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Fukfacewillie In some churches today, women literally can’t speak during the services. In others, they can’t read the Bible from behind the pulpit. In some, they must cover their hair, or they will allegedly “cause” men to lust. Many churches bar women from leadership positions: pastor, elder, bishop, deacon, priest. Some will not allow women to sit on committees related to church doctrine or discipline.
Why do women—and only women—face all of these restrictions? Simply because they are women. Historically (beginning with commentaries from the 2nd Century A.D.), the church has portrayed womanhood as something that is either defective or dangerous—hence all the restrictions. Generally, the proposed solution to the alleged “problem” of womanhood has been “submission” or “subjection” to male authority. This solution was, of course, proposed by male theologians, who lived in dramatically patriarchal cultures that tended to blame women for their social problems. Rome, for example, blamed women (in general) for military defeat in the Punic Wars. Most of these restrictions on women in the church can be traced to Roman traditions dating back to the 2nd-4th centuries A.D.. The only literature I’ve ever read that is similar to this can be found in Adolf Hitler’s treatment of Jews in “Mein Kampf.”
The irrational scape-goating of women by the church reached its zenith in the Inquisition. I don’t have the heart to recount that appalling history here.
It was carried into the Reformation by theologians like John Calvin, who insisted that women be submissive to the “more distinguished sex.” Calvin repeatedly quotes 4th-century church leaders like St. Augustine to support his conclusions.
We have a sad history of Bible translation that has literally changed female names to male (e.g. Junia) and has translated words one way for men (e.g. minister, deacon, leader) and another way for women (e.g. servant, servant, servant). That’s what happens when you have all-male translation committees drawn from cultures that accept male-governance as a social necessity and attribute it to God’s design.
Today, many churches continue to perpetuate an irrational fear of womanhood that is expressed through male control, wrongly portrayed as “God’s will.”
Every time I see a particular church break from this oppressive tradition–and I’m seeing that more and more–I say a heartfelt prayer of thanks.
Btw, my major at Belmont University was Theology and Christian Ministry. What is your background?
