Matristics 101

Scripture:

2 Timothy 1:5-6
5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;

Observation:

"Patristics" is the word we use for the study of the earliest church fathers. Their theology, scriptural interpretation, and counsel is held up throughout many Christian traditions as a source of authority and wisdom second only to scripture itself. 

Google "patristics" and you will come across some famous and familiar names: 
Ignatius of Antioch, Pope Clement 1, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, Jerome, Augustine of Hippo ...
They are giants and heroes of the faith, to be sure. They follow in the steps of the first Apostles in that they taught and acted with the privileged voices of acknowledged authority. This is the same authority we glimpse above when Timothy is said to have been consecrated/ordained by the laying on of Paul's own hands (an ancient tradition that symbolizes the transfer of power and authority from an elder to a novice). 

You know what you won't return in your Google search of "patristics"?

Women. Not one. For whatever reason, the voices and authority of women were stricken from the record of the early church histories and failed to be celebrated throughout much of the last two millennia. 

That makes our passage (and the numerous others like it enshrined in scripture itself) worth their weight in gold. For here we are told of two other giantesses of the faith, whose work in passing on the ways of the Lord to Timothy preceded and enabled Paul's work with him. 

Lois and Eunice. I love that these names have stood the test of time. I wonder if they have been preserved in part by women of faith throughout the ages who refused to let official censorship and patriarchy silence them completely. 

Application:

I like to think of myself as a pretty fair person. I avoid making judgements on individuals character or competency based on gender (or race or...) but today I am reminded of systems of bias much bigger than any fair individual. These structures of sin and domination were seemingly strong enough and slick enough to catch up even Giants like Origen, Tertullian, and Augustine. I would be foolhardy to pretend I am not subject to them. 

Today I am convicted to do two things: 1) celebrate the strong and faithful elders who have so ably passed the faith on to me through word and deed - especially the women; 2) spend some silent time with the LORD that divine presence might point out to me the biases and darkness that hide within my heart and hold systemic sway over me. 

Prayer:

God, male and female you have created all humans in your image. And yet, too often individuals are privileged or marginalized because of gender or sex. From all forms of oppression and injustice, deliver us o Lord!
And for those women in my life whose strong, faithful examples and mentorship opened my eyes to the lie of sexism I give you thanks. 
Thank you, Lord, for Grandmas Lucille and Audrey; for Reta and Bonnie and Rita; For Barbara and Jan and Lisa and so many more. Amen.