Other Books at Freedom's Ring

Our Practices in Christian Universities,

Colleges, Journalism, and Drama

If we read the catalogs and literature of our private "church-related" schools, we would quickly learn our justification for their existence. Although they are called adjuncts to the Christian home by most brethren, they are also just as much adjuncts to the church. They train most of our preachers and missionaries (male and female) and provide training for over one-half of their own faculty members.

The catalogs all call attention to a "Christian environment" with regular Bible classes and daily chapel exercises. Students will make and socialize with Christian friends. They will have a "better" chance of finding a Christian mate. They will have instructors who will teach from a Christian point of view. They will be trained for effective church work and leadership. The mission department will equip students to go to the mission fields. The Bible or religion department will train male students to enter the ministry of the church. The whole environment is conducive to building Christian relationships, establishing Christian homes, and preparing the young to be faithful and more effective church workers. At least four of our universities have graduate schools of religion to train ministers, church leaders and missionaries.

It is interesting to note that here both male and female professors are permitted to teach baptized men of all ages any subject emphasizing "Christian principles" while doing so. A Christian woman teaching science or history can teach creationism from Genesis in her classes. In fact, she is both expected and compelled to, in order to keep her job. To the boards and administrators, she is perfectly free to teach the Genesis account without restraint. But, it is strange that she cannot teach Genesis to the same baptized men across the hall in a Bible class, or at a church building across the street.

As a freshman at Harding College, I took Homiletics from J. N. Armstrong. At times, when he was away from campus or ill, his wife, Woodson Harding Armstrong, would fill in for him and instruct young preachers on how to preach. Mrs. Armstrong taught speech at Harding. No one thought she sinned by training young preachers. I took a course on Oral Interpretation from her. Both male and female students read from the Bible to the mixed class, from the front of the classroom, and in assemblies. But on Sundays, no girls were allowed to read the same scriptures in the same classrooms, because someone had concluded that it would have "violated" I Corinthians 14 and I Timothy 2.

The late Velma West, wife of Dr. W. B. West, taught New Testament Greek at Pepperdine University, to both graduate and undergraduate students, during the 1940's. Dr. West was Chairman of the Department of Religion at Pepperdine. I took my first course in Greek from Professor Velma West.

In 1953 I enrolled in the graduate school at Harding University. Dr. West was then Dean in that graduate school of religion, and Velma West continued teaching New Testament Greek there. Over the years, hundreds of male students, many of whom had been preaching for decades, studied Greek under her.

Hardly anyone thought then, or thinks now, that a Christian woman could not teach the original language of the New Testament to men and pass along the meanings of God's word in the Greek to those men, and all were baptized believers. Why? Because the dominant male authorities said it was OK.

At Oklahoma Christian University of Science and Arts (formerly Oklahoma Christian College), Jo Anne North, wife of the Executive Vice President, has taught a course titled, "Religious Education for Children." It has been attended by male and female college students and by ministers of the gospel. She also taught this course for credit at the College Church in lieu of regular Wednesday night classes. Her husband, Stafford, and James O. Baird are elders there. Dr. Howard Norton preaches there, edits the Christian Chronicle, and chairs the University's Bible Department. Other colleges have similar courses in religion taught by women.

Women are now administrators in most all of our institutions of higher learning and supervise adult male students, teachers, department heads, and other employees. Dorm mothers exercise authority over male students. These Christian women exercise dominion over men at these Christian schools, and no one renders an objection on scriptural grounds. Dr. June Breninger was Dean of Students at Columbia Christian College, in Portland. D'Esta Love is Dean of Students at Pepperdine University. Barbara Tucker is Dean of Students at Oklahoma Christian. It should be noted that, to my knowledge, only two of our Christian colleges has ever elevated a woman to the position of Academic Dean. Dr. Linda Brook was Dean of Alabama Christian before her death in 1988.

In September 1990, Donna L. Bently became the Dean over all three colleges at Faulkner University. She exercises authority over every department, including male and female teachers, along with male and female students.

Dr. Joyce Harding has served as Associate Academic Dean at Lubbock Christian University, exercising authority over men and women on the faculty.

None has become a president, chancellor, or vice president, yet. Why? Because we would probably go to the scripture to protect those chief executive positions for men only. Many would argue that appointing a woman as president would violate Paul's teaching in I Timothy 2:11-12. In other words, to date we apply Paul's standard to only the highest echelon of college administration, but we allow women to exercise authority over men and women on faculty and staff and over young adult college students on a level a notch or two down in the chain of command.

Traditionally, at all our Christian college commencement exercises, the Christian faculty marches in full regalia to a designated seating area, followed by graduating seniors, wearing caps and gowns. The president of the institution and the dean, the guest speaker, the song leader, the scripture reader, the invocator, and the one leading the benediction, all men, march to the platform.

The service usually goes like this: The president of the college takes charge of this commencement and worship service. He tells the audience how important this Christian institution is to God's work, the church, and what these graduates will mean to the kingdom of God. He then turns the microphone over to designated men to lead the invocation. A song leader leads the congregation in one or two songs. The college chorale (choir) may sing selected and usually religious numbers. The Bible reader reads scripture; the speaker is introduced and gives his or her presentation. Almost always, it is his presentation rather than hers. The speaker also may or may not be a Christian, and often is not in fellowship with the Churches of Christ.

When he finishes the presentation, the audience claps in response. The president thanks him and often confers on him an honorary degree. The dean announces the names of graduates. They march across the platform, where the president confers degrees, and they then return to their seats. The president then charges them to go into all the world and let their lights shine as they build God's kingdom. A benediction prayer is then offered. The recessional begins.

No one seems to wish to call this a worship service, even though God's word is read, praises are sung, prayers of thanks are given and, in His name, a charge is given to the graduates to spread God's kingdom. If it is not a worship experience, what is it? The same college board and administration would seldom, if ever, let a fellow Christian woman give the address, let alone preach a commencement sermon on this occasion. But, a speaker who is not affiliated with the Church of Christ often includes preachments from the Bible in his address and no one seems to disapprove. The conclusion: It is all right for a Methodist, Catholic, or maybe an infidel, if he is important enough (and sometimes rich enough) to address these Christian graduates. But, we conclude, it would be wrong for a godly woman who has served faithfully in God's kingdom to address these same Christian young people. I find that strange, especially coming from a center of higher Christian education.

The same mixed college chorale can sing in this worship service to the benefit of all those assembled, including faculty, students, parents and friends. This audience is made up of church leaders of all kinds. However, most of the same church leaders would not allow this mixed college choir or any other choir to sing the same songs in a worship service on Sundays in their home churches during the morning worship. In fact, some people would split churches over such a "liberal" practice and attempt to "mark" any congregation which did. What is the difference? Nothing but a date and geography!

But deep in our heart of hearts no one can find any difference. I have heard women soloists sing with college choirs on all sorts of occasions and not one soul objected. Isn't that strange that we can bridge that intellectual gap, but cannot, or will not, bridge that intellectual and emotional gap in worship services at church on Sundays?

We have appointed many women as principals over our lower schools. Male teachers are subject to them. Women are named department chairpersons in colleges, and male professors are subject to them.

Very few women have spoken in chapel services at our Christian schools and institutions of higher learning. My daughter, Cynthia Rowland McClure, has spoken to over half of our Christian colleges. In fact, some of our institutions have brought her back for two or three consecutive years. The students, faculty, and administrators have, almost with one voice, stated that her messages have been among the finest or the finest and most inspirational chapel speeches of the year. Her speeches deal with Christian solutions to human problems. More than one professor, administrator, and student have declared her to be the most inspirational speaker ever to have appeared on their chapel programs. She tells of human struggles, of her faith in God, of God's answer to prayer, and His fulfillment of His promises. She has also spoken at dozens of churches and hundreds of youth meetings.

But, to make presentations "scriptural" and "acceptable", the men who conduct the chapel service "officially" close it with a prayer before she is introduced. She is then permitted to speak, since "worship" is over. The closing prayer permits her to speak, even though her message deals with the same subjects which are dealt with in the announcements, Bible readings, songs, and prayers. Nothing indicates the fallacy of our reasoning more than the fact that she is often asked to remain off-stage until the men have concluded their portion of the program.

Male speakers of every religious affiliation, or even atheists, may speak to the Christian college student body after the "worship" is closed with a prayer and may sit on the stage throughout the entire service. Those of other religious affiliations often speak of their faith and convictions to the students. But, very few Christian women are ever permitted to grace the same platforms during worship. Even though "God is no respector of persons," college officials are.

However, even allowing a woman to speak is one giant step forward from the early days of the Restoration Movement. J. W. McGarvey at first refused to allow women to attend his Bible classes. Later, he allowed them to do so only if they arrived after the young men were seated, sat in the back, and left early.

David Lipscomb, in 1911, called co-education an experience of doubtful propriety. He later relented and joined James A. Harding in establishing a co-educational Bible School, which is now David Lipscomb University, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Now, young women can major in Bible at our colleges, but are discouraged, even forbidden, from taking Homiletics. It would be a shame, some suppose, if a woman went out and preached that God loved the world and that He gave His Son to save it. He, no doubt, would rather see men and women die unsaved than to hear the message from women, whose lips are sealed from public proclamation under our silence rule of I Corinthians 14:34.

Another interesting note is that female students are permitted, in most institutions, to make any kind of announcement from the podium which would be of special interest to the campus community at a worship service in a college chapel. But, the same young lady is forbidden to make an announcement from the same podium to the same audience in a Sunday worship service, or in a church building across the street.

Many of our college and university boards of trustees include women. They may cast a deciding vote on who shall be the president, head the Bible department, or teach in the Bible department. They may cast a vote on promotions, Bible curriculum, or who gets fired. They are in a position of great power and authority, which they exercise with every vote. But they are usually wealthy, and this permits the power structures to make selective applications of scripture in what is allowed in the exercise of authority over men.

Perhaps the most glaring inconsistency in what we say the Bible teaches and what we actually practice is what happens at the Annual Christian Scholars Conference each year. The list of paper presenters looks like the "Who's Who" among our Bible faculties of all our schools of higher learning, along with preachers of high academic achievement.

The scholars meet to tell each other what they have discovered about God's eternal truth. They represent institutions and churches which, for the most part, will not allow a woman to teach men the Bible in classes on their campuses or in their home congregations. Yet, at this "Christian" conference, these same men invite women, who are also Christian scholars, to teach them the Bible truths they have discovered in their research.

This Annual Christian Scholars Conference, in 1989, was held at Pepperdine University. The theme was "Leadership." Among the speakers were J.J.M. Roberts, Ian Fair, Everett Ferguson, Winston Harless, Clyde Lewis, Howard Norton, Steve Prewitt, Wyatt Jones, and Charles Stephenson. Most of these men represented one of our colleges or universities. Dr. Tom Olbricht, of Pepperdine University, was in charge.

Apparently, no one in the Pepperdine administration or Bible faculty, or the speakers representing other institutions of learning or churches had any objections to two Christian women, Jeanine Varner of Oklahoma Christian, and Kathy Pulley, of Southwest Missouri State University, lecturing to this gathering of Christian scholars and church leaders.

What is the difference in teaching Christian men who are scholars and teaching Christian men who are not scholars? Would the same men defend these women's right to teach and preach their knowledge of Biblical scholarship on their respective campuses or before their congregations? The only difference is geography, not Biblical principles.

Should not the brotherhood call these men to repentance for violating I Corinthians and I Timothy? We will not, because we have developed an elastic rationale which will adjust to selective applications of all sorts.

It is reasoned that God allows it at a Christian scholars conference, but He prohibits it on an individual campus or congregation.

Teaching Through Writings

We somehow find no contradiction in our practice of forbidding a woman to teach a mixed class at church, while allowing her all kinds of teaching privileges with the pen. And we all know that "the pen is mightier than the sword." So, it must be as mighty as a sermon.

As a young man, I bought a book by Zelma Wood Lawyer, titled, I Married a Missionary. The book was inspirational, instructive, and convincing. It was about her marriage and her mission work in Africa with her husband. Brother Lawyer died on the mission field in Africa. After a stay in America, his wife returned to the mission field for some time, as a widow. Sadly, the churches which supported her in the mission field would not let her report her work to the whole congregation on Sundays during the "worship" service. But, they could read her message in her book.

Literally tens of thousands have been inspired, instructed, and convicted by this woman's writings. She has taught women, children, elders, preachers, and many others from her book's pages, and no one objected.

Mrs. G.H.P. Showalter, wife of the long time editor of the Firm Foundation, edited the Christian Woman magazine for years. There are hundreds of thousands who have been taught directly and indirectly from its pages. I have read it, off and on, all my adult life. The women who write for it certainly have many messages which teach both men and women.

There are hundreds of articles, poems, songs, and books written by women which have been read and sung by the entire brotherhood.

Restrictions are often placed upon women's articles in our journals. They are encouraged to write only about women's subjects. This simply protects and promotes an ill-conceived and unfounded tradition on women's roles and abilities. Yet, it is violated in every worship service, as Fanny J. Crosby directs our thinking and praise.

The Christian Chronicle has the largest circulation of a periodical among the Churches of Christ. The managing editor for over six years was Joy McMillon. Her articles on churches, missions, and people in the brotherhood were informative, instructive, and often inspirational. Through her writings, she instructed probably over 200,000 Christians in every edition on the life, work and mission of the church and its members. No other woman in our brotherhood comes close to her in effectively teaching us about ourselves and our varied activities for Christ. Her writings were based on sound research and were authoritative, too.

So, we allow women to teach anywhere and anytime through the written word. They may write articles, poems, songs or books which teach hundreds of thousands. Their articles, poems, songs, or books may be used freely in classes or in the pulpit. But, they are forbidden to read one word from any of them there.

Lectureships

Lectureships conducted by churches, colleges and universities are usually dominated by men, with occasional classes thrown in by few women, for women only.

Yet, in the area of Christian education and Christian counseling, women have been known to teach both men and women and no one seemingly objects as long as the class is not a "textual" study. Where does God say that a woman can teach as long as it is topical and not textual?

At the 1987 lectureship at Oklahoma Christian College, a husband and wife team taught a series on Christian counseling. It was attended by men and women, preachers, elders, and deacons. No one created a fuss over the scriptureness of this wife joining her husband and team-teaching those men.

Similar classes have been held at other college lectureships. No one seems to object, because Christian education and Christian counseling are deemed somehow not to be "Bible" teaching. Thus, they are exempted from our rules. I have not understood the difference.

Drama

In the September, 1990 edition of the Christian Chronicle, there was a feature story about Miss Dezarea Gaines. She had written a play around the life of Fanny Crosby, the famous blind woman who wrote some of the "Great Songs of the Church."

Miss Gaines performed the play at the Preston Road Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas, twice at Pepperdine University, and twice at Abilene Christian University. Reports say, "The whole message was faith-building." Others reported they had not known where the songs came from or what they meant before. Songs included were "Tell me the Old, Old Story," "Blessed Assurance," and "I am Thine, O Lord."

This Christian woman has been teaching at the church through drama. The drama is "informative" and "faith-building." No one would argue that men should not go hear this Christian woman perform or that she should be silenced into subjection because it is God's will for women. Where did God draw a line between one kind of public teaching and teaching through public drama?

I attended the church whose creed on women was printed in an earlier chapter, just before Christmas in 1988 for a Wednesday night prayer meeting. Men, women, and children of all ages were in attendance. A few songs were sung and a prayer offered. Then, the elementary students acted out the story of the birth of Christ. Young girls, along with young boys, dramatized the message. They all quoted scripture and sang "Glory to God in the Highest."

Not one person in attendance, I learned later, objected to young girls quoting scripture on the pulpit in this drama. But this church has virtually split because faithful couples wanted to team-teach in their so-called "private" Bible classes, like it is claimed Priscilla and Aquila did. Surely, we are intelligent enough to see the parallels and courageous enough to bridge the chasm which separates our tradition from the truth.

Many Christian plays have been performed on our stages and have been both instructive and inspirational. The leads have included men and women. Such public teaching is not deemed to be in violation of I Corinthians and I Timothy. Yet, this is public teaching through Christian drama at our Christian schools and universities. Should we censor or disfellowship school board members and churches which have allowed such heresy to be practiced?

We do the above things, and much more, because we have "reasoned" them to be acceptable - not because God has defined them acceptable or unacceptable.

We need to examine the scriptures which apply to women's role in the church. Perhaps our "reasoned" positions on women's silence and subjection are in contradiction to what God really says. Could that be so?

Some will argue that pointing out our clear inconsistencies in actual practice does not change the truth of the matter. The point is well made. But, if some take the liberty to reason away the silence and submission rules to fit their practices and traditions, who gives them the right to set limits on others' reasoning for different practices and traditions?