During the Commencement season, you may have heard about the Kansas City Chiefs football star whose speech to the graduates of Benedictine College went viral. Part of his speech referred to the preference young women should have for marriage and motherhood over career advancement: “homemaker,” he said, “is one of the most important titles of all.” Harrison Butker is a Roman Catholic who believes that God has given him a celebrity platform for urging his fellow Catholics to “turn toward Christ” for a successful life. But, to use a phrase that Evangelical Christians like to use, “What Would Jesus Do” when confronted with this admonishment to young women? Luckily, we can refer to a scene in the Gospels where there is such a situation, but maybe Butker hasn’t read that part of the Bible for his faith formation.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus expresses a clear preference for Mary, who sits listening to and learning from him, over her sister Martha, who he rebukes for being busy with domestic chores. Was Jesus ahead of his time in valuing education for women, and – despite the best efforts of the feminist movement – is there still a persistent patriarchal expectation in today’s world that a woman’s place is in the home?    

Gaye Morris Bio Summer 2024

The Rev. Dr. Gaye Morris lives in Manteo NC with David, great-grandson Oliver, and hound dogs Ferris, Luna, and Bella. She was ordained in 2013 and served until 2019 as the full-time minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta, GA. She retired last summer from her role as the affiliated Community Minister of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, Oak Ridge Tennessee. She teaches online courses in Communication as an adjunct instructor with Augusta University, Augusta GA. Revs. Gaye and David both serve as volunteer chaplains for Outer Banks Health.Film is her abiding passion, and she has published two books on the topic of theology and film. Last fall Rev. Gaye became the curator of the Outer Banks Film Society, and has just finished programming the schedule for this year’s films. It’s a long drive to Manteo from Morehead City for anyone to become a member, but if you want to know what the film society will be watching, she recommends the comedy Asteroid City and the documentary What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat, and Tears?