One of the questions you all voted on had to do with a woman’s role in the church. To be fair, I have not studied this topic in-depth. I want to. But because of other commitments and responsibilities at this stage of life, I haven’t taken the time to study it, yet.
Having said that, let me share three observations I have from church experience and from scripture. I’ll wrap-up this article with a few thoughts about where I’m leaning at this point in life (even though as I said, it’s not something I’ve studied in-depth, yet).
Because it’s a bit of a hot-topic in churches today, and because I haven’t studied it thoroughly, I feel vulnerable in sharing this. But that’s what patron-only posts are for, right? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback after you read this post. Your input is a part of my own study and research!
And now for three observations:
We Have a Highly Male Dominated Expression of Faith
In many of the churches I’m acquainted with, married women share a vote with their husbands. Some barely allow single women to vote at all, while others at least give them one.
The issue here, as I understand, has to do with married couples being “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). However, what happens when a wife disagrees with her husband? Which way does their vote go?
Because of our understanding of submission, respect, and authority, it typically ends up going the husbands way. Only, should it? Do we have a biblical understanding of submission and respect? (We’ll get to that more in a bit.)
But it’s not only voting where I see male dominance. Few women share testimonies in church. It often ends up being primarily the men. And while I know this has to do with 1Co. 14:34 where Paul says women should keep silent in church, I’m not sure we’re understanding what Paul was actually saying.
For instance, a few chapters earlier, he said women should cover their heads when praying and prophesying (1Co. 11:5). If women are to be silent, why had he previously mentioned their need for a head covering when prophesying?
A third way I see male dominance in faith expression is how the church has typically given men more opportunity and place for using their spiritual gifts then it has given women. The Gospel is available to all who believe (Ro. 3:21-25), not just men. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts are given to the church (all who believe—Eph. 1:13, 4:7-12), not just men.
Yet, unless you cook or sew, or unless the church has a crowd of young women, there isn’t much place for you to equip others, do ministry, or build-up the body if woman. Men lead worship. Men share devotionals. Men plan discipleship programs. Men are deacons, elders, or pastors even though the gifting of pastor, apostle, teacher, evangelist, or prophet is never designated as a gift only men will receive.
This all is what I mean by a male dominated expression of faith, and it leads to my second observation.
Scripture Sends Mixed Signals
On one hand, we have verses like, 1Co. 14:34 and Gen. 3:16 that indicate men should lead out and women play (at most) behind the scenes roles.
As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. (1Co. 14:34)
To the woman he said,
“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,
but he shall rule over you.” (Gen. 3:16)
On the other hand, we read of Deborah the judge (Judg. 4) who was one of Israel’s few upright judges. Or Priscilla who clearly had a ministry of discipleship in her own home with her husband. There are Philip’s daughters who are said to have prophesied (Acts 21:9), something sons and daughters do in the last days (Acts 2:17). And many other women in the Bible who not only spoke in worship services, but spoke on behalf of God, and even fulfilled leadership roles.
Because of these mixed signals, we can’t say categorically based on one or two passages that women can have leaderships roles, or women can’t have leadership roles. There’s a lot of play in scripture. We need to dig a little deeper.
We Have an Unbiblical Understanding of Submission, Respect, and Authority
Submission is not something only women, or those under authority are called to. Neither is submission accepting what someone decides without question or concern.
Submission is mutual self-denial, considering others as more important than ourselves, because we are keenly aware of Christ’s submitting Himself to us (Eph. 5:21, Phil. 2:3-5). Submission transcends roles and genders.
In the same way, respecting someone doesn’t mean you never critique, share concerns, or contradict them. Respect is about understanding the weight of responsibility and opportunity one has (Eph. 5:22-33, 1Thes. 5:12-13).
In other words, I respect my boss because he carries the majority of responsibility in making our company successful. Furthermore, he has the opportunity to give me a job and help me be successful or to dismiss me from my job and make me a failure. Understanding that, and relating accordingly, is respect.
So, when my wife sees me heading down a track that is not going to end well, or she sees me relating to my sons in a way that is hurting them and our family, to share her concern with me (preferably in a private conversation) is of utmost respect. Not say anything is perhaps the great form of disrespect she could give me.
I carry a lot of responsibility in raising our kids and providing a safe and healthy environment for our family. And I have the opportunity to do great good or great harm. When she understands that (or me with her) and relates with me accordingly, she is being respectful. Even when things she may say or do actually trample on my pride.
This all comes down to understanding what authority is. Authority is not the right to do things the way I’ve always wanted to do them. Authority is not a position for getting people to serve me. At least, this isn’t God’s design for authority.
Authority is the power to serve those I’m responsible for and power to lead them by exemplifying to them how we should live and relate (Mt. 20:25-28, 1Pt. 5:2-3).
Having made these observation, let me leave you with three thoughts about where I am leaning in what a woman’s role in church ought to be.
God’s Liberates Women More Than Cultures of This World Do
When you compare ancient culture with biblical commands and expectation, God’s design is more liberating for women than cultural norms. Culture, ancient and modern, has typically had an extremely low view of women.
Women serve. Women do the heavy labor. Women are to be seen and not heard. Women don’t have voice in decisions. And while Western culture has seen a major shift regarding this in the last hundred years or so, all cultures have typically had this low-view of women.
But God, way back in the Garden of Eden, had an extremely high view of women. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:27) Both men and women carry God’s image. He puts them on the same level of worth and value. They are both His. Both embodying His glory and design.
Furthermore, God gives women voice. The gifts of the Spirit are not gender exclusive, women as well as men, are gifted with apostleship, prophet, teaching, pastoring, and evangelizing. God wants women to be as much a part of building His Kingdom and carrying His message to the world as men. And Paul and Peter both give instructions to women in how to teach and make disciples (Tit. 2:1-15, 1Pet. 3:1-2, 1Co. 11:2-16).
Again, this was radically liberating for women in that day. The fact that they would have any voice, and be able to teach in any way, was completely counter-cultural. Yet, it’s clear that women are as much a part of God’s Kingdom building process as men are.
God also commands their protection. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church (Eph. 5:25, Col. 3:19). That’s not a small calling. The church is to look out for widows and care for them (1Tim. 5:16, Jas. 1:27).
It’s nothing new to give women a place and a voice in culture. It was God’s idea from the very beginning. He truly liberates women as equals in their value and worth and role in advancing His Kingdom. In fact, the modern feminist movement is actually suppressing women because they try making them like men.
According to God, women are valued as women. They have something to offer the church and the world at large because of how they are uniquely designed as women. They don’t need to be men or do the things men do.
NT Letters Are Extremely Challenging to Interpret—Especially 1 Corinthians
New Testament letters can be difficult to interpret because it’s like piecing together a conversation from hearing one end of the telephone line. We can read Paul’s responses, but we don’t know exactly what was going on or what he was addressing and why. We can piece it together, and sometimes we can do it fairly well.
But 1 Corinthians is actually really challenging to interpret. We need to be careful not to jump to conclusions about what is saying and respect the fact that there are some deep, theological concepts that biblical scholars for ages have wrestled over.
Paul is addressing something specific in 1 Corinthians 14. What is it? Is the statement “women should keep silent” universally true? Or was there a unique situation taking place in 1 Corinthians that Paul is referring to?
1 Corinthians was one of Paul’s first letters written. Was something new happening because of the newness of the Gospel taking place in communities?
Could it be that the Gospel liberated women in a way they had never been before? They could now be a part of the teaching and edifying of people in faith, only they had never been educated before like men had been. So, when they came into church services and began speaking, it caused confusion, not clarity? Could that be why Paul exhorting them to be quiet and learn at home?
There is a lot to be digest and explore in 1 Corinthians, and I think we honor God by respecting the fact that His Word is not as dry and cut as we sometimes think it is. Instead of grabbing it with our hands and assuming we know what it’s saying, let’s make sure we’re doing our best to understand the audience and the situation and what the author was intending.
While God Liberates Women, He Never Places Them in the Role of Priesthood
I personally lean toward giving women more voice and opportunity to serve (even lead) in church than churches have traditionally done.
But my pause in allowing women to play a role in being the primary shepherd and teacher of a local body comes from the fact that while we see women playing many significant ministry roles (even leadership roles) in Scripture, we never see them in the role of priesthood. For whatever reason, God always has men as priest.
Paul touches on this slightly in 1 Timothy 2:11-15. Again, there is a lot of allusion and complexity to Paul’s exhortations here, but something about Eve being deceived causes him to not permit women to teach men or exercise authority over men.
I don’t understand all of what Paul is saying. I don’t understand how women are “saved through child-bearing.” But this concept of men being the primary spiritual leaders and intercessors for God’s people plays out throughout the whole of Scripture. So, I have strong hesitation about women becoming pastors and preachers for local churches.
As I said before, this isn’t something I’ve studied in-depth. I want to do more research and possibly write on it more in the future. Until then, these are my observations and thoughts. I’d love to hear yours!
Share your own observations and thoughts in the comments below.
