Subject: IWG SF Chronicle Gender Shock letter Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 00:25:38 -0400 (EDT) From: Chris Purdom The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 2 congregations, 5 religious organizations and 35 clergy from 12 faiths and denominations. If you are in the general Philadelphia area and represent a congregation or religious organization or are clergy, let us know if you want to be added - all faiths are welcome. We will also be happy to help start similar organizations in other areas. Visit the web page at http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/ or http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/religion/orgs/iwg/ July 23, 1996 San Francisco Chronicle 901 Mission St. San Francisco, CA 94103 Dear Editors: Thank you for Patrician Holt's timely and informative review of Phyllis Burke's book, Gender Shock. However, we were shocked that either Burke or Holt failed to comment on the role organized religion has had in reinforcing gender roles based on various interpretations of "divine will." The debate over gender roles has been more heated in the churches than anywhere else in society; it has led to splits over the ordination of women, and it will no doubt lead to more splits over the ordination of sexual minorities and recognition of same-sex marriages. Furthermore, there was no mention of the religious groups which have a major stake in such artificial gender role distinctions. The rise of organizations such as Promise Keepers and Concerned Women for America and the formation of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood confirm the importance of this issue to the Religious Right. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators