The Stampede

Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: Student Life

Media Credit: Darcee Kubisiak Several women discussing Buffington's lecture.

Media Credit: Darcee Kubisiak Perkins (right) and Buffington (Left) during the panel discussion.

Nearly 50 Milligan women gathered Saturday for food, fun and fellowship during Milligan's annual "Why not women?" conference held at Emmanuel School of Religion.

Guest speakers included Laura Buffington, a young adult discipleship leader from Southbrook Christian Church in Ohio, and Dr. Miriam Perkins, Assistant professor of Theology and Society at Emmanuel.

During the forum, both women shared their personal experiences as leaders within a realm that remains negligent in recognizing gender equality: the church.

"Women are disjointed because of the fall," Buffington said. "However, things that are broken do not have to stay that way."

Throughout the conference, Buffington continually reminded her audience that the societal reality for women is not synonymous with God's intended reality.

"I encourage women to live beyond the cultural norm," Buffington said.

Approaching the subject from a slightly different angle, Perkins encouraged her audience to both practice bravery against the "snakes in the grass," as well as redefine their "identity packages" as female beings.

"Focus on the doors that are open and be not bothered by those that are closed," Perkins said. "We are taught to meticulously tend to our bodies and we are taught that our physical appearance is our most important identity package, but this is false. Our identity package encompasses far more."

In addition to the sermons delivered by Buffington and Perkins, panel discussions, communion and break out groups were other elements of the event.

"Overall, I thought the program was excellent," said Milligan sophomore Victoria Licari. "I thought the speakers were great and the panel discussion was helpful in answering many of my questions."

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