Women in the Chruch

In Christianity women have often been denied the more prominent spiritual roles in the Church, and have been largely assigned 'jobs' said to be an extension of what has often been their home life (E.g. Putting out flowers, cleaning, teaching children in Sunday School). Critics of the way women have been treated by the Church over the years point towards its patriarchal structure, and argue that it is institution which has been set up and led my men, and primarily for men. As such, many women believe it is time for the Church to revise its structures, and in doing so change the way it treats women. However, there are others who argue that the Church should not bow to the 'whims' of society, and that women are only being treated as the Scripture specifically says they should be. They also argue that the Bible teaches that men and women are spiritually equal, but that they are assigned different roles in the Christian community.

A third group could be said to represent the middle ground between these two positions. These would argue that the Bible only appears to be denying women full equality in Church matters. They would argue that certain key passages (such as 1 Timothy 2:11-15) which appear to prohibit women from being church leaders, need to be looked at in the social and cultural contexts they were first written in. It is when we re-think them in the light of why they were written (and who for), that we can understand their true meaning for us today.

"A women should learn in quietness and full submission.I do not permit a women to teach or have authority over a man.; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was the one decieved; it was the women who was decieved and became a sinner. But women will be saved through child bearing-if they continue in faith, love, holiness, and propriety." - 1 Timothy 2:11-15

The of course later in Corinthians Paul wrote:
"For God is not a God of disorder and peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak but remain in submission, as the law says. If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a women to speak in church." - 1 Corinthians 14:33-35

At first glance these latter teachings attributed to Paul seem to present a view of women that is 'out of touch' with the modern mindset. However, we should bear in mind that Paul was writing to specific churches, at a specific time, and in response to some specific questions they were asking.

Finally, we should note that Paul wrote elsewhere that all men and women are equal, especially in spiritual matters:

"There is neither greek, nor jew, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28

Something to think about: Does Paul contradict himself in what he teaches about the role of men and women in the Church?

At the time Jesus lived, society had a generally negative attitude towards women. Both Jews and Greeks believed the 'work' of women should be limited to the domestic roles of wife and mother, with the former holding that the female gender were responsible for most (if not all) sin - especially sexual temptation!

However, despite this we need only take a quick glance in the Gospels to see that Jesus had a very positive attitude towards women. He accepted and affirmed women who were neglected by society, and declared them person's of value. Jesus healed women who were considered ritually unclean, and forgave those guilty of even sexual sin. Jesus also taught women, and counted them amongst his closest followers/disciples, and in his teachings they are often used as examples of people living a true life of faith. Although women were not generally educated at the time Jesus lived, he allowed them to sit at his feet (the traditional posture of a disciple - Luke 10:38-42), and taught them. We should also note that it was women (including a reformed prostitute Mary Magdalene), who first witnessed and told the twelve male disciples about the resurrection of Jesus.

Paul's letters to the young churches in Asia Minor were written in response to real issues they were facing, and questions they were asking. When Paul writes about women in his letters, he is first and foremost responding to questions being asked by church leaders, about their role and place in the new movement. Remember, up until this time society had held largely negative attitudes towards women. Roman law gave man complete authority over his wife, and a woman's quiet submission was considered her greatest virtue. Most men married when they were in their thirties, and usually to girls in their teens. As such their wives would be less intellectually challenging for them, and this mainly because women were largely uneducated. The new Christian faith liberated both men and women, and 'in Christ' they were now equal with men! These were exciting times for women who became Christians, and Paul needed to work out how to include them as member's of the church , in a way that benefited everyone.

The Apostle Paul was giving instructions to the Church which, although on the surface it looked like it denied women the right to teach and have spiritual leadership in the Church, may in fact have been intended to empower women and give them a status previously denied to them by society. For instance, although women were not highly regarded by men at the time, Paul taught that they were equal to men (Galatians 3:28). Furthermore, far from denying women the right to have spiritual leadership per se, Paul was simply asking women to learn about the Scriptures before they began teaching others (1 Timothy 2:11-15).

To support this reading of Paul we should note that elsewhere in the New Testament, he acknowledges that women were already having a spiritual input into 'services'. In a letter to the church at Corinth he wrote, 'And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head...' (1 Corinthians 11:5 - he also says exactly the same about men in verse 4!). Notice he does not say women should not prophesy (or preach/teach) in Church services, but just that they should do so in a certain way. Thus Paul acknowledged and allowed women to exercise spiritual leadership in Church, despite some passages implying he did not.

Furthermore, if women are not to meant to even speak in church but are to ask their husbands if they do not understand something (1 Corinthians 14:33-35), what happens about single women? 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 makes no mention of single women and does not account for their needs, so this too suggests that it cannot be taken to be a teaching about all women.

Finally, if 1 Timothy 2:11-15 is assumed to be universal, then what do we make of verse 15 which says that women will be saved through having children ('But women will be saved through childbearing - if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety')? Although some take the verse to be speaking of Mary the Mother of Jesus, the verb for childbearing here is plural, and implies many children (or women gen. having children). This raises the problem for women who have no children, or cannot have children. If 1 Timothy 2:11-15 has universal meaning, then it suggests that women who cannot have children, cannot be saved? This seems odd, for Galatians 3:28 says that all men and women are equal in the Lord, implying that salvation is not restricted to men only. So 1 Timothy 2:15 seems not to refer to all women, but only the women under Timothy's care (or in his 'church'), and as such sets out advice applicable for a specific time rather than all churches everywhere. This would also seem to suggest that verses 11-14 must also be read similarly.

My veiw on this topic is not a hard headed one but the same of which I look at most of these contriversial topics, I'm going to serve how I feel God is calling me to serve, now God has not called me to be a Pastor, nor do I have any desire to be one so this isn't really an issue for me. But I've sat through a sermon from a Pastors wife once that had to have been the most powerful sermon I've ever heard and defenitly was a life changing message for me.

But the things I do believe are these, Women should have there own ministry with a woman leader, Women should be able to lead worship or lead a choir, and their are a few others I feel strongly about. Women happen to be the most poweful prayer intercessors, I think partly having to do with our role in marriage, we have to pray for our husbands constantly.

Personally, this is a touchy subject for me. Part of me wants to get all huff and puff about my rights as a women and I'm strong and independent but I also am currently a housewife who's goal is to be a stay at home mom. This doesn't mean I don't want to be involved in ministry though. In fact I know for a fact that God has called my husband and I to a great ministry and I can't wait to see that in full bloom. So here are some of my thoughts, done by research. Please comment, I would love to hear others opinions, women and men alike.