The Grinnell Scarlet and Black. September l2,

One of first women ordained to the priesthood— a

a/Piccard ree va/ua tes Women ’3 image

by Janet Pope
We were at the Cedar Rapids airport
meeting Ozark Flight 907. We were told

that it would be on time. Sure enough it ,

landed and its door opened at 5:55.“Have
you ever met her, Mr. Haas?” we queried.
The answer was negative and we won-
dered how we were going to recognize her.
But when the third person off the plane
was an elderly lady wearing a black suit
and a clerical collar we looked at each
‘ other and smiled. Here was Jeannette
Piccard.
The Reverend Piccard became one of
the first Women Episcopal priests on July
‘29, l974. she and ten other women were
ordained in Fhiladelphia, an event which
set off a considerable degree of cone
troversy. The hierarchy of the Episcopal
‘ Church does not recognize the ordinations
l? as valid. However, the women lunction as
priests and are recognized as such by
others.

Piccard (who has a doctorate in
education) flew from St. Paul, Minnesota
to Cedar Rapids, Sunday evening. then
traveled by car to Grinnell. She sat down

for hall an hour to eat a grilled cheese ‘

sandwich and a chocolate milk shake in
the Grill. At 3:00 she moved next door to
deliver a lecture entitled “God’s Image7
1 Male or Female." She spoke without notes,
“There are two things l can talk about; the
ordination or women . . , and the Bible,"

_ she so .
t piocardspokcrorhallan hour, stressing
~Lho problem of women’s image and the
fact that the Bible can be interpreted in
many dilierent ways. She began in a quiet
voice, explaining that Christians have
,lways been taught that Eve was lormed
/ second and was thus inferior. But Piccard

pointed out that Eve was created to help .

Adam, implying her superiority. Because

an individual would turn to those stronger ‘

than he for help. it is suggested that Eve
was stronger than Adam.

“You can’t prove anything by the
Scriptures. It’s how you interpret them,”
she commented. Later on she stated, “I
enjoy playing with passages that have
oppressed me all my lite. i get fed up with

mthem.”

Piccard went on to say that the story of

Qidam and Eve still aliects us today. She
said that man is convinced that he is
formed in God's image. However, Piccard

‘ stated, “I believe that God is a good deal
bigger than one or the other or both (men

llnd women) put together . . . You God is
altogether too small if you’re worshipping
a male god."

in a strong voice Piccard Stated that the
issue is whether or not women are people.
“I accept women as people . . . There is no
reason why women cannot represent

people to God.” she declared.

After her speech, the 80-year-old PicA
card continued to stand for another hour to
answer questions. Members of the
audience were interested in how She
viewed the masculine language that is
used in the Bible, and in regard to priests.
“I don’t break down over father any more
than I do over ‘son,’ ” she replied. “It‘s a
close term of loving and caring, not of
masculinity.” However, she does believe
that work Could be done to eliminate some
of the ”unnecessary masculinity" in the
Bible.

She was asked why she remained so long
as a member of the Episcopal Church

l bless you, you are blessed. There’s a
dilierence between validity and
irregularity. The irregularity is not my
fault.”

Piccard explained that the canons of
ordination start by using the word
‘pcrson,’ They continue by using the word
‘man.’ She explained that “man" has
been interpreted in the masculine sense.
However, she interprets it, and believes it
was meant to be interpreted, in the generic
sense, “There is no question but that the
ordinations are valid,” she stated em-
phatically.

Piccard says that she did not come {mm
a particularly religious background. “1

photo by Andy McKrltben

One at the iirst iemale Episcopal priests to be ordained, ’Rev.
Jeannette Piccard, talked inrormally with students and townspeople

alter hcr lecture Sunday night.

when it did not allow her to function as she
wished. “I was born an Episcopalian; 1
was brought up as an Episcopalian,” she
replied. (She then threw out a few
questions ol why to the audience; whydo
people remain Christians?)

On being a woman she commented, “I
am a woman i enjoy being a woman—
have [or a number ol years.”

in response to one question, Piccard
explained that she is still prevented by her
bishop irom lunctioning as a priest, Until
he regularizes her, she can only act as a
deacon in her church. However, in a
powerful voice, she wenton to say, “I am a
priest. I am validly ordained as a priest. If

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can't think of anybody who gave me these
ideas tahout becoming a priest),” she
mused, “My mother was horrified when l
first Verbalized my intentions at the age of
11.” Piccard explained that her mother
had come into the room intending to tell
her daughter about sex. “She had turned
out the lights so neither of us would be
embarrassed. Whenl told her I wanted to
be a priest she ran out ol the room.“
Piccard was not enlightened on the subject
of sex until six months later.

In 1916, during her sophomore year in
college, Piccard wrote her first paper
about the ordination of women. She wanted
to go to seminary after college, but at that

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time women were not admitted. Instead
she went to the University of Chicago and
earned a master’s degree in organic
chemistry. There she met and married
Jean Piccard, a Swiss organic chemist.
During the 1930’s she piloted balluonslor
her husband. one of the inventors of the
stratospheric balloon. “He needed a pilot
he could depend on," she stated.

In 1953. when the General Convention of
the Episcopal Church abolished the post ol
deaconness. declaring both men and
women eligible to become deacons, Pic-’
card became interested in the deaconate.
Her bishop decided that she needed a live-
in seminary experience before she could
become a deacon, Thus, she attended
General Theological Seminary in New
York City titty years after her originally
expressed wish to do so. She chuckled as
she told how people would come up to her
and ask what she taught. She would reply
that she was too old to teach. (Teachers
had to retire at 72; she was then 75). Alter
a year at General, Piccard was ordained in
the deaconate in 1971. After becoming a
deacon a lnan would normally be ordained
as a priest six months to one year later.
However, Piccard had to Wait three years
lor her ordination.

The Episcopal, Greek Orthodox, and
Roman Catholic Churches are the main
denominations who do not recognize the
ordination of women to the priesthood.
Other religions allow women priests
although it is difﬁculty for them to obtain
jobs. s

Piccard stated that women are going to

' seminaries in ever increasing numbers.

When she was at General there were six
. lull-time and [our pal'trtime students. Now

there is a dormitory tor women. In fact,
Piccard pointed out that as she spoke, iour

women were being ordained as Episcopal

priests in Washington, D.C.

Overall, Piccard seemed to feel that
most people are coming around to the idea
of women priests. ”It’s the power hold-
outs, mostly, who are opposed to the or:
dination of women,” she explained.

This year. the General Convention will
vote once again on the ordination of
women. Piccard explained that the
measure has twice been deieated in the
House of Deputies due to a rule of
procedure contrary to the constitution.
“Anything can happen at the next Con-
vention,” she said.

It is obvious that Piccard would like to
see the measure approved. She stated that
she has done her best to change the
discriminatory attitudes of the Episcopal
Church, and will continue to do so. She will
also continue to work in her church and
study theology.

After questions. Piccard sat clown on a
stool. People quickly gathered around to
talk to her. She had had a long, grueling
day, yet she graciously answered
questions and received congratulations on
her talk. Afterwards she was interviewed
by a local radio station. Finally, Mr. Haas
took her to Grinnell House, Where she
could sleep lor a while before leaving for
the airport at the next morning.

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