Union Biblical Seminary,

Pune

Course: Feminist Theology

Topic: Ministerial Space and Role of Women in CSI Ambattur Church,
Chennai
Submitted by: L. Kingsly, BD IV
Submitted to: Dr. Viju Wilson
Submission Date: 15/04/2021
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
1. Historical Foundation of Christ Church Ambattur.................................................................2
2. Women Ministerial Space in Ambattur CSI Church..............................................................3
2.1. Sunday School.................................................................................................................3
2.2. Vacation Bible School.....................................................................................................3
2.3. Women’s Fellowship......................................................................................................3
2.4. Fasting Prayer..................................................................................................................3
2.5. Cottage Prayer.................................................................................................................3
2.6. Prayer Cells.....................................................................................................................3
2.7. Scripture Reading............................................................................................................4
2.8. Church Choir...................................................................................................................4
2.9. Seating Arrangements.....................................................................................................4
3. Role of Women and the ministry of the Church....................................................................4
3.1. Teaching..........................................................................................................................4
3.2. Pastorate Committee.......................................................................................................4
3.3. Offering Collection.........................................................................................................4
3.4. Guardian for baptized infants..........................................................................................4
3.5. Women service................................................................................................................5
4. Denied Space and Role of Women........................................................................................5
4.1. Women Ordination..........................................................................................................5
4.2. Women Theologians.......................................................................................................5
 4.3. Women Preaching...........................................................................................................5
4.4. Deaconess........................................................................................................................5
4.5. Distribution of Role.........................................................................................................5
5. Critical Reflection..................................................................................................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
Bibliography...............................................................................................................................7

Introduction
The meaning of the Church can be traced from the Greek word ‘Ekklesia’ which is
the Greek verb ‘ek-kaleo’ to summon or to call out. ‘ek’ means from or from out and ‘kaleo’
means to call. It means an assembly called together which later derived as Church. It is used
in both secular sense and political sense in Greek literature. 1 However, today the church
which is called together is divided in terms of caste, colour, creed, language, regional and
gender bias. The gender based division has lessened the ministerial space and the role of
women inside the church. This paper particularly deals with the ministerial space and role of
women in CSI Ambattur Church in Chennai with critical reflections.

1. Historical Foundation of Christ Church Ambattur

Until 2011 Ambattur was not part of Chennai city rather it was considered as Chennai
suburban. During 1960’s the industrial sectors rapidly penetrated in this place. As a result lot
of private industries and business people established their centers in and around Ambattur. It
was the time lot of laborers from several parts of Tamil Nadu migrated and settled in
Ambattur. Among them a small group of Christian laborers conducted weekly worship group
with the help of pastors from neighboring places. Later this worship group felt the need of a
church and they constructed a church in 1967 which is named as Christ Church Ambattur and
dedicated in the presence of Bishop of Leslie Newbigin of Church of South India Diocese of
Madras. Later in 2014 the old church was demolished and new church was dedicated by the
then Bishop Devasahyam.2

1
Devaraj S, “A New Vision of The Church According To Lumen Gentium,” Vaiharai 17.1 & 2 (2012):
13.
2
Christ Church CSI Ambattur, “About CSI Ambattur,” 2019, 1, http://csiambattur.com/about/.

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2. Women Ministerial Space in Ambattur CSI Church

2.1. Sunday School

Sunday school functions on all Sundays for children from Lower Kindergarten to
class seven from 8.30am to 9.30am. 90% of the teachers are women than the men. They are
non paid teachers. They are involved in work or study in secular and voluntarily they render
their support for this ministry.

2.2. Vacation Bible School

It comes once in a year during summer vacation for school children and the duration
would be from 7 days to 15 days. The teachers will be mostly women rather than men. They
work hard in their homes as well as in the church to conduct this program. The preparatory
work and VBS training is apart from these 7 to 15 days.

2.3. Women’s Fellowship

The Women’s fellowship meets every Friday at 10.00am. Pastor’s wife will lead the
women into Bible study and other activities. They will get a privilege once in a year to
conduct the Women Mission Sunday.

2.4. Fasting Prayer

There are 40 days fasting prayer during Lenten season as well as monthly once fasting
prayer where majority of the attendance will be women.

2.5. Cottage Prayer

Weekly once there will be a cottage prayer conducted in the believers house. The
majority of attendants will be the women more than the men. This prayer is for the blessing
of that particular family who is hosting the prayer.

2.6. Prayer Cells

Area wise prayer cells will function under the leadership of women in their respective
areas. This prayer cells will have women attendance more. It will focus more on national
concerns and the concluding final prayer will be for the blessing of the participants and their
needs.

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2.7. Scripture Reading
During the Sunday service the women will be given opportunity to read the Scripture.
There are no specific criteria for selecting person for scripture reading. However, women will
have a space to read the scripture. But, while reading wearing veil is compulsory.

2.8. Church Choir

The church choir will have a good number of women participants in the team. There
will be some women who will play instruments during the service.

2.9. Seating Arrangements

Historically the seating arrangement of this church had separate men and women area.
Later half of the front portion this pattern was followed and half of the behind portion was
common for both men and women as a family. Now things are changing on seating
arrangements.

3. Role of Women and the ministry of the Church

3.1. Teaching
The role of women in the Church would be more of teaching. It begins right from
their family teaching to the children, then teaching at Sunday Class and Vacation Bible
School, etc.,

3.2. Pastorate Committee

The Pastorate committee consists of both male and female. Initially it was only the
men who had the privilege but in the recent years the women are also having equal rights to
play in pastorate committee

3.3. Offering Collection

The women pastorate committee member or women church elder will have the role to
collect offering during the church service and helping them in counting.

3.4. Guardian for baptized infants

The elder women in the church during any church member’s infant baptism will have
the role to affirm that she is the guardian for that child.

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3.5. Women service
This is a common space and role where the women will voluntarily serve in any
unattended jobs in the church. This has no credit or validity.

4. Denied Space and Role of Women

4.1. Women Ordination

Women ordination is not well encouraged in the church. Even the ordained wife of
the Priest in-charge will not wear the cassock for normal Sunday services nor serve the Holy
Communion.

4.2. Women Theologians

There is no encouragement from the church pastorate committee or by the believers to
train or send women theologians.

4.3. Women Preaching

Though the Presbyter’s wife is ordained except Women’s Sunday Service she has not
been given privilege to preach. Mostly their preaching will be invisibly done in the women’s
fellowship or small meetings.

4.4. Deaconess
Men Deacon License is encouraged but women deaconess license is discouraged.

4.5. Distribution of Role

Since the church consist of 50% native Chennai resides and 50% outstation resides
there is always a regional spirit and casteism inside the church. This will reflect when women
candidates contest for church responsibility and voting rights, the members will be in
confusion for which women resides to elect and whom to give up.

5. Critical Reflection
First of all there is a gender gap from the top to the bottom; the Priest to the Believers
even in seating arrangements. Secondly, though the women leadership contribution is visible
in Pastorate Committee but the majority decision makers are the male leadership. Same way,
those women leaders will be influenced and mind washed by their male spouse or male
siblings in their family. Hence women leadership is for the name sake and for number
balancing in the church. Thirdly, women can be seen in all the functions of the church

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however their credit and appreciation goes to the males in the Church. Fourthly, women will
come first in any service of the church but their services are mostly voluntary and not
considered in any of the forum. Fifthly, women will be voiceless in the patriarchy setting of
the family and the church. Sixthly, during communion women are asked to take part
separately and men are asked to take part separately. Seventhly, women should wear veil
while going to the altar for thanksgiving prayer.

Based on the above critics my suggestion would be in this contemporary era, there
should be a space for women to express their pros and cons inside the church as well as
family. The changes should begin from the Christian home then to the church. This way of
expression will change the patriarchy mindset inside the family as well as inside the church.
This will also avoid women discrimination inside the church.

At least once in a month one women preacher must be given opportunity to preach.
Same way during Good Friday Service women should be encouraged to speak about seven
words from the cross.

Great women personality and their contribution should be acknowledged in the

church publications, website and souvenirs so that the future women will be motivated from
the church

Sunday class, Youth meetings and Women meetings curriculum should be revised and
women characteristics should be added and taught.

Church Priest in-charge milestone should have the wife name of that particular Priest
in-charge in order to recognize the pastor’s wife contribution.

Church history must add the women contribution in the past and the present women
contribution in the future.

By encouraging women deaconess and women ordination, women preaching and

women theologians the church will become egalitarian community witnessing to others.

Pathil says, “Women’s contribution to the churches is a new vision and hope of tomorrow”.3

3
Kuncheria Pathil, Theology of the Church: New Horizons (Bangalore: Dharmaram Publications,
2006), 225.

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Conclusion
The patriarchal tradition as well as the regional spirit is the reason for the lesser space
and role of women in the church of CSI Church Ambattur. This has been slowly and steadily
decreasing with the present younger generation influence in the church. However, at the top
level the higher authority of the CSI Synod and the Chennai Diocese which consists
theologically highly qualified leadership should come forward to provide full authorization
for women inside the church. At the lower level every church member should cultivate
women reorganization and equality in their family which will reflect inside the church and
community.

Bibliography
CSI Ambattur, Christ Church. “About CSI Ambattur,” 2019. http://csiambattur.com/about/.
Pathil, Kuncheria. Theology of the Church: New Horizons. Bangalore: Dharmaram
Publications, 2006.
S, Devaraj. “A New Vision of The Church According To Lumen Gentium.” Vaiharai 17.1 &
2 (2012): 1–33.