from the magazine and send to: Sub- scription Dept., THE WITNESS, P.O. Box 359, Cover graphic, Margaret Longdon, design,TSI Visuals; Bingham photo p. 11, Ambler PA 19002. © George Lang; graphic p. 13, Margaret Longdon; graphic p. 15, David Adams; graphic p. 21, Len Munnik in Ground Zero.

THE WITNESS Editorial

Our demons, ourselves

c'Ontinual reports from Central Amer- page over Noriega's prison photograph. ity of unilateral acts of military force, ica of cold-blooded murders, never-end- And church leaders who filed protests whether covert or overt, against another ing suffering of civilian populations, must have felt like voices crying in the party. The NCC has consistently chal- and, most recently the U.S. invasion of wilderness, as public opinion proved lenged governments, including our own, Panama present abundant, grotesque ma- supportive of the invasion. WITNESS when they have violated these funda- terial for reflection as Lent begins. readers who found the act unconscion- mental principles." publication. One of the six Jesuits murdered in El able will be consoled by the following The Rev. Thom White Wolf Fassett, and Salvador often said, according to the Na- statements, gathered by the Episcopal general secretary of the United Method- tional Catholic Reporter, that the United News Service: ist Church's Board of Church and Soci- reuse States was the most violent country in Episcopal Presiding Bishop Edmond ety: "U.S. intervention in Panama cannot for the world. George Bush seems deter- L. Browning: "I am profoundly sad- be understood as a valid act of a civi- mined to prove it with the 14th U.S. in- dened that the administration has found lized nation. Unilateral intervention, no

required vasion of Panama — yet another ex- it necessary to intervene militarily and matter its validity, can never be sup- ample of "gunboat democracy." unilaterally once again in the affairs of a ported." A New York Times headline last Octo- Western Hemisphere nation — even in Episcopal Bishop James Ottley of ber asked, "What Should Washington the face of extreme provocation ... I Panama: "We regret that the changes so Permission Do About Noriega?" The story, among mourn the deaths both of the U.S. sol- longed for by our people did not find a other things, suggested the possibility of diers and of Panamanian citizens." He response in the negotiations which were DFMS.

/ "an old fashioned military operation." expressed concern whether "such a vio- carried out previously, and that they had But Robert A. Pastor, a former Carter lent act will issue in a just solution." to be accomplished through an armed in- Administration official, is quoted as re- James Hamilton, general secretary tervention, which has left suffering and Church acting to this: "Removing Noriega by of the National Council of Churches, grief in the wake." force is a ridiculous idea. If we failed, sent a letter to President Bush admonish- The Council of Latin American we'd be humilated; and if we succeeded, ing: "The rationale you have offered the Churches called the invasion "a new Episcopal even our closest friends in Latin Amer- nation for having ordered this invasion is terrorist action" and accused the U.S. the

of ica would condemn us. We could be insufficient, in our opinion ... The NCC government of being the "main obstacle faced with a hostile new regime or find has long defended certain basic norms of for the establishment of peace" in the ourselves compelled to support a regime international behavior. These include re- region. Archives through military occupation." spect for the international rule of law; "How long will the Christian churches Then came the Dec. 20 invasion of respect for treaties freely entered into; in the United States continue to tolerate, 2020. Panama. recourse to appropriate intergovernmen- and in some cases, even justify, these Now reactions are setting in — wit- tal organizations for resolution of inter- actions that not only violate the most ba- ness Colombia's firm protest of the U.S. national disputes, and the unacceptabil- sic human rights, but also the right that Copyright Navy in its waters for openers. But what the weakest and smallest countries have about the lack of voices condemning the 7 of 8 churchworkers released to make their own decisions and to write invasion of Panama coming from our Seven of the eight Episcopal churchwork- their own history?" the statement asked. ers who were jailed in El Salvador have own country? Our own Congress? been released. Still detained is Julio Cas- All of which provide sober reflections To their great credit, church leaders tro Ramirez, agronomist for CREDHO, al- for Lent, as we ponder that "some de- reacted with outrage. But they were legedly being held because his brother is mons are cast out only by prayer and fighting macho headlines such as a member of the FMLN. Church lawyers fasting" — and international opinion continue to work for his release. "OURS", which took up half a tabloid mounts that we are those demons.

February 1990 Cryo in the wilderness: The ethics of embryo freezing by Charles Meyer publication. and okes abound about frozen embryos. The applied successfully to human embryos reuse judge in the Tennessee divorce case re- as a possible adjunct for treatment of in- for portedly awarded equal embryo custody fertility in IVF programs. The first hu- to husband and wife: six months in his man birth from a frozen embryo oc-

required J freezer and six months in hers. A new curred in 1985, and there are now nearly movie is said to be titled: "Honey, I 100 children resulting from such em- Thawed The Kids!" Couples with em- bryos. There were nine U.S. IVF clinics

Permission bryos in storage call them "kid-cicles." using cryopreservation in 1985, 15 in But behind the levity is a sense of un- 1986 and 39 in 1987. A 1989 study easiness about the ethical implications of showed that 63% of (responding) clinics DFMS. / cryopreservation — the freezing of hu- used the process and nearly 33% of the man embryos — for our society. This remaining programs were instituting it

Church uneasiness is shared by couples request- by 1990. With the current number of 2.4 ing the procedure, practitioners perform- million infertile U.S. couples on the in- ing it, and commentators observing it, crease due to postponement of preg-

Episcopal and rightly so, for the balance of benefit nancy to later age, environmental factors the to burden is as yet unclear. The scales and sexually transmitted diseases, the of are still teetering while the procedure is demand for the procedure in the current rapidly becoming standard medical prac- 169 U.S. IVF clinics will continue to tice in In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) pro- grow. Archives grams around the world — yet another The method of cryopreservation is

2020. example of medical technology rapidly technically simple. Following the usual outpacing our systems of ethical deci- regime of IVF treatment, immature eggs sion-making. are surgically removed by laparoscopy

Copyright Cryopreservation of embryos is not under general anesthesia or, more cur- new. It has been successfully done with rently, ultrasound-guided vaginal needle mammalian embryos since 1971. But it aspiration. These eggs are then mixed has only been since 1983 that the tech- with the sperm and incubated until they nology for cryopreservation has been reach the 4-to-8 cell stage. After further preparation, the embryos are pipetted into small glass ampoules (called The Rev. Charles Meyer is Assistant Vice President of Patient Services at St. David's "straws") which are heat-sealed and Community Hospital in Austin, Tex.. cooled to minus 30 degrees Centigrade

THE WITNESS before being transferred into liquid nitro- physically and financially. The charge tioned about the process, determined in gen. When the woman is ready to re- for IVF procedures is between $7,000 June of 1988 that cryopreservation of ceive, embryos are thawed one to two and $10,000 per attempt. Repeat at- pre-implantation embryos was "an estab- days following ovulation and are in- tempts with cryopreserved embryos av- lished therapeutic procedure." serted non-surgically (without anesthe- erage about $1,000 each. The benefits of convenience and mini- sia) into her uterus. Critics of the process complain that 50 mization of the woman's physical dis- The ethical issues surrounding this to 60% of the frozen embryos do not comfort have no counter-argument. But process center around cryopreservation survive thawing. Is this a sacrifice worth one must ask whether this manipulation itself, the nature of the embryo, the op- the potential benefit, if the chance for of the reproductive process is worth its tions for disposition of excess embryos, implantation and development to term of potential effect on the family structure informed consent, and the just distribu- the frozen embryo is, even in the best and the morass of legal complications tion of healthcare resources. programs, under 15%? resulting from its use, especially regard- Benefits and burdens Although the risk of multiple pregnan- ing issues of ownership, property rights, There are basically three benefits of cies is reduced by cryopreservation, the liability, and inheritance. freezing human embryos. First, the num- risk of cryodamage and birth defects is Until now, for ease of discussion, the publication. ber of embryos kept available for trans- unknown because there have not been objects here have been referred to as and fer is increased. In many IVF programs "embryos." But there is considerable all fresh embryos must be placed into the popular debate about the nature of the reuse "The items being frozen woman from whom the eggs came. Al- items being frozen. They are variously for though a pregnancy is most likely to be are variously called tissue, called tissue, embryos, preembryos, con- produced with the placement of three to embryos, preembryos, con- cepti, zygotes, life, fetus, human life, required four embryos, if eight to ten eggs are cepti, zygotes, life, fetus, conceptual products, blastocytes, or — fertilized and result in six to eight em- human life, conceptual in the case of Circuit Judge W. Dale bryos, all must be transferred back, thus products, blastocytes, or Young of Tennessee — "the children."

Permission decreasing the likelihood of implanta- "the children." Each has Each has its concomitant emotional, le- tion. If a woman must repeat the IVF its concomitant emotional, gal and theological overtones. process several times, multiple embryos The most accurate designation is

DFMS. legal and theological over- / are lost with each attempt, whereas tones." "preembryo": a fertilized clump of four cryopreservation ultimately decreases to eight cells which are as yet undiffer-

Church the number of "wasted" embryos by entiated. Each one could potentially slowly using one or two at a time. As a grow into a separate embryo; they could result, the process should increase the enough live births to make such a deter- combine to form twins or triplets; or

Episcopal pregnancy rate for infertile couples by mination. It is certain that some damage they could not develop at all and be ex-

the about 8%. to the outer layer of cells occurs, but, as pelled from the woman's body, as a of Second, the risk of multiple pregnan- with cattle, the result of that cell loss large percentage are naturally each cies — twins, triplets, or more — is de- may be minimal. At the four-to-eight month. It is not until two weeks' devel- creased by transferring only a few em- cell stage, each individual cell can still opment that the preembryo cells differ- Archives bryos and freezing the rest for a future develop into a complete and separate entiate into germ layers and an embryo

2020. cycle. Multiple pregnancies often result embryo. That the existence or extent of is formed that may or may not develop in more complications of pregnancy, damage is as yet unknown is enough for into a fetus. It is only at this post-two fewer live births, and smaller birth- some to suggest that the wholesale prac- week embryo stage that placental cells

Copyright weight babies. tice of such an experimental procedure form for the attachment and nourishing Third, and perhaps most important, should not be done so widely without of the developing fetus. cryopreservation obviates the need for strict research protocols. As with other things, what it is called the woman to go through the painful But the rapid demand for, and growth suggests what can be done with it; desig- process of daily injections of hormones of, cryopreservation in IVF programs nation determines disposition. While for ovarian stimulation, frequent blood across the country seems to have made many people want to submit, along with tests, and surgery. Stored frozen em- the practice appear to be standard medi- Judge Young and Pope John Paul II, that bryos can be used for subsequent cycles cal procedure. In fact, the American Fer- "life begins at conception," others be- at much less cost to the couple — both tility Society (AFS), which in 1986 cau- lieve that designation to be fallacious.

February 1990 Life does not begin; it continues. The around the world, The options for their change their minds. preembryo did not spring forth ex nihilo. disposition are: thaw to transfer into the The American Fertility Society and The sperm and egg that joined to form woman from whom they came, storage, • nearly every other organization is the preembryo were alive. What, in fact, donation to another woman, couple, or against intergenerational transfer is being questioned here is the relative program, and thaw to discard. whereby a woman could give birth to a value of life at its various stages. • Thaw to transfer. Especially in the granddaughter, a niece/nephew, or even As a society, we value a full-term case of a partner's death or a divorce, a sibling. baby more than a 19-week fetus. In the remaining partner may wish to have Screening of preembryos presents Texas (and some other states) a 20-week the unused preembryos transferred back other ethical dilemmas. If a couple de- stillborn requires a death certificate, into herself— or the man's new partner, termine through genetic screening that while a 19-week one does not. Further, infertile or not. In instances of birth or their preembryo has cystic fibrosis or we value a 19-week fetus more than an disagreement between parties, the sickle cell disease or oncogenes ought embryo, an embryo more than a preem- woman may wish to dispose of the ex- they be able to discard on the basis of bryo, and a preembryo more than sperm cess preembryos by thawing and trans- the possibility of unwanted future medi- and egg. Few would suggest, for in- ferring them into her uterus, either with cal difficulties? On what other bases publication. stance, that the demise of an undifferen- ought such discard be permitted? Sex? and tiated group of cells is equal to the death Eye color? Skin color? Furthermore, of a full-term baby. But it is reasonable once the preembryo has been transferred reuse that the loss of these cells, whether natu- into the uterus, implanted and become for rally dispelled from the woman's body an embryo, can the couple request "em- or through thawing, has more meaning bryo reduction" — the injection of a le- required than the loss of sperm and egg tissue. thal substance by needle into unwanted For this reason, as the American Fertility implanted embryos — if twinning or tri- Society suggests, preembryos should be pling occurs? treated with more respect than sperm

Permission • Storage. Although no one knows and egg tissue, but with less than a fur- how long preembryos may be kept fro- ther stage of development. zen, presumably they may be stored in- DFMS.

/ This reasoning is crucial to under- definitely. It is assumed that the longer standing the ethical acceptability of the storage time the less likely the no thought to the ovulatory cycle, or Church cryopreservation. It is precisely because preembryo is to survive thawing or to of the preembryo's lesser existence, as leaving their implantation to chance. implant upon transfer. Many programs compared to the embryo, that it may be Questions arise regarding whether the set arbitrary limits on length of storage.

Episcopal frozen, even knowing that half of them couple or surviving spouse has the right A frequently used standard from the AFS to designate to whom the excess preem- the will not survive thawing. It is not that is "for the reproductive life of the of the preembryo is insignificant and may bryos will be transferred. Could they be woman or until the original objective of be cavalierly dealt with, but that its sig- given to the deceased woman's sister, storage has been achieved." nificance and value are less that of an mother, or daughter? If disease or acci- Of the over 30,000 preembryos stored Archives embryo, and the burden of its loss is less dent has rendered the woman whose worldwide, the United States has about than the benefits accrued to the woman. preembryos are frozen incapable of bear- as many as all other countries combined. 2020. Disposition of preembryos ing children, can she choose the recipi- It is certain that not all of these preem- Probably the most vexing issue arising ent? If a woman divorces and determines bryos will be used by the couples from from cryopreservation is the disposition she is lesbian, can she and/or her new Copyright whom they came. One of the concerns of excess, unused or unwanted preem- female partner opt to receive the excess arising from this massive number, all of bryos. When a pregnancy and live birth preembryos? which, presumably, will have a data has been achieved, when one of the Most programs require that the partici- sheet in their computer file, is the prob- couple dies or the two divorce, or when pants sign a detailed informed consent lem of preembryo banking. The United a change of mind occurs, excess cry- before entering, designating their States already permits the sale of blood, oprcserved preembryos are the result. It choices in these matters ahead of time. semen and plasma (a practice forbidden is estimated that there are currently over Courts will undoubtedly deal with the by federal law on other continents such 30,000 frozen preembryos in storage situations where people sign and then as Australia and Europe). It may eventu-

THE WITNESS ally be possible to go to a bank and couple's interest in giving their genetic In Great Britain, to enter an IVF pro- choose the desired characteristics of a legacies the best possibility of achieving gram, a couple must have been in treat- preembryo for transfer, regardless of birth, while at the same time fulfilling ment for infertility for at least 12 months one's sexual orientation, age, economic the wishes of another infertile couple. and receive psychological counseling re- or marital status, or level of infertility. The issue this option raises is one of garding possible emotional ramifications Many people argue that this is no differ- ownership. Whose property are they? of the process. No such guidelines exist ent from current adoption practice, and Can a program require a couple to relin- in the United States. Because these emo- would result in even closer emotional quish ownership of their preembryos tional bonding issues have not been bonding since the woman would pre- ahead of time in an informed consent taken seriously by either clinicians or at- sumably carry the preembryo to term statement? What if circumstances, or torneys, no one has really studied the le- and actually give birth to the child. To feelings change? gal ramifications regarding the relin- avoid the banking dilemma, some pro- Part of the problem lies in the differ- quishment of property rights before en- grams set a two to five-year limit on ing ways of viewing the entire process. tering a program, designating a particu- storage once a birth has been achieved, Physicians and clinics tend to view IVF lar recipient (intergenerational, relative in order to bring closure to the process. in general and cryopreservation in par- or otherwise) or the right to choose to publication. Programs vary on how to charge for ticular entirely as a medical intervention discard thawed preembryos. and storage. Some charge a flat fee at the for treatment of infertility, the goal of Current preembryo donation practices beginning, others a monthly or yearly which is to produce a pregnancy and, are unregulated. Consensus is unclear reuse

for fee. But what happens if the couple no hopefully, a live birth. Frozen preem- about what, if any, records — other than longer wants the preembryos, or leaves bryos are the means to that end. Couples, medical/genetic ones — should be kept the area without notice, or becomes un- who are often desperate by now, tend to regarding the donating couples' per- required able to pay the storage charge? Should see the process as the final step in a long sonal, professional and edutational the preembryos then become the prop- series of medical/personal failures which backgrounds, and if and how such data erty of the program and be donated, used holds out the last hope that they will should be made available to adopting

Permission for research, or thawed to discard? Like- have their own genetic replicants: i.e. couples, or the children themselves. As wise, what is the liability in the event of "children." Once the IVF process is ac- with adoption, does the donating couple a power failure, mishandling or other complished and some preembryos are relinquish all rights forever to the knowl- DFMS. / human error? Is the death of the preem- transferred and some frozen, there is of- edge of their genetic material's where- bryos due to these causes legally to be ten little delineation between the two abouts? Is there a difference between

Church considered murder or negligent homi- sets of preembryos — all of which have giving up a full-term infant for adoption cide? Though most states do not yet now taken on the symbolic meaning of which the woman has carried in her have case law on these issues, it seems "the children," with concomitant emo- womb and nurtured for nine months and Episcopal clear that no prosecutions would result tional bonding. If the transfer fails and donating eight-celled preembryos from a the from power failures, but a program the preembryos do not implant in the freezer to someone else? of might find itself in difficulty if it took uterus, or a pregnancy miscarries, the Until consensus develops, it would custody of the preembryos as a result of couple feels as though a significant probably be well to consider preembryo

Archives the couple's failure to pay or show inter- death has occurred. Having other preem- donation parallel to adoption, and call est or availability, unless a clear and bryos in the freezer may assuage some the process adoption rather than dona- 2020. complete informed consent document of those feelings, knowing that other at- tion. Adoption emphasizes the action of was clearly in evidence. tempts are possible, or may be the cause the receiving woman or couple and fo- In any case, preembryo storage and of further grieving when donated. cuses on the rights of the child, while Copyright banking will be fraught with difficulties The parallel with mothers or parents donation emphasizes the action of the until some clear consensus arises regard- who give up full-term babies for adop- givers and seeks to defend their prop- ing the nature of the preembryo and the tion is applicable here. While there is erty/ownership rights. While the rights options for its disposition beyond the obviously a difference from the physi- of all parties need protection, those of freezer. cian's perspective between an eight- the potential child seem most vulnerable • Donation. For some couples, dona- celled preembryo and a newborn, there and worthy of primary focus. tion of their excess, unwanted preem- is often little difference for the parents • Thaw to discard. When the goal of bryos — termed "little orphan embryo" of those preembryos, who may begin to by some —• is a way to preserve that see the frozen objects as their property. Continued on page 22

February 1990 Sallie Bingham: Daughter of privilege scorns elitism by Norris Merchant

a. ou can't get away from some of Prayer Book Society, with much the deep gratitude for having been intro- the amazing things the Gospels say. I same nostalgia that Bingham's ancestors duced to certain Christian values, even always used to be astonished to hear this had for the doomed, antebellum South. though she saw them blatantly violated minister who seemed to be part of the A Confederate flag was prominently dis- in the suburban "mansion-church" at- white elite talking about 'suffer little played among the memorabilia in her fa- tended by her family and other well-to- children,' all the brotherhood scenes, ther's office. do white folk. "I did develop a great publication. and that rich man who could no more get Those rich Christians who would lis- love of the ritual, and still love the sym- and into heaven than a camel could get ten respectfully to Gospel passages that bols of the Christian church," she said. through the eye of a needle. These were seemed to condemn them, said Bingham, But when she ventures to church these reuse extraordinary things to be saying to a would nevertheless engage in philan- days, Bingham admitted, "the language for rich, prosperous, upper-class congrega- thropy that "basically furthers the cause is a problem for me. I'm very put off by tion. And nobody seemed to be taking of the status quo. It has nothing to do having to constantly refer to 'God the required them seriously." with change." Father' and so on." This candid astonishment at striking Like many offspring of the ultra-rich, Because of her determination to wit- contradictions helped direct Sallie Bing- Bingham found her closest childhood re- ness to feminist values she sees consis- ham, the daughter of a wealthy, liberal lationship with a beloved and loving tently threatened in a male-dominated Permission and devoutly Episcopalian publisher in nurse. Nonetheless, from the intensity of world, Bingham finds unusual means of Louisville, Ky., toward militant femi- commitments she discusses with such speaking out. At her father Barry's fu- DFMS.

/ nism and a more free-swinging and ven- deep feeling, one senses that however neral last year, when noted politicians, turesome political stance than that of her distant her parents were, their professed the wealthy and the humble packed Lou- liberal values took root in her — even isville's Calvary Church to pay tribute to

Church family. In fact, her relations appear to have at least temporarily disowned her. while her aging parents were becoming a man they highly regarded, she insisted One reason may be her frank discussions conservatized by unwelcome events in on altering the masculine language used society and the church. The raucous in the service. Episcopal in her family memoir, Passion and Prejudice, of dark rumors surrounding youth rebellions of the 1960s were not to

the "They were singing all those incredi- of the death of her step-grandmother, sup- the taste of the elder Binghams, admirers bly paternalistic hymns: 'Faith of My posedly the richest woman in America, of the sedately "aristocratic" liberalism Fathers,' 'Rock of Ages,' and I kept and her conjectures concerning her fa- of Adlai Stevenson. They tended to see changing the pronouns." She made her Archives ther's possible U.S. intelligence connec- the Episcopal Church's statements as instant liturgical revisions with such tions during his work as a Marshall Plan becoming more embarrassingly "politi- confident loudness that she was over- 2020. coordinator. cal" and the liturgical changes as de- heard in the sanctuary, causing rector Though forgiveness or reconciliation meaning. Of her mother's attitude to- Benjamin Sanders to smile about it after- ward Prayer Book reform and allied mat- wards.

Copyright may be alien to her family's present stance, a desire to retain the elegant, ters, Bingham said, "She's been a great "I sang pretty forcefully," she ex- Elizabethan language of the 1928 Book force for conformity in the Episcopal plained. "It was not really done in a of Common Prayer has proved more to Church. I've been sorry to see that be- spirit of rebellion, it's just the only way I their taste. Bingham's mother Mary has cause a lot of that has been directed can sing those hymns any more." assiduously supported the traditionalist against women in the clergy." There exists, said Bingham, a contra- What Bingham valued from her up- diction between the radical vision of the Gospels and the fact that "the church Norris Merchant is a free-lance writer based in bringing in the church is "the philoso- Louisville, Ky. phy, not the practices." She professed a seems to attract the conformist members

10 THE WITNESS trying to minister to," said Bingham. anti-nature, anti-woman connection is Many women serving the male power very strong. It's something feminist en- structure of the church, she noted, em- vironmentalists are beginning to talk brace "the spirit of humility, which in about. There's something about 'nature' effect means that you can never really that the male power structure abhors." criticize anything." There came a time when Bingham re- Bingham was not reluctant to discuss a quired vast inner strength to fight a sense of spiritual awareness she finds ex- power structure. In 1984 women family tremely meaningful and sustaining in her members were asked to resign from the own life. "I have always felt a Higher board of her father's newspaper, the Power. At this point in my life, at age Courier-Journal. She refused and was 52,1 feel this power most strongly in as- then forced off. She eventually decided pects of nature, and in young people, to sell her stock in the family empire, where I do think you see the spirit of which later led to her father's surprise God working." announcement that the entire family publication. That sense of something divine in cer- holdings would be sold. During that cri- and tain vital manifestations of life tran- sis, Bingham averred that one of her scends for her, at present, the value of principal supports came from Al-Anon, a reuse the church as an institution. "I don't be- secular self-help group mainly intended for long to a church at this time," she said, for family members of persons with Sallie Bingham "and I don't attend regularly, because I drinking problems. She found the frank, required of society. It's so rare to find a rebel or find the service so alienating." open, and non-judgmental exchange of an outcast who's working from within Louisville has become the scene of confidences provided in Al-Anon meet- the church." much feminist activity since Bingham ings a source of strength.

Permission When asked how she as feminist centered the Kentucky Foundation for The controversy attending the sale re- would evaluate the work of a woman Women and her literary quarterly The sulted in much blame being placed un- like Mother Teresa, who is known to American Voice there. The city's Christ fairly. Bingham was resented as the cata- DFMS. / hold traditional attitudes, Bingham said, Church Cathedral has also become the lyst that brought about the fall of one of "I think that works on two levels. She is home of the Episcopal Church's first the great, liberal family-owned newspa-

Church certainly relieving suffering, and I have woman dean. "I've been going to the pers and the loss of many jobs. A caller the greatest admiration for her commit- Cathedral now and then, where we have on one interview program asked her, ment. But in terms of being an example a wonderful woman, Dean Geralyn "How does it feel to be hated by 2,200

Episcopal for other women, I don't think it's help- Wolf," she said, "But the service hasn't people?" For a while such issues de-

the ful because of this aura of saintliness. changed." flected public attention from projects of Most of us don't think we can be saints Anti-feminist activity also abounds in such as her new foundation which, using — it's a model that's never really the city. Responding to the picketing by part of her proceeds from the sale, has worked too well for the vast majority of anti-choice groups at a Louisville public already given well over a million dollars Archives the population. We're well aware of our clinic, Bingham said it was "horrifying. to support the work of women artists. frailty, and our need to have life made a 2020. They're led by some blind hatred and are Controversies also tended to over- little easier. When we see someone like really persecuting people already in dis- shadow Bingham's previous work — Mother Teresa, who appears to have no tress. I just can't imagine people who two well-praised books of short stories, a needs, it's rather alienating." Copyright call themselves Christians behaving that novel, and eight plays, in addition to her So far as the problem of ending pov- way." remarkably venturesome stint at the erty goes, Bingham commented, Mother Bingham confesses to being disturbed Courier-Journal as book review editor, Teresa "is not changing structure, or by the overwhelming patriarchal empha- where she wrote a column championing even criticizing structure, as far as I sis still found in Western religion. "From regional and little-known literary publi- know." what little I know about what happened cations and writers. Mother Teresa's stated opposition to in the pre-Christian era, the Goddess re- Characteristically, among the books all abortion or even birth control "just ligions all over the world were slowly adds to the troops of the hopeless she's but thoroughly exterminated. I think the Continued on page 23

February 1990 11 Are You Running With Me, Jesus ? At 25, book probes prayer anew by Malcolm Boyd

T wenty-five years ago, Are You Run- old house is nearly all torn down, Jesus" because the publisher thought the book ning With Me, Jesusl, a book of 89 short was a view directly across the street. was doomed to peak at 4,000 sales. prayers and meditations I wrote was "The kids are smiling, Jesus, on the tene- What difference could a title make? published. Langston Hughes insisted on ment stoop" — six blocks away. "In this The avalanche of letters from readers calling them, simply, poems. When the ugly red building, old people are waiting was the first indication something excit- book deeply touched the lives of people for death" — three blocks away. ing was happening. Their communica- and was critically acclaimed, it was the The impulse to write the book sprang tions filled pages and dealt with complex publication. most unexpected event of my life up to from my increasing inability to pray. I matters. One terse message remains my and that time. had always assumed prayer was neces- favorite: "My sister and I are too old to The book emerged in silence, with vir- sarily verbal. I forced myself to use the run with Jesus as we used to do," a reuse tually no reviews. Twelve months after archaic language of liturgical prayer, woman wrote. "Now we're only able to for publication, Are You Running With Me, battling my growing disillusionment and walk with him. Jesus has taken us over Jesus? was selling 5,000 copies a week. boredom. Wasn't God supposed to be up some rough terrain but he stayed with us. The title became familiar in the press, on required there? When this neat system collapsed Old and weary though we are, we can TV and radio; its name began to appear for me, I virtually stopped praying, ex- say there is no other way. His hand is on banners in peace demonstrations. cept for the Lord's Prayer. large and secure, isn't it?" The spirit of the times had a lot to do In the spring of 1964 a group of Ro- I seldom used structured words in my Permission with the book's growing reception. man Catholic laity and clergy invited me own prayers or meditation anymore, ex- There was excitement and a positive to visit Israel and Rome. At one point we cept for those uttered in a conversation

DFMS. thrust in religion that could not be sepa- / visited Cyprus where the men lived dor- where God's presence, or need, was par- rated from a comparable secular mood, mitory-style in a hostel. One afternoon ticularly strongly felt. Prayerful reflec- with its Peace Corps imagery of hope, everybody was taking a nap despite the tions used to stand as something separate Church the civil rights struggle, a strong public sounds of distant gunfire being ex- from other parts of my life. But I came consciousness of a potential to effect sig- changed by Greek and Turkish Cypriots. to learn that real prayer or meditation is nificant changes in society, and a near- not so much talking to God as just shar-

Episcopal I lay on my cot, trying to pray. Then I universal yearning for peace. picked up a pen and notebook. "It's ing God's presence, generally in the the

of I wrote most of the book during the morning, Jesus," I wrote, "and here's most ordinary of situations. summer and fall of 1964 in inner-city that light and sound all over again." I also learned how to feel free to be Detroit. The meditation that begins I didn't know it at the time, but that completely myself with God. Now, in a Archives "Look up at that old window where the was the basis of the first entry in Are given situation, knowing that God is old guy is sitting," was based, for ex- You Running With Me, Jesus? I was with me — perhaps revealed in another 2020. ample, on a street scene just five blocks grappling with prayer and meditation in person, or persons — I speak out of that from my lodgings near Wayne State a new way. After the tour I again started deep trust and love which can spring University, where I was a chaplain. "The writing my sacred thoughts. only from a healthy, tried and authentic Copyright I sent the resulting book to a friend. freedom. When my idea of prayer The publisher for whom he worked ac- changed, I realized it would no longer be The Rev. Malcolm Boyd is writer/priest-in-resi- cepted it, and the original contract titled offered to God up there, but to God dence at St. Augustine by-the-Sea Episcopal the book, Prayers for a Post-Christian here; it was to be natural and real, not Church in Santa Monica, Cal. This article is Era. The editor explained we would phony or contrived. It was not about adapted with permission from the Introduction to have to move very carefully if we called other things — as a rationalized fantasy the anniversary edition of Are You Running With Me, Jesus?, to be published in April. Copyright, it Are You Running With Me, Jesusl Fi- or escape — but these things, however Beacon Press 1990. nally that title won approval, but only unattractive, jarring or even socially out-

12 THE WITNESS cast they might sometimes appear to be. carefully structured life at Yale Univer- Prayer is so much more than most sity's Calhoun College while I privately people give it credit for. It can be voting, experienced a crisis of faith. A Humpty making love, being angry, being quiet, Dumpty part of me had fallen and bro- marching in a peace demonstration, wa- ken into pieces. What did I actually be- tering a garden, attending an office lieve? Could I rediscover it or find it meeting, listening, lying on a sick bed, anew? I sought peace, intellectual hon- dancing, getting married, starting a new esty, and spiritual renewal. job. Prayer can be filled with color and In 1970 I entered into an even deeper fun, vitality and pain, hopelessness and spiritual search. For the most part I cut starting over again. myself off from people, stayed close to An exciting aspect of prayer, for me, nature in the Michigan countryside, and is that the old patriarchy is dead. God is was nurtured by the steady, slow turning not, I discovered, a hierarchical, auto- of the seasons, with their witness to cratic, macho "Lord" of a clublike "holy God's creation and stability. In 1976 I publication. of holies," nor is God an impersonal ma- came out of one of my life's closets and chine computing sins in a celestial cor- when I revealed that I am a gay man. porate office above the clouds. It came I experienced a rebirth that reverber- reuse to me that God is loving, even vulner- ated through my entire life with its sheer for able, in a terribly unsentimental and pro- spiritual intensity. The reaffirmed love found way, demonstrating the depth, of God for me as a person created in required complexity and holy simplicity of an ex- widespread, often hidden, community God's image became overpowering. The traordinary relationship with people. that is open to the Spirit of God — rang- love of Jesus Christ, who shared every I came to realize many prayers and ing from Christians to Buddhists, Jews to aspect of human life in the Incarnation

Permission meditations are uttered or felt without adherents of New Age consciousness — and is my Redeemer, set me afire with prescribed forms of piety. If you listen, incarnates prayer in its essential life. My new hope and joy. The companionship you can hear sacred thoughts and reflec- own prayer is part of this. But many of the Holy Spirit is, I found, nurturing, DFMS. / tions in the novels, songs, plays and times when I am caught up in egoism or intimate, a limitless source of strength, films of a wide range of contemporary self-pity, I forget. and a guide to personal well-being and

Church artists. Authentic prayer bridges the he- I am as conscious of experiencing God social responsibility. retical gulf between the sacred and secu- everywhere in life as a medieval person Imagine my dismay, then, in confront- lar, the holy and profane. residing in the shadow of Chartres Ca- ing a Mt. Everest of turning points that

Episcopal We also encounter anti-prayers when thedral, or an ancient tribal person living apparently still lay ahead. Although the confronted by worshipers who deny in close to nature might be. My sacred loaded down with accoutrements of what of their actions outside a church building thoughts, prayers and meditations reflect the world chooses to call achievement, I what they "pray" about inside. There is a this. had to face a crucial question: What is hypocritical gulf between mouthing the purpose of the rest of my life? De- Archives In 1965 Are You Running With Me, prayers about racial justice, and then Jesus? became a phenomenon as well as spite everything I had to be grateful for,

2020. resolutely manipulating a white power a book. As a result, it was necessary for I was aware I had come perilously close structure to keep non-whites in housing me to confront and assimilate celebrity, to not growing anymore. I felt my life ghettos, unemployment, and intermi- and learn how to survive it. Now, nearly was becoming encased in cement. I had Copyright nable second- or third-class citizenship. a quarter of a century has passed since to get in touch anew with my conscience Prayer, I have learned, is more my re- the appearance of the book. I am also and intuition, feelings and senses. The sponse to God than a matter of my own that much older, having celebrated last Book of Common Prayer says quite elo- initiative. I believe Jesus Christ prays in year not only my 66th birthday but also quently, "Deliver us from the presump- me as well as for me. But my response my 34th anniversary as an Episcopal tion of coming to this table for solace — like the Psalmists' — is sporadic, priest. Doing so, I found myself looking only, and not for strength; for pardon moody, now despairing, now joyful, cor- back on the significant spiritual turning only, and not for renewal." The moment rupted by my self-interest and frequent points of my life. had come once again come for me to get desire to manipulate God's love. The In 1968 I withdrew into a reflective, deeply involved in the quest for Christ's

February 1990 13 strength and renewal. rote and devoid of passionately commit- Letters ... Continued from page 3 I find to my delight that I am not alone ted spiritual leaders — is unable to meet possible to assure fair elections. The on my spiritual journey. Companions are the challenge. Growing numbers of challenge to the rest of us is to do what- legion. It is different from the mood of people are asking how to gain the world ever we can to assure that the findings of 1965, and Are You Running With Me, without losing one's soul. the international observers, which indi- Jesus? There is now anxiety and hope While Jesus is the same, our world is cate that the electoral process is proceed- about the emergence of a new century. not. The deep changes are reflected in ing fairly and freely and faces its great- An earlier innocence has been replaced the pages of the new 25th anniversary est threat from contra activity, are circu- by a hard awareness of realities — it is edition of the book. For one thing, envi- lated and accepted in the United States understood that youthful, fresh idealism ronmental issues have moved to the fore- Dorothy Granada is not enough. Yet old answers and fa- front of our consciousness and experi- Managua, Nicaragua miliar approaches do not suffice. ence. Survival itself is at stake, along (WITNESS Assistant Editor Susan Pierce went to Nicaragua as part of the Episco- In our highly materialistic, consumer- with our common health. Tragically, we pal Peace Fellowship Witness for Peace oriented, success-motivated society, have let racial justice lag below the level delegation to monitor the election. Her there is a spiritual wilderness. Conven- of minimal decency and the require- publication. analysis will appear in a future issue.) tional churchianity — too timid to ad- ments of an honest conscience. and dress controversial social issues, publicly Women's and gay/lesbian rights have Communists? asexual, reciting traditional norms by taken immense strides, yet even though a reuse Can you send me a copy of a recent war has been won, battles remain to be for issue of THE WITNESS, please? I waged. And ever-new wars hang in the heard an Episcopal bishop in a radio in- Barbara Harris: balance. Politics remains a dismaying terview explaining differences in the required Bishop paradox between the forces of public church. He said, "Some people say it (THE WITNESS) is communist." He Order a copy of the historic service and the most flagrant, abusive assertions of self-interest. was from Ft. Worth. I longed to read April issue of THE WITNESS your ideas.

Permission Therefore, new prayers in the 25th an- commemorating the Feb. 11 Virginia Killough consecration of the first niversary edition reflect my focus on these matters. Scattered intermittently La Porte, Ind.

DFMS. woman bishop in the Episco- / pal Church and Anglican through the book, they concern a wide sincere belief in the significance of in- Communion. range of subjects including AIDS, the

Church planet Earth, gridlock traffic in the city, clusive language and an honest effort to 1 to 5 copies: $3.00 each the human voyage into outer space, a utilize it. 6 and over: $2.00 each ceremony of loving union, and Latino Prayer is many things: intimate and Prepaid orders only Episcopal immigrants. There are a few new chap- public, personal and social. It concerns

the ters: Meditations at a Zen Buddhist Re- one's own life and the life of the world. of Enclosed is a check for treat Center in the Country; Meditations The book celebrates the loving life of Please send copy/ies of the at Home, at Work, on Identity, On Curi- God in the world. April WITNESS to: ous Occasions; Life and Death in a Re- In its pages are meditations and reflec- Archives tirement Home; Non-Verbal Prayers and tions, fragments of experience and mem- ory that express a yearning for whole-

2020. Jesus Prayers. Name Language has changed too; it is con- ness, and many different forms of what stantly in flux. Twenty-five years ago we call prayer. If you are willing to Address Copyright blacks were called Negroes by the me- share the intimacy of a spiritual journey dia; gay men and lesbians were called with me and let me be your guide in City homosexuals. But the most dramatic occasional labyrinths and over some changes are found in the area of inclu- hills, I offer you my hand. sive language. A quarter of a century (Are You Running With Me, Jesus?: State Zip ago, "he" was used to describe persons A Spiritual Companion for the 1990's Mail to THE WITNESS, P.O. Box of both genders; God was referred to as by Malcolm Boyd will appear soon in 359, Ambler, PA 19002 "He" or "Him." Paternalism was firmly paperback at $8.95 from Beacon Press, entrenched. The new edition represents a Boston.)

14 THE WITNESS The Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Manning Marable MLartin Luther King, Jr., has been hatred of war. Against bitter attacks, dead for nearly a generation. The politi- WOKE UP fHiS MORN King urged black Americans to reject cal environment which defined his ac- •NG WTH MY MiND American imperialism abroad, and the tivities — the oppressive conditions of sterile logic of crusading anti-Commu- legal segregation and political disenfran- STAYED ON FREEDOM nism. He inspired millions to oppose the chisement — no longer exists. It is easy, U.S. war effort. therefore, for those who opposed King's But King's political legacy tran- democratic social vision while he was scended the issue of Vietnam. He began alive, such as President Bush, to now to recognize that the political program of provide platitudes about racial equality integration was insufficient to achieve publication. and justice. Faced with the destruction of economic equality for people of color in and the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, the the United States. He called for the na- absence of enforcement for affirmative tionalization of basic industries, in order reuse action and equal opportunity legislation, to guarantee jobs for the inner cities. for and the policy of ignoring the mounting King favored a plan for a guaranteed in- tragedies of black unemployment, home- come for all Americans, and expanded

required lessness and growing poverty, most social programs. Massive reductions in white American politicians hide behind the Pentagon budget would be required the soothing image of King as an advo- to finance this domestic reconstruction. cate of racial peace. They fear the dis- American foreign policy abroad would Permission turbing implications of the economic and have to pull back from its support for social demands for restructuring Ameri- imperialism, economic exploitation and DFMS. / can society that King made in the final Black elected officials and all blacks political domination. years of his life, and pretend that this who gained some degree of success in King's political vision also makes radical phase of his career never existed. Church the cultural, social and political hierar- sense for the 1990s. We must advocate Black politicians have a different re- chy of white America owe part of their certain socioeconomic prerequisites for sponsibility to be truthful in African- accomplishments to King and thousands full participation in a democracy, such American history. To be sure, King sym- Episcopal of other nameless freedom fighters who as the right to a job, not to starve, and to bolized the struggle to desegregate the the demanded a redefinition of democracy have decent housing and free medical of racist South and dismantle the structures beyond the color line. care. King would insist that the battle of civil inequality. His famous "I Have a But civil rights was not the only issue today against racism is being lost, and Dream" speech, given on the steps of the to divide America in the 1960s. Under that all Americans lose when blacks' Archives Lincoln Memorial on a hot August after- the Johnson administration, the United median incomes are barely 55% of noon in 1963, spoke for the democratic whites'. Poverty is directly connected

2020. States had sent over half a million troops sacrifices and struggles of millions of to southeast Asia. Black Americans rep- with urban crime. And the answer to ur- African-Americans, from the abolition- resented one out of every seven soldiers ban chaos, King would tell us, is not ists like Frederick Douglass and So- more police and capital punishment. The Copyright in Vietnam. They suffered disproportion- journer Truth to the early civil rights ately high casualties because they were termination of drugs, crime and social crusaders like Dr. W.E.B. DuBois, A. unfairly ordered into combat units. unrest will come about only with total Philip Randolph, and Ida B. Wells. While the NAACP and the Urban reconstruction of the inner cities, which League, fearing political retaliation, cau- requires shifting millions of dollars from Or. Manning Marable, Professor of Political tioned against the civil rights movement the military budget. The legacy of Mar- Science at the University of Colorado, is a mem- becoming involved in the Vietnam War tin Luther King demands a rededication ber of THE WITNESS editorial board. His to the struggle to create both political column, Along the Color Line, appears in 170 debate, King made the decision to align newspapers in the United States and abroad. his political beliefs with his ethical and economic democracy in America, ua

February 1990 15 About these reflections Martha, Mary: Cautionary Feminist theologians Alison Cheek and Carter Heyward chose the Feast of Sts. In 1974 on the regular feast day of search for an ordained woman to join its Martha and Mary — the date of their Ir- Martha and Mary, 11 women deacons faculty. Increasing numbers of women regular" ordinations in 1974 — to reflect on were seeking admission to the school, the relation of these two biblical women to were ordained to the priesthood in a their present lives in general and to the role service in Philadelphia that was later many of whom were also seeking ordi- of a seminary in modern times in particular. termed "irregular." It is true that the nation. After the Philadelphia event this Their meditations, delivered in back-to- Episcopal Church was constipated in the school made a very serious and deliber- back sermons at the Episcopal Divinity ate decision that it would not eliminate School, Cambridge, Mass., offer conun- matter of the ordination of women to the drums that might well be pondered by all priesthood and episcopate, and since the from the search any of the women who men and women. women were ordained without the for- were ordained in Philadelphia. It also Cheek points out the irony in the Lucan mal consent of their diocesan bishops, decided that, were one of the women so story of Martha and Mary, cited by many as ordained to be hired, she would function a "woman's gospel" but regarded with sus- perhaps it is accurate enough to call it publication. picion by women today because of the way "irregular." But it is a piece of history regularly and normally as a priest. and the story, told by a man, sets "activists" at worthy of anamnesis. This decision involved making a pro- odds with reflective or contemplative At that time the Episcopal Divinity phetic witness. It meant taking a public reuse women. Heyward examines the role of strong School (EDS) had already begun its stand that the opinion of this institution for women in "wilderness" times, and urges differed from that of the House of Bish- seminaries not to succumb to "wilderness ops, which had passed a resolution say- fatigue" as the path of least resistance to- The Rev. Alison Cheek, ordained as one of the required ing that the Philadelphia ordinations day. — Ed. "Philadelphia 11" in 1974, is Director of Feminist Liberation Theology Studies at the Episcopal Di- were not valid. It was a prophetic deci- vinity School, Cambridge, Mass. sion. People put their status in the Permission DFMS. /

Church 'Seminary-in-wilderness' new

he tradition of the real Martha and are is in the wilderness. We are in a tra- wilderness all about?

Episcopal Mary — strong, active women whom the dition not only of the real Mary and First, it's not as easy or as comfortable the early church was trying to silence — Martha, but also of the people of Israel, as it was in Egypt. It was easier when of was embodied in the 1974 Philadelphia who once in bondage to false gods, there was no question that good Episco- ordinations when 11 "uppity" women found themselves wandering in the wil- palians used the Book of Common derness between captivity and liberation. Prayer for daily and weekly worship. It

Archives were ordained priests. The Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) Hear their lament: "Why were we was more comfortable when there was

2020. has a tradition of outspoken women in brought up out of Egypt to die in this no question that spiritual and ecclesiasti- an outspoken seminary. But there are wilderness? We even hate the food." cal authority was passed down by God questions about if and how, as a school, That's where we are in this school, in the through His church in the persons of

Copyright we intend to be faithful to this tradition, wilderness — betwixt and between — bishops and priests to lay people. It was about where we stand. and that's where we've been since at easier when there was no question that I want to suggest that where we really least 1975 and, in many ways, long be- an Episcopal seminary ought to be first fore that. By the grace of God, and with and foremost a training school for pro- The Rev. Carter Heyward, ordained as one of a little help from God's friends, that's fessional parish priests. It was more the "Philadelphia 11" in 1974, is Professor of where we'll continue to journey on this comfortable when we wanted to be a Theology at the Episcopal Divinity School in side of God's realm where justice will school that the church loved; a school Cambridge, Mass. A contributing editor to THE that most bishops would welcome their WITNESS, she has published numerous books roll down like water and righteousness and articles on feminist theology. like an ever-flowing stream. What is this folks attending; a school widely re-

16 THE WITNESS tale held suspect by women by Alison cheek

church, and maybe their jobs, on the vorably by EDS. After all, she seemed to be doing all the line, and it is something that we should On the day of the ordinations in Phila- work. And they are apt to be co-opted by honor and be proud of today. delphia it seemed to us very propitious the commendation of Mary. I have found The women concerned did not lose the that the feast day of Martha and Mary that even in the most conservative of initiative even in the process of hiring, fell in the calendar at that time. It women's groups there is nothing like since the three persons who were "short- seemed good that we could be ordained this story to raise a hermeneutic of suspi- listed" for that job — Suzanne Hiatt, on a day that is one of the few honoring cion. Carter Hey ward and I — by mutual women, and where the Gospel is a Some feminist interpreters have tried agreement decided that one should with- woman's story. to save the story by saying Jesus is res- draw, and the others suggest to the Actually, the Lucan account of Mary cuing women from the stereotyped role school that they be hired to share the and Martha is not a woman's story. I'll of housewife and liberating them within publication. position. Now, in the ceremonial life of guarantee it wasn't lifted out of the se- the church, giving them a new role. But the hiring of faculty, this isn't terribly and cret journal of either Mary or Martha. It there are difficulties with this line of in- conventional behavior. Nevertheless, it is a man's story about Jesus and two terpretation, because if we adopt it, we reuse was not far from those communities in women. And by and large, women have are bringing Christian women from their for the early church which made decisions always been leery of it, hating the play- marginal position and raising them up at because "it felt good to the Holy Spirit ing off of two women, one against the the historical expense of their Jewish sis- and to us." And it felt good to the Holy other. Most women strongly identify ters. We are presupposing that Jewish required Spirit in the sisterhood and to us to make with either one character or the other. women had no chance to study the To- this suggestion, which was accepted fa- Yet they resent the put-down of Martha. rah, and that Christian women have been Permission DFMS. / by Carter Heyward Church '90S

garded as one of the finest, if not the tage, and nurture the seeds of liberation — including, of course, the Anglican

Episcopal finest, seminary in the church. planted by Episcopalians who have tradition and the Episcopal church — struggled at the margins of the church has not embraced the commitment to lib- the It was easier in Egypt; it always is. of The people of Israel knew this, which and society? Or are we being asked to eration which is essential to being a was why they lamented, complained, got shape up and conform in more conven- faithful wilderness people. Thus we find tired of wandering, got fed up with tional, less controversial, ways to the ourselves unprepared for wilderness Archives Moses and the food, got restless and doctrine, discipline, and worship of the journeying, disappointed to be the semi- Episcopal Church? nary so many bishops love to hate, un-

2020. yearned to turn back from time to time. Similarly, do we now hear rumblings of As the liberation tradition in Judaism happy not to be better understood as this desire to turn back, to get into a teaches us, wandering in the wilderness faithful people.

Copyright place where we can be sure of who we is the way to learn that God is not lo- On the one hand, we genuinely want are and where we're going? That's what cated in a fixed place, an established justice for women, people of color, les- I believe I'm hearing, for example, in temple, a church, or a single tradition. bians and gay men, poor and outcast the plea that we remain primarily "Epis- God is in the journey. God is in the people. On the other hand, we want to be copal" in our ambiance, allegiance, and movement. Our "spiritual conscious- well-liked, accepted by those who don't numbers. Do those who are urging us to ness" as a school has not been well- necessarily want those things. On the be more "Episcopal" mean for us to en- tuned to this realization, I think. Not be- one hand, we want feminist women and thusiastically embrace the real justice- cause it's our fault as a seminary, but feminist men to come, enjoy themselves seeking elements of the Anglican heri- because the mainline Christian church here, and help make this a fine school —

February 1990 17 Cheek... Luke is a little more subtle. He tells a causing a threat to patriarchal social raised out of all this, whereas scholar- story where the risen Lord reproves the structures, and therefore problems for ship shows that women did study the woman who is active and takes initia- the church communities. And what bet- Torah, and inscriptions have brought to tives, and commends the woman who is ter weapon with which to tackle the light the fact that women were some- passive and silent. We also know that problem in the church than the word of times rulers of synagogues. Another dif- the word used to describe Martha as the Lord? It is a very effective weapon ficulty with this line of interpretation is being encumbered with much serving is to this day. Little did Luke know how that it treats the story almost as bio- indeed a word that was used to mean effective it would be. And 20th century graphical data, and we know that the table service. By this time in the church women, although critical of the story, Gospels are not intended to be biogra- it was also commonly used as a technical are ecclesiastically socialized not to phies. word describing church leadership. And question what is presented as the words Once we see when this story was writ- we note that, in an era of house of Jesus. Perhaps we get more of a ten, and look at the words used, it is churches, it is in Martha's house that this glimpse of the historical Martha and obvious that it comes out of a later date all takes place. Mary in John's account of them, where than the days of the historical Jesus. Je- If this story is intended to silence we are given a few more details. But we publication. sus is called "the Lord," suggesting that women, why is that necessary? What is know from history that they must have and an appeal is being made here to the word going on here? I think the real Martha been powerful, committed women in the of the risen Lord rather than the histori- and Mary provide a "dangerous mem- early church. I am glad to have been or- reuse cal Jesus. We know there was a problem dained on the feast day of the real Mary for ory." They were powerful women lead- about women's leadership in the early ers — if they had not been, it is not very and Martha. I am glad to be in the line- church. The author of 1 Timothy simply likely we would know their names. Their age of women who were active, commit- required makes a flat and straightforward pre- names are among the few women's ted, faithful and powerful enough to scription that women are to remain silent names that have come down to us out of have become a problem for later genera- in the churches: "I do not permit a a period of androcentric historical con- tions.

Permission woman to have authority over a man." sciousness. Women's leadership was I regard this Gospel as a cautionary DFMS. / Heyward... faithlessness — that is, in the failure to are made. but not too many, please. On the one accept, with radical seriousness, the And this school, by hiring a feminist

Church hand, we want to live true to our com- presence and power of God in our corpo- Anglican liberation historian as well as mitments, we honestly do; but, on the rate journeying and life together, and let two feminist liberation biblical scholars, other, we want to make sure the church it comfort, inspire and delight us. was trying to help us sharpen our bibli-

Episcopal understands us. We want to move, but In leaving Egypt and venturing forth cal and historical vision of what it means

the not too fast. We want to grow, but not out of bondage; in hiring "irregular" to involve ourselves with those who of become too feminist. We want women, women priests; in becoming an "irregu- have given their time, energies, scholar- but not too many, and certainly not more lar" seminary, we embodied a vision of ship, talent and sometimes, like Jonathan lesbians. We want men, the straighter faith rooted in the tradition of Jonathan Daniels, their lives on behalf of margi- Archives the better. We want black people, but Daniels, our student murdered in 1965 in nalized and oppressed peoples through-

2020. make sure they're Anglican. We want to Mississippi as he worked for civil rights. out the world. do what's right but, please understand, By hiring the most formidable organ- I have a few questions: Do we want we need money. izer among women priests, the one women priests on the EDS faculty and

Copyright Our confusion is, I believe, a sign of we've long called "bishop to the women students to settle in and become "wilderness fatigue." It says to me that women," this seminary embodied a vi- female patriarchs? Do we want our male we are a weary people. Whether we have sion of a prophetic God. This school, in faculty and students to be untouched been at EDS for many decades, came in tenuring an "out" lesbian professor, em- radically by the presence of strong, out- 1975, or have just arrived, we have bodied a vision of a sacred Spirit who spoken women? What sorts of alums did learned the lament: "Why have you will touch, comfort and surprise us. EDS we and do we want to produce here? brought us up out of Egypt to die in the embodied great faith when it hired a Do we really want EDS to be a school wilderness?" "Wilderness fatigue" is black woman ethicist to help redefine in which we do business as usual? Or do contagious. It is rooted in collective the very terms on which moral decisions we want to journey in the wilderness,

18 THE WITNESS text. If this is the Gospel of Christ, how are we to proclaim it? Can we proclaim it? Is it good news for women? I think not, if we take it at face value. I think it Bishops' report lacks depth is a cautionary talc. Arc we again in the same place in this by John M. Gessell school as when Luke's Gospel was writ- ten? Our public relations, the application of funds, policies of prudence in church he Board of Directors of the Cum- bate and discussion in the church is politics — are we using these things to berland Center last fall released its cri- minimal so far as we can tell. Perhaps silence women or to mute women's con- tique of the Urban Bishops' Coalition there is no mechanism within the church tributions? Are we toning down a dan- report, "Economic Justice and the Chris- to foster such a dialogue. gerous memory of this school's pro- tian Conscience," suggesting that its The Center's response begins by call- phetic history in the Episcopal Church? analysis does not probe deeply enough ing attention to the kairos of opportunity publication. I would call upon this school to reaf- and does not speak to the structural provided by the present danger of wide-

and firm its commitment to the liberation of causes of economic justice. spread impoverishment occasioned by women and all oppressed peoples, struc- The Cumberland Center for Justice cruel politics and structural injustices. It reuse turally, prophetically, in radical trust in and Peace, Sewanee, Tenn., has over 60 notes further that the Urban Bishops' re- for the Spirit of God, remembering the past, members and is dedicated to promoting port is helpful as a guide to conscience, steadfastly setting our face toward efforts, programs and activities to bring but that its premise lacks sufficient Jerusalem, in the sure and certain knowl- about a measure of peace with justice in credibility to move us further to action. required edge in the power of the resurrection. 03 its own region as well as in the nation Some reasons are alleged to show why (7 am indebted to theologian Elisabeth and the world. this is probably true: Schuessler-Fiorenza for insights into the The Cumberland Center's response 1. The report does not go far enough Permission interpretation of Luke 10:38-42 —A. C.) emphasizes that economic well-being for in criticizing the relation of current eco- some has been gained at the expense of nomic structures to the systemic causes

DFMS. misery and poverty for many. The Cen- of poverty in America, for if the prob- / confident that our vision of a realm of a ter suggests that the bishops' call for a lems which it only hints at lie within the just and compassionate God will bring change in values is too timid, and what capitalist system itself these are not ad- Church us home? Do we really want to figure is required are changes in the economic dressed. out how to be a decent and orderly semi- and political structures of free societies 2. It is not sufficiently rigorous in its nary of the Episcopal Church, or do we if this paradox-is to be addressed. theological analysis, for even people of Episcopal intend to be a wilderness school? Will The Center's board issued the re- goodwill cannot change the paradox of the this be a seminary-in-exile, a place sponse because, while they hoped that poverty in the midst of wealth merely by of where God will always be known, loved, the Urban Bishops' report would start a a shift in values. and celebrated in the margins, in the widespread debate within the church on 3. The report does not appear to be

Archives struggle for a just and compassionate the causes and consequences of eco- well-informed on the developments of church and world? nomic injustice in America, this had not theological and social ethics in the past 2020. If we truly were to embrace as our vo- yet happened. generations relating to economic justice. cation being a scminary-in-cxile and To stimulate discussion, the Center 4. It does not give sufficient attention make this journey our home, our prob- has issued 350 copies through sales (at to the problems of pervasive racism and Copyright lems with money and public relations $3.75 each) and other distribution, and is militarism in our society. would fall quickly into perspective. We planning a second printing. The board 5. The fundamental issue of transform- might find ourselves poorer in some received some thoughtful letters but de- ing a war-based economy in the United ways, but would find ourselves journey- States to an economy that will better ing with a startling sense of confidence, meet the demands of justice is not well clarity, joy and energy — a people on The Rev. John M. Gessell is Excutive Director addressed. fire with a passion for justice. And I bc- of the Cumberland Center for Peace and Justice and Emertius Professor of Christian Ethics at 6. The report understates the scope of licvc we would be at last a people at University of the South's School of Theology, the necessary individual and societal home, at peace with ourselves. QQ Sewanee, Tenn. changes required to bring about a greater

February 1990 19 measure of economic justice whereby America grows with each succeeding economic principalities. There are those equitable sharing of material well-being year. And 1988 was a record-breaking who are critical and can distinguish the with those who are impoverished will be year for the rich. The gap between rich dominant secular values which engulf required by those who are more fortu- and poor Americans has now reached its us, but the general ethos tends to be ac- nate. widest point since 1946. Last year the ceptance without critical judgment — as One might speculate on the failure of poorest one-fifth of U.S. citizens re- if the Episcopal Church were an estab- the Urban Bishops' Coalition or the ceived 4.6% of the total national family lished church with duties to legitimize Cumberland Center to provoke wide- income. At the same time the richest the culture. spread discussion of economic injustice one-fifth received 44% of total national In October 1981 the House of Bishops in America. Is it because the current family income. The number of officially issued an astonishingly perceptive pas- events in Eastern Europe demonstrate poor Americans was 31.9 million, 13.1% toral letter from its meeting in San Di- the coming triumph of capitalism and of the total population. Given this data, ego. Titled "Apocalypse and Hope," the the ultimate defeat of socialism? Such Eastern Europeans groping for new po- letter charts the dismal and self-destruc- self-congratulation and self-glorification litical and economic solutions should be tive spiral of violence throughout human is a vulgar denial of reality. Poverty in forewarned about the consequences of history. "With violence so deeply rooted publication. opting for American-style capitalism. in human behavior it becomes an agony and No one in Eastern Europe is rushing to of growth to shift to another means of embrace American "free-market" eco- security. It remains easier to rely on in- reuse nomics — which has become a euphe- struments of mutually-assured destruc- for mism for multi-national monopolistic tion than to negotiate in patient non-vio- protection of deregulated greed. The call lence for the means of mutually assured required everywhere is for democratic socialism. survival. We are therefore prompted as One bishop's reaction to the Cumber- religious leaders to impose upon our- land Center's response may come closer selves the obligation for making this Pro-choice issue available Permission to the truth. He noted his agreement with moral shift. We pray to the Holy Spirit • Procreative freedom — the June 1989 its final paragraph: "Thus the report of to change our hearts, moving us from issue of THE WITNESS gives a compre- the Urban Bishops' Coalition is to be violence to non-violence." DFMS. hensive theological and social analysis / This was a landmark pastoral calling of reproductive freedom. Features pene- commended for addressing critical issues trating interviews with Faye Wattleton, of justice and conscience related to the for a shift from the tradition of moral

Church president of Planned Parenthood, and functioning of the U.S. economy. It nev- theology on the uses of violence that had Beverly Wildung Harrison, feminist theo- ertheless accepts, and is perhaps captive been regnant in the church for over 1500 logian. Also, an African-American male viewpoint by Faith Evans, past president of, the dominant values of our culture — years. But this commendable access of

Episcopal of Religious Coalition for Abortion political, economic, and religious — as acumen and imagination has not been the Rights, and articles addressing pastoral these are construed in the late 20th cen- followed up. Little indication has ap- of and legislative implications. tury. The board members of the Cumber- peared that the church's leadership is Yes, please send me your issue on land Center believe the report should moving from its uncritical option for the procreative freedom. I have enclosed adopt a more radical stance from within, rich to a preferential option for the poor, Archives $2.50. (Pre-paid orders only.) questioning those very assumptions, or that it is willing to call into question

2020. rather than simply hoping for their re- the church's complicity with the warfare form." And he goes on to say, "We are state, or to work against the death pen- Name captive in many ways that we need to alty, or to end the continuing oppression

Copyright look at, i.e., we are still captives of the of women and homosexual persons. The Address "Prince/Bishop' thing — we need to re- "radical shift" of the pastoral letter is not structure the way in which the episco- merely a personal preference, it is a so- City pate functions." cial contract. Radical shift from violence It may well be that the Episcopal lead- to non-violence in the terms of moral State Zip ership of the church is to a large extent theology is a shift from a concern for the captivated by its medieval theology of rich to the poor. For it is the poor who Send to THE WITNESS, P.O. Box 359, episcope which includes the relatively pay the unbearable price of the violence Ambler PA 19002. uncritical alliance with the political and that is an integral part of injustice.

20 THE WITNESS Short Takes

Pre-embryo phase not pregnancy Youths bend ethics rules I would suggest that a woman is not According to a recent survey of 795 busi- pregnant until the pre-embryo implants in ness persons and 1,093 high school sen- the uterus, at about two weeks. The IUD iors by the Pinnacle Group, students in some fashion disrupts the early proc- were much more inclined than business ess so that implantation doesn't take people to be more inclined to do some- place. The assumption is that, unable to thing illegal to make money: find a place in the inner lining of the — Asked if they would be willing to uterus, the pre-embryo fragments and face six months probation on an illegal dies. This also applies to RU 486, the deal in which they made $10 million, 59% new pill developed in France. Like the of the students said "definitely yes" or IUD, RU 486's effect is contragestive. It publication. "maybe;" and 24% of the business per- is not against the ovum itself. It interferes sons responded similarly. and with the interaction between the uterus — 36% of the students, contrasted to and the pre-embryo. 14% of business persons would copy to reuse Embyrologist Clifford Grobstein pass a certification test. for in Psychology Today 11/89 — Half of the students said they would Swiss Army challenged (Grobstein serves on the ethics commit- exaggerate on an insurance damage re- The Swiss people voted in November on required tees of both the American Fertility Soci- port, versus one of four business people. the abolishment of their army, and 35% ety and the Catholic Health Association.) — Two-thirds of the students said they voted to get rid of the army by the year would consider lying to achieve a busi- How 'bout dem CEOs? 2000. The referendum was initiated by a ness objective, while 29% of the busi-

Permission A recent survey of pay for the chief ex- group called, "Switzerland Without an ness persons claimed they would do so. ecutives of 354 major companies found Army," which had gathered 100,000 sig- Gregory Pierce that in 1988 they earned 93 times the natures to force a vote.

DFMS. The New World 8/25/89 / income of a typical factory worker, 72 Two years ago, organizers of the refer- times more than a schoolteacher, and 44 endum were publicly ridiculed by govern- No ethics, no dilemma times more than an engineer. In 1960, ment and media. One year ago, high As part of an effort to weed out people Church when American business called the shots ranking military officers said that if the only interested in parlaying a Harvard for the whole world, executives took referendum were to reach 20% of the business degree into a high-paying job, home a mere 41 times more than factory votes, there would be a serious crisis. the admission process has been chang- Episcopal workers, 38 times more than school- With a voter turnout of 69%, highest ing. It now includes 13 questions and the teachers and 18 times more than engi- since 1971, 35% of those voting want the nine essays and takes hours to com- of neers. army gone. plete. To make the cut, students must What we are going through is part of a Until recent history the Swiss army has answer a few questions about ethics.

Archives worldwide radical shift in the division of been the number one patriotic insitution. In the application, they are asked to labor. It is carried out by irresponsible It has been labeled the most modern and explain how they managed an ethical di-

2020. corporations at the expense of workers in effective army in Europe. Heightened lemma they experienced. But according both the First and Third Worlds. We have public discussion around questions of to Laura Gordon Fisher, the school's ad- to have an alternative to this reality of a war, peace and nonviolence has provided mission director, many students say they global economy in furious, and often so- the grounding for wide reassessment of never have encountered an ethical di- Copyright cially destructive, transition. We need the need for an army. lemma. "Some applicants want to know if democratic and social intervention into Synapses news release they can fabricate one," she said. the investment process itself. It is the 12/18/89 Reminds me of the old question, if a corporations, not Mexican, Taiwanese, dog could talk, what would it say? If or South Korean workers who are the Quote of note these kids could make up an ethical di- enemy. That's why international labor George Bush was born on third base and lemma, what do you suppose it would solidarity is so important. thinks he hit a triple. be? The late Michael Harrington Jim Hightower Molly Ivins Solidarity 7-8/89 Texas Agricultural Commissioner Houston Post

February 1990 21 Embryos .. . continued from page 9 comes euphemistic or evasive when the allel to one signed by a mother relin- matter of choosing to thaw to discard quishing her rights regarding a full-term the process — live birth — has been arises. Some programs will not even of- baby? Will they be prepared for the criti- reached, or when there is a dispute be- fer that option and require that excess cism that they have "aborted" by allow- tween parties, a death, or a change of preembryos be stored indefinitely or ing the excess preembryos to be thawed mind due to physical, emotional or fi- transferred for donation to an infertile to discard? And what will happen if the nancial circumstances, couples may woman. Louisiana is the only state mother dies and the bereaved father choose to have their unused preembryos where this is currently law. wishes to have the preembryos trans- removed from the freezer, thawed and Preembryo symbol of life ferred into a sister-in-law, or mother, or discarded. At least one program removes The issue here is the preembryo as a new significant other to preserve the ge- the preembryos and keeps them in an in- symbol of life and medical practitioners' netic legacy of his former spouse? cubator as they are slowly warmed and refusal to accept not only the end of that Even the best informed consent docu- disintegrate, in a manner which parallels life, but also the logical consequences of ment will not totally protect all the par- withdrawal of interventions in intensive their technological interventions. Preem- ties from litigation, especially in this care nurseries. Other programs view the bryos do symbolize human life. Human country. Legal issues not addressed in publication. four-to-eight-celled objects primarily as life ends in death, regardless of the kind most documents involve inheritance and

and human tissue and, while treated with re- and amount of medical treatment applied property rights. If both parents die, do spect, they are nonetheless thawed and to prolong the process. If practitioners the preembryos stand to inherit the estate reuse discarded as any other human tissue want to devise procedures to create and if transferred to another woman, and for from the lab. preserve potential lives, then they must what is her involvement in their inheri- The euphemisms used by IVF to avoid be willing to accept the responsibility for tance? the reality of the preembryo's death indi- required withdrawing those procedures, and al- Informed consent is, however, the key cate their uncertainty with the process. lowing, at the discretion of the parents, to the ethical structuring of any cryopre- Australian programs originally said those preembryos to die. Not to do so servation program. Couples or singles preembryos were "removed from stor- denies the wholeness of life which in- must explicitly know ahead of time the Permission age." Recent U.S. terminology has cen- cludes death, and devalues the preem- limits of the technology, the situations tered around "thawing without transfer- bryo, making it a mere means to an end, that may arise, and the best and worst- DFMS.

/ ring," "thawing to discard," or simply and another commodity in an already case scenarios this technology may pro- "thawing." None of the designations ac- overly commercial society. Thawing to duce. knowledge that this choice intentionally Church discard, then, is an appropriate option Ethical objections allows the preembryos to die. for any program offering IVF and cry- Some people believe with the poet While many would contend that this opreservation. Homer that "The human race should

Episcopal option is active euthanasia or, more ve- In order ethically to practice cryopre- rightly be confined/Within the bounds the hemently, abortion, it seems clear that servation, there must be a well-written which Nature hath defined." They object of removal of preembryos from the device informed consent document. In addition to cryopreservation for the same reason which maintains them in a sort of sus- to costs, issues raised in the form should they object to the use of any artificially pended animation has a closer parallel to assisted reproduction techniques, on the

Archives include conditions of transfer, storage, the removal of life-support systems from donation, and thawing to discard. Dispo- grounds that it is artificial and unnatural.

2020. hospitalized patients. But even this com- sition in case of death, divorce or dis- But much of medical practice is "artifi- parison assumes too much in equating agreement must also be decided and cial" in terms of the physical or me- eight-celled embryos with persons. The agreed to prior to cryopreservation in or- chanical interventions used. Modem

Copyright fact also is that these undiffcrentiated der to avoid the kind of legal problem medical technology, from lasers to mag- eight-celled embryos die when thawed. that developed in Tennessee, where no netic resonance images, has expanded The interesting dilemma is that preem- informed consent form was offered. what were previously thought to be na- bryos are seen by these same clinicians But can a couple be informed enough ture's "bounds." to be of lesser significance than an em- about the psychological, emotional and In fact, biotechnology may eventually bryo and therefore ethically able to be symbolic attachments they will experi- obviate the need for cryopreservation al- frozen and thawed with a 50% sacrifice ence to decide to abrogate any future together, once an effective way is de- rate. But on the other hand, they are of rights for knowledge of or contact with vised to freeze ova. Because ova are such significance that terminology be- their preembryos? Or is this consent par- made up of only one cell, they are much

22 THE WITNESS more fragile and difficult to freeze and and Costa Rica? In a world teeming with churches from entering into such contro- thaw without total loss. But once the babies in need of food and nurture, versial dialogues. But this fact points up method is perfected, frozen sperm and should we produce more infants when the need for discussion from the Chris- eggs may be thawed and mixed together we have not met our moral obligation to tian perspective to provide the insight when the woman is ready to receive care for those already born? and guidance from which will evolve them, thereby circumventing the entire In addition to the ethical issues raised many possible courses of ethical action. issue of preembryo creation, storage and earlier which are peculiar to cryopreser- Current common belief is that we live disposition. Already there have been at vation, even aside from IVF, will we al- in a "post-Christian age." If we do not least five human births from the use of low only "perfect" babies to be chosen? take seriously our obligation to address frozen ova. What political, social, physical or eco- these ethical issues, then the competing Other ethical problems with cryopre- nomic criteria will we use to define cultural theologies of science, law, po- servation stem from its association with "perfect?" litical and economic advantage and so- IVF. As with IVF, many ask whether, in Finally, where is the church in all of cial convenience will become the domi- a country with 37 million people without these issues? There is a desperate need nant forces in directing our common life healthcare insurance, it is a just alloca- for open discussion at the parish and together. publication. tion of scarce resources to spend money community level about the ethics of If we, as Christians, are to have any and on a technology that benefits a relatively sexuality, procreation, abortion, termina- cultural viability and social influence in miniscule number, with an alarmingly tion of life-sustaining treatment, and the the future and if we are to assist our reuse small success rate? As the United States socially just allocation of healthcare re- people in the understanding of our par- for faces future rationing of healthcare re- sources. The fact that there are no ticular tradition of belief, then the sources, will such novel and expensive "right" answers, official church answers, church must begin to examine the untan- required procedures be a priority in a nation with Christian answers, or Biblical referents gling of that web, strand by sticky ethi- a higher infant mortality rate than Spain to cryopreservation deters many cal strand. QS Permission Daughter ... Continued from page 11 Impressed by Anne Braden's courage, would never have been a thought of a Bingham sought to probe this admirable black person in the churches. Even be- DFMS. / Bingham chiefly turned to for support activist's life by writing a play, also fore the mansion-church was built, when during the family crisis were Anne called The Wall Between. And recently, we used to congregate in a little black

Church Braden's The Wall Between and Lillian Bingham said, "the Foundation gave a church in Harrod's Creek, there was still Smith's Killers of the Dream. Both grant to a woman who's writing a biog- no notion that the two congregations had books were written by Southern women raphy of Anne Braden, and I'm very anything in common."

Episcopal activists whose militant championship of pleased with that." Noting that the phrase "brotherhood of the minority causes met with a dismaying She also has strong empathy with Lil- man" was frequently invoked in church, of lack of support on the part of Southern lian Smith, derived from the fact that she Bingham asked, "Where were women in "moderates." and Smith grew up in a closed environ- that brotherhood, a brotherhood that wasn't even working for men?"

Archives In 1947 Braden and her husband Carl ment, stifled by patriarchal domination had roused the wrath of Louisville rac- and racial prejudice, which had to be "Under that benevolence, the kindness

2020. ists by selling a home in a white neigh- fought to win self-determination. She, of the patriarchy," Bingham said, "there borhood to a black couple. When the like Smith, remembers an encompassing was really murderous intent. How could house was firebombed, the Bradens were ambience of "sin," a deeply-implanted all these people be treated as human

Copyright blamed. Tried before a biased court us- guilt requiring a high moral responsibil- beings with souls when they were being ing the testimony of paid informers, Carl ity that was contradicted by the rampant exploited?" was imprisoned under a state anti-sedi- racism and injustice she saw around her. It is this whole question of exploita- tion law later overturned by the U.S. Su- During her girlhood "we lived in a rig- tion and exclusion which troubles Bing- preme Court. He was a proofreader at idly segregated society," Bingham said. ham the most, and has led her to actions the Courier-Journal and at the onset of "All the white people were living off the which have resulted in alienation from the controversy, he was suspended by labor of their black servants, and yet her family. OH Barry Bingham. The paper showed little black people weren't considered, so far (Passion and Prejudice is published support throughout the struggle. as I could see, to have souls. There by Knopf. Hardback, $22.95.)

February 1990 23 Please send me the follow- ing: Don't Miss This Special Offer! • 'A Priest Indeed' at $20 - a $5 saving. Hear the voices of women mainstream feminism too often overlooks. Read about • "My Story's On' at $7 — the retiring waitress who creates her own My Story's On! a $2.50 saving. IRA: the war in El Salvador through the eyes of a small girl; a dialogue between Palestin- • Both film and book for Ordinary ian and Jewish women; the Black woman $25 — a $7.50 saving. Women/ who takes on the Bank of America, and wins. Fiction, poetry, essays by and about (Prepaid orders only.) Extraordinary working class, middle class women; Asian, Lives Black, Hispanic and White women; physi-

publication. cally challenged, young, old and incarcer- ated women. Lots more! 220 pages; 76 and Name Edited by Paula Ross. Berkeley, Cat. different contributors; 27 photos. reuse for The powerful film story of how women made the Priest Indeed' Address Episcopal Church whole. (1/2 inch VHS format.)

required A half-hour docu-drama based on the ordination of the first women priests in the Episcopal Church; City commissioned by the Episcopal Church Publishing Co. Permission Winner of a silver medal from the International State Film and Television Festival of New York. DFMS.

/ Appearances by Suzanne Hiatt, Barbara Harris, Paul Washington, Carter Heyward, Robert L. DeWitt Zip

Church and Charles Willie, all key participants in the prece- dent-shattering 1974 ceremony at the Church of Make check payable to: the Advocate in Philadelphia. The Episcopal Church Pub- Peggy Comiglia/lded Image Inc.. in Episcopal lishing Co., and mail to P.O. title role the Box 359, Ambler PA 19002. of New reduced rates on both for big savings! Archives 2020.

The Episcopal Church Publishing Company NONPROFIT P.O. Box 359 ORGANIZATION

Copyright Ambler, Pennsylvania 19002 U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 121 North Wales, PA