The second annual Empowering Orthodox Women Conference, under the auspices of SCOOCH (Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches), was held at St. Leon Armenian Orthodox Church in Lodi, NJ, on Saturday, November 1st. The theme of the conference was “Walking in Strength and Spirit: The Power of Orthodox Femininity.” The main focus of the event was to empower women across the various Oriental Orthodox churches and to foster social connections among them. The day-long conference began with opening remarks and blessings from the clergy, followed by a keynote delivered by Prof. Roberta Ervine of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary titled “Women Thinking About Power.” She discussed four types of power Power Over, Power To, Power With, and Power Within and contrasted these secular notions of power with a fifth: the Power of the Spirit, as noted in Luke 4, “And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.” Prof. Ervine explored the original Greek word translated as “power of,” δυνάμη (duname), which carries multifaceted meanings, including the power of nature, capability, ability, or life force what we know as the power of the Holy Spirit. She then reflected on the women of the Bible from Eve to Mary, including Deborah, Esther, Mary Magdalene, Rahab, and Ruth showing how their feminine power manifested in different ways. This laid the groundwork for a panel discussion featuring representatives from each of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. Among the panelists representing the Syriac Orthodox Church was Dr. Christine Kiraz. In addition, several Syriac young women were in attendance at the conference.
Panelists addressed challenges facing women today. To encourage women to stay or return to church, they emphasized nurturing the Holy Spirit received at baptism, building a sense of community, and allowing women to serve in roles beyond domestic tasks. They also highlighted the need to create safe and accepting communities for women, with less judgment and more encouragement, while offering practical advice for Christian homes grounded in prayer and spiritual traditions. Dr. Kiraz referred to a passage from one of the Homilies on Baptism by Mor Jacob of Sarug: “Mary gave a body for the Word to become incarnate, while baptism gives the Spirit for people to be renewed.” With this quote from Mor Jacob, she discussed the imagery of Mary bearing Christ while, through baptism, each believer bears the Holy Spirit that will never leave them evoking Syriac imagery in which each baptized child is clothed with a “garment as white as snow.” Panelists then moved on to discuss how marriage requires mutual support, fidelity, and partnership rather than subordination, urging men to support their wives’ educational or career pursuits. They also discussed ways to help women who may be experiencing abuse, emphasizing the need for safe, supportive, and compassionate responses within the Church community. The day concluded with breakout group sessions on leadership, youth and social networks, mental health, motherhood, and courtship. Dr. Kiraz facilitated the group on youth and social networks. Discussions in her group concluded with a consensus and reminder that Jesus, in His ministry, was forgiving and dined with sinners and tax collectors. To help young women and men thrive within the Church’s social network, participants agreed on the importance of fostering a welcoming community that embraces even the most introverted young people without judgment, and of focusing their discussions during coffee fellowship hour away from divisive politics and instead on spiritual topics that build faith and unity.
