The Better Half of the Church:Mapping the role of Women in St. James” Church, Delhi

The Almighty God made a woman as an ‘ezer’ meaning helper and He made her as the last of all creation. A woman is the zenith of creation. Just as piece of musical symphony reaches its crescendo in the end, so did the whole act of creation reached its peak in a woman. She epitomizes the wonderful zenith of all creation. Women are endowed with love, care, grace, beauty and creativity. Her beauty and charm not only lies in her outer appearance but also in her ways of service and assistance. Gender these days, has become a critical category for the analysis of all kinds of data, inclusive of religious studies. Many existing issues in the debates about women and their understandings, experience, status, role and directly or indirectly influenced by religion. The study of women is still undermined in the study of geography and religion, and the comprehensive study of gender as a category with even greater connotations has hardly inaugurated.

Therefore, this paper makes an inquiry to twig and figure out the roles and responsibilities of women in the sacred spaces, focusing on the oldest church in the city of Delhi. The church as a family is interlaced by women and they play a central role in knitting the church as one big family. As the author of this piece, I wish to build the intricate waltz of religion and space with a gendered lens to it and delve into the depths of women’s role in sacred spaces.