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Chapter 3

"I Suffer Not a Woman...."

To Remain Shackled?

The Roman Catholic Church, Greek Orthodox, many mainline Protestant Churches, and the Churches of Christ have historically and traditionally kept women out of their pulpits. Many have not allowed women to hold any offices in the church. Participation by women in public services has been limited. The subject of women's role in the church is a complex one, due to a lack of Biblical clarity and a variety of church laws, interpretations, traditions, and social customs.

But things have changed. In 1956 the United Presbyterian Church voted to ordain women as ministers. Since that year, National Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, and Episcopalians have opened their doors to the ordination of women. Now, over eighty Protestant bodies officially approve the ordaining of women for the ministry. There has definitely been a dramatic change in the past thirty years. Roman Catholic churches stayed a move to ordain women in a decision by Pope Paul VI in 1977. Southern Baptists debate the issue at annual conventions, but to date have not generally ordained women as ministers. The Churches of Christ have hardly allowed the subject to surface in their congregational activities, lectureships, or in their publications, except for the traditional positions.

In this chapter, the study will reflect the present and past teachings and practices of the Church of Christ communion. However, it will also reflect on the role in which women have been historically placed and allowed to serve in most branches of Protestantism and Catholicism. Our reasons for limiting women in official church leadership roles have many of the same historical and Biblical roots. Different communions will have slightly different practices. Some will even argue for their practices from slightly different points of view; however, most still keep women in their "place," as they view their "place" for the same or similar reasons.

The coming of Jesus into the world and the establishment of the early church were sandwiched between male-dominated religious institutions. Jewish traditionalists placed women in a subservient role to men in a patriarchal society. Under Jewish law, husbands could divorce their wives for any cause (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). Wives could not divorce their husbands. Wives were chattel. Polygamy was tolerated (Exodus 21:16; Deuteronomy 21:15-17). Women were considered inferior to men in every way, and less intelligent. They were also considered spiritually inferior. They had no rights of inheritance if there were male heirs (Numbers 27:1-11;36). They were subject to trial and stoning if their husbands suspected them of unfaithfulness (Numbers 5:11-20). In spite of the same teaching on men in Leviticus 20:10, the Jews brought only the woman taken in adultery to Jesus for stoning (John 8:3-11). Women were not treated as equals of men.

Women were not allowed in the Temple and were not counted among the ten Jews necessary to start a synagogue.

However, there is evidence that women served in places of leadership in some synagogues during the Roman and Byzantine periods. Bernadette J. Brooten, in her book,Women Leaders in the Ancient Synagogue, gives evidence of nineteen Greek and Latin inscriptions in which women bear the titles of "Head of Synagogue," "Leader," "Elder," "Mother of the Synagogue," and "Priestess." Some even had roles of "Archisysragogos," the very highest office. But, certainly this was not the rule for women in Jewish culture. However, this evidence proves that women were not totally excluded from public roles in all Jewish communities. Women were prophetesses in the New Testament church (Acts 21:9). Pliny, Governor of Bethynia, wrote of women deacons in the church in 112 A.D. Women who ministered to the needs of the early church are referred to often until 500 A.D. The first hospital was founded by Faviola, a Christian woman.

Even into the Middle Ages, women appeared to have no less opportunity to serve than men. The fact that they are mentioned less may stem from their duties as homemakers more than from any Biblical or church prohibition. They served as abbesses, deaconesses, and prophetesses. Hildegarde of Binsen was both a prophetess and a deaconesses.

Women under the law were considered unclean during menstrual periods and at childbirth. Orthodox Jews still segregate women. Many thanked God that they were not born a woman. Today, some conservative Jewish synagogues allow women to express themselves in worship and even appoint some to be rabbis. In reformed synagogues, there is no problem at all in allowing women equal access to leadership roles in worship or to rabbinical service.

At the coming of Christ, rabbinical schools were still debating whether or not women actually had souls. Under Moses, a woman was stoned if she were caught in adultery, but under Christ she was forgiven. Also, under Christ, there was neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female. They were all one in Christ Jesus. They received spiritual gifts, prayed, prophesied, spoke in tongues, interpreted tongues, and sang Psalms in worship according to I Corinthians 11 and 14.

Shortly after the Apostolic Church period, a new male-dominated church hierarchy began to rise up. Women's names were mentioned less and less in church writings. It culminated in the Ecclesiastic male orders of the Catholic Church both east and west.

Women were excluded from clergy roles, and a bold line was drawn not only between men and women in the church, but also between the clergy and the laity. Even today, in the Catholic churches, and in some Protestant churches, only the clergy can officiate at the communion table and in public worship. Until the last decade, the Catholic Church had only altar boys and no altar girls. Some heretical (?) priests now allow altar girls to serve. But the Church, officially, does not.

Most cultures of the world have placed women in a second-class status (and many still do). Under English law, barely a century ago, it was practically impossible for a woman to earn money. It was not until 1880 that the law allowed her to keep monies she earned. Modern Christianity often reflects the culture of our society as much or even more than it reflects Biblical truth.

Even in the United States, women have enjoyed suffrage only since 1920. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 granted them further rights. Some states, up until a decade ago, had laws on the books limiting a woman's right to a full inheritance which her husband had. In some states she received only a child's share or one-half of her husband's estate. Yet, he could inherit one hundred percent of her estate.

What role does the New Testament allow women to play in the life of the church? It is this question that we will be attempting to answer in this book.

Christ's view of women and the view of Paul were quite different from the Jewish view and the view of much of Christendom today.

The treatment of women by Jesus is in sharp contrast to that of Judaism. While Judaism required the stoning of a woman guilty of adultery, Jesus said to the one taken in the very act, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." In Samaria, Jesus conversed with the woman at Jacob's well. She was surprised that he would even talk to her. Other Jews would not have. Jews would not even talk to Samaritan men, let alone a Samaritan woman. But Jesus did.

Women were close to Jesus, and they were close to Paul. They were following Christ to Galilee and went with him to Jerusalem. They stood at the foot of his cross and were the first at his tomb. They were the first witnesses of his resurrection. They declared his resurrection to the apostles.

It was Paul who declared that in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female when it came to having access to God's grace. Today some church leaders in almost every branch of Christendom still hold traditional positions on men's and women's roles for reasons that are often contradictory to what they practice. They use arguments that are often specious.

Feminists condemn both the traditions practiced in the modern church and the Apostle Paul for what they perceive as his male chauvinism. Happily, a careful study of the New Testament shows that these feminists are as guilty of misinterpreting Paul as are many of the "traditionalists" in the church. For Paul was, indeed, a champion of women's rights to roles in the life of the church.

The role of women in the modern church is due to development of the male-dominated clergy in Catholicism and the gradual transference of that concept of male clergy roles and male laity leadership roles to Protestantism.

The Biblical justification for our establishing the traditional place for women in the church is found basically in three scriptures: The first deals with headship and head coverings (I Corinthians 11:2-16)

Now I praise you that ye remember me in all things, and hold fast the traditions, even as I delivered them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head. But every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled dishonoreth her head; for it is one and the same thing as if she were shaven. For if a woman is not veiled, let her also be shorn: but if it is a shame to a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be veiled. For a man indeed ought not to have his head veiled, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man: for neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man: for this cause ought the woman to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, neither is the woman without the man, nor the man without the woman, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, so is the man also by the woman; but all things are of God. Judge ye in yourselves; is it seemly that a woman pray unto God unveiled? Does not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given her for a covering. But if any man seemeth to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

The second is I Corinthians 14:34-35:

Let the women keep silence in the churches. For it is not permitted for them to speak. But let them be in subjection as also sayeth the Law. If they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church.

And the third scripture is I Timothy 2:8-15:

I desire, therefore, that men pray in every place lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. In like manner, that women adorn themselves with modest apparel, with shamefastness and sobriety; not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly raiments; but which becometh woman professing godliness through good works. Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression; but she shall be saved through her child bearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification and sobriety.

In this study, we will specifically state how the Churches of Christ and other bodies apply or misapply these scriptures. We will study the context of these scriptures and the King James version's use or misuse of the words, "silent" and "silence." The Greek words for woman and man or wife and husband are equally important. The Church's attitude toward women, due in part to the earlier translators' use of these words, will be studied along with authority, submission, and the deaconship.

Those who learn that the church has not followed the scriptures should not force immediate changes, which might result in hard feelings and division. The expedient thing to do is to teach brethren the truth of God's word and bring about change through knowledge and understanding.

However, in spite of the rule of expediency, no one should fail to study and teach the truth on this or any Biblical subject.

Some will say, "But if you speak out on the subject, it will cause trouble." Trouble for whom? Those who are ignorant? Those who will not learn? Many of those who object to the study and teaching on women's issues do so on the ground that it is divisive. But truth and its practice cannot be based on universal approval. To suppress truth because it causes tension is, in reality, contrary to the divisive quality of the teachings of Christ. He said, "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). Jealousy, hatred, and enmity exist in families and can be and sometimes are the price we pay for denying self and following Christ. I doubt babes in Christ will be the ones to cause trouble. My experience suggests that the ones who are usually upset when a traditional practice or a traditional doctrine is tested and found to be unscriptural are those who should be mature both in understanding and in spiritual values. But, it is often this group who needs someone to teach them again "what be the first principles of the oracles of God," and the Restoration plea.

The ones who usually get upset are older members who claim to believe in the plea of the Restoration Movement, "We speak where the Bible speaks, and remain silent where the Bible is silent." But the same often falsely assume that we have fully restored the New Testament Church and have discovered and preach all and only New Testament truth.

Had Martin Luther accepted the view that truth might cause trouble, he never would have challenged the heresy he discovered in the Catholic Church. Had Alexander Campbell taken this position, he would never have spoken up on the substitution of sprinkling for Biblical baptism, nor would he have ever launched out to build a united church in a divided religious world, based on the Bible rather than on the creeds written by men.

If we stop searching for truth, and we dare not, we will betray the cause of restoring the New Testament Church and will violate its fundamental principle of seeking to "speak where the Bible speaks and remain silent where it is silent."