Religious Committee for the ERA

Religious Committee for the ERAType| Women's Rights Organization

|

Purpose| Activist group for the Equal Rights Amendment

Key people

| Sister Marjorie Tuite, Sister Mary Luke Tobin

Religious Committee for the ERA was an American women's rights organization active in the late 1970s and early 1980s that advocated for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).[1]

## Overview

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The Religious Committee for the ERA was an organization of faith based feminists who planned a series of events to raise awareness of the need for an Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The organization had eight founders.[2] The organization included Catholics, Jewish supporters, Quakers, Presbyterians and many others from a wide variety of faith traditions.[1] After the ERA failed to pass in June 1982, the organization changed its name to Religious Network for Equality of Women.[3] They were also known as Renew.[4]

## Timeline of political activity

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* 1978: People of Faith for ERA: Days of Prayer and Action
* 1980: Inter-religious Lobby Day[5]
* 1982: National Prayer Vigil in Washington, D.C.[6]
* 1982: On June 30, members of The Religious Committee for the ERA burned copies of laws that discriminated against women in front of the National archives.[4]

## Members

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* Louise Bowman[7]
* Marian Coger[7]
* Mrs. C.L. Dillard[7]
* Theodore Hesburgh[2]
* Joan M. Martin
* Abigail McCarthy[8]
* Rev. Delores Moss[9]
* Eleanor R. Schwartz[10]
* Natalie Tackett[11]
* Sister Mary Luke Tobin[12]
* Sister Marjorie Tuite[3]
* Margaret Wilkins[13]

## Affiliated organizations

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* American Baptist Women[14]
* Catholics Act for ERA[5]
* Church Women United[14]
* Las Hermanas[14]
* Leadership Conference of Women Religious[15]
* National Assembly of Women Religious[14]
* National Coalition of American Nuns
* Sisters of Loretto[16]
* St. Joan's International Alliance

## References

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1. ^ a b Brock, Laura E. (2013). "Religion, Sex & Politics: The Story of the Equal Rights Amendment in Florida": 149. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
2. ^ a b "Religious Groups Plan ERA Drive". Journal and Courier. September 18, 1976.
3. ^ a b "Churchgoers Vow to Fight for Rights". The Sentinel. July 10, 1982.
4. ^ a b "Religion in America;NEWLN:Churches vow continued fight for equal rights for women". UPI. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
5. ^ a b "Panel OK's ERA Measure". The Dispatch. May 1, 1980.
6. ^ "Prayer Vigil for ERA Slated". Southern Illinoisian. April 19, 1982.
7. ^ a b c "Church Women Rallying in Push for ERA Passage". The Orlando Sentinel. January 8, 1977.
8. ^ "El periodico, 1970 Jul.-Nov". www2.mnhs.org. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
9. ^ Riordan, Patrick (January 21, 1982). "Despite Dim Passage Prognosis, ERA Still Squeezing Out Sparks". The Miami Herald.
10. ^ "Letters". The New York Times. 1978-12-20. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
11. ^ "Natalie Tackett Papers" (PDF).
12. ^ "ERA Gets Support from 31 Religious Groups". Rocky Mount Telegram. September 19, 1975.
13. ^ "Local Residents, Clergymen to Show ERA Support with Vigil". Southtown Star. March 21, 1982.
14. ^ a b c d "Church Women Give Support to Women's Equality Day". Lebanon Daily News. August 24, 1979.
15. ^ "Notre Dame Archives Inventory: CLCW 6". www.archives.nd.edu. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
16. ^ Williams, Virginia (1995). "LORETTO AND THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT: From "Sister" to sister" (PDF).