I would be interested in knowing, from a European/Islamic history/politics expert, if there was any historical or political significance in Pope Francis’ choice to wash the feet of a Muslim woman.
There may not be.
But I’m wondering if one reason why so many are having a difficult time with this is that we are viewing it through the red, white, and blue glasses of citizens of the United States, where everyone is equal.
Oh, yes, of course we still have race, class, and sex prejudice in the U.S., but we see a lot less of it than we did when I was growing up in the 1960s. Nowadays, no one thinks anything of it when black and white children play together–Martin Luther King’s dream has come true, and little black girls and little white girls do walk hand in hand (and if the gay marriage advocates have their way, black and white women will get married.
).
In the U.S., prejudice and racism/classism/sexism/age-ism is illegal, and those who are caught practicing prejudice are in trouble with the law.
For the most part in the U.S., equality is accepted everywhere as the norm, and most of us cannot see or comprehend any difference in worth between men, women, Christians, Muslims, etc. In our daily lives, we treat people equally (no matter how we feel in our hearts).
Yes, I do realize there are still some prejudices in the U.S. that have become “politically correct” in the last decade. It is OK to look down on Christian fundamentalists and on pro-life Catholics. It is OK to look down on “fat” people and consider them inferior. It is definitely OK to look down and even criminalize people who smoke. It is OK to look down on rednecks. It is kind of OK to look down on Southerners who speak with a strong Southern drawl. And recently, it has become OK to look down on people who own guns.
But again, for the most part, when it comes to differences between people that they are born with; e.g., color, race, ethnicity, religious background, sex, etc., we in the U.S. consider all people equal.
This means that for us, washing the feet of a Muslim woman would not be considered “significant” other than in the context of possibly breaking a “liturgical rule.” But NONE of us, even the most ardent traditionalist Catholics, have any objection to touching or serving a Muslim woman. No one is questioning Pope Francis’ kindness, humility, etc., because here in the U.S., we are accustomed to treating all people equally.
But is this true among Muslim peoples? Does a Muslim woman have the same status in Muslim countries as a Muslim man? Did Pope Francis send any kind of shocking message to Muslim peoples and nations?
Or how about in Europe? Do the Europeans look down upon Muslim women as “2nd class citizens?” When Pope Francis washed the feet of the Muslim woman, was he telling Europeans to “stop looking down on Muslim women”?
Or in other countries in the world? Are Muslim women “equal?” Are WOMEN equal? What did Pope Francis’ action say to these countries?
What effect did Pope Francis’ choice to wash the feet of a Muslim women have on all these groups of peoples? Did his choice rock their world and make a strong statement about equality that we in the U.S. just aren’t comprehending because we know next-to-nothing about other cultures, religions, and politics?
Back in the 1950s, Rosa Parks made a decision to not give up her seat on the bus to a white man. Nowadays, that act means nothing. People get on a bus in the U.S. and no one expects anyone to give up their seat (although many of us still believe a man should offer his seat to a woman, especially an older woman or a pregnant woman, but…we also believe that a healthy young woman should give up HER seat for a frailer, older man, or for an older woman or pregnant woman).
But back in the 1950s, Ms. Park’s action was immensely significant, and it is often credited with beginning the modern civil rights movement in the United States. Children who study history need to be “sent back in time” so to speak, so that they will comprehend the tremendous significance of Ms. Park’s simple action.
And that’s what I’m wondering about this action of Pope Francis. Do we in the U.S. need to be “sent overseas” or “sent back in time” so that we can more fully comprehend the Pope’s action? Was it his way of sending out a truly significant message to peoples in the world other than U.S. citizens? After all, as much as all of us love our country and are proud of the U.S., we are not the center of the earth and the axis around which all of the earth turns. The Pope is the Pope of ALL the world’s Catholics, not just the U.S. Catholics.
Thanks to anyone who can answer this query.
:crying:
Good for you, and good for your priest.