I ended last time by saying, maybe this book will change my mind on what I’ve believed all of my life and, although I’ve never believed women shouldn’t be in leadership or have a platform to speak, I have always believed in male headship in the home and, like everyone who believes that too, we get it from scriptures like 1 Timothy 2:9-15 where Paul seems to be saying that he doesn’t permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man and he seems to go further in 1 Timothy 3: 1-7 and Titus 1: 5-9 where it says that only men who excel as heads of their wives and children can be considered for eldership. And then there is the obvious Ephesians 5 one which I actually used at my Minister in Training interview! I bet some of the female panel were cringing! J This was just over a year ago and, given the opportunity again, I probably would have looked at it differently. Wow, I really am re-thinking!

I said seem for a reason which will become clear as we move on through the book.

I want to interject at this point, that for me, John being head over our house has never been a problem or a bone of contention. He is the most wonderful husband (of almost 35 years) and father and I totally trust him to make the right decisions for our family. I was 18 when we got married and it was very natural for me to let John lead. We work together side by side and have a mutual submission to each other nowadays, but I did want to say that I never balked about headship, in fact I said ‘obey’ in our wedding vows! I know it’s not there anymore and could certainly be a problem if your husband is a jerk! (Can I say that?)

Men lead. Women follow. The Bible tells us so.

Page 11

Generally speaking, in Church, you believe what you’re taught whether you grow up in church or come to faith as an adult. Until you do your own research, you grow in the environment and the culture of the church that you belong. I’ll say again, it’s not easy to ask the question, ‘what if I’m wrong’ but, it’s a good exercise to question things, once an alternative is placed before you.

Back to the book!

For Beth (author of the book), even when she began her training as a historian, Christian arguments about male headship troubled her. Christians were not the only ones to argue that women’s subordination is the divine order. In fact Christians were not the first, they came to the party late. So, although we may claim to be different from the world, we shall see how much Christian patriarchy mimics that of the non-Christian world. Page 12

What do I see?

Such an interesting thought here. I don’t know if you’ve EVER imagined that the church could be the thermometer (fitting into the world) rather than the thermostat (setting the correct truth) as far as this subject is concerned. I’ve just accepted this as the Church’s teaching and am looking forward to seeing the history of this from the world history perspective.

Back to the book

What is Patriarchy?

1. Male ecclesiastical leaders, such as the patriarch (archbishop of Constantinople) in Greek Orthodoxy. 2. Legal power of male household heads. 3. A society that promotes male authority and female submission

Page 13

It’s the third meaning that the focus of patriarchy seems to fall. It’s not talking about the ecclesiastical structures of Greek Orthodoxy or about a specific form of fatherly domination within families, but more about a general system through which women have been and are subordinated to men. Page 14

What do I see?

The first two could be accepted, and, we know that we talk about the patriarchs of our faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were male and I’m not upset about that – I hope no one is! But the traditions that we look back on have created a culture of male authority and female submission which is, I think I’m tentatively beginning to see, not Biblical.

Back to the book

In 2017, American evangelicalism provides a case in point. A 2017 Barna study, focused on the perception of women and power in American society I don’t know how a UK study would have gone (emphasis mine). There were 3 polls to compare attitudes towards women across several demographics, gender, age, political preference and religious identity (Evangelical, Protestant, Catholic and practicing Christian) Interestingly (emphasis mine) Evangelicals came out as the most hesitant group in supporting women’s work outside the home. Only 52% are comfortable with the future possibility of more women than men in the workforce, (this percentage is more than 20 points below that of the general American population. Evangelicals also expressed the most discomfort with female CEOs and pastors. So, for evangelicals these two attitudes are connected. Limiting women’s spiritual authority goes hand in hand with limiting women’s economic power. Page 14

What do I see?

The traditions of evangelical teaching regarding the subordination of women within the home and the church, morph into attitudes about women in the work place. John and I have just had a chat about this and John asked the question, what would happen to the world if we took out all the women who are part of the work force? I think a big thing for me is motive. If our arguments are based on the desire/call to be a female CEO, a football player, a football pundit, a marine or a pastor then I think women should absolutely go for it! If our motive is women’s rights then I think we will become unstuck and our lives will be one of dissatisfaction.

The world values men more than women. The pay gap is just one example. In the 1960’s women earned 71 percent of male wages; today it’s 76 percent

Page 20

Not much change there! I believe in equal pay for the same job, absolutely – however, 3 sets of tennis vs. 5 sets of tennis, equal pay, not so much!

As we continue on this journey, let us do so in light of the Kingdom of God. It is a kingdom that Jesus is pleased to give us, it is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken! More on the history of Patriarchy next time!

D xx

The book I am referring to is The Making of Biblical Womanhood

 

 

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Books – They are such a great thing and I could say, I wish I had more time to read all the books I want to read and, the truth is, I do really. Just turn the TV off more! It’s not rocket science. I read books every day, but I’m challenged to read more and so I aim to do so in 2023.

Books can just be for relaxation, and when I think of my favourites for this, I have to go to the Francine River’s series, The Voice in the wind! Brilliant books. Other books teach you to be bold and confident in your dreams, like, Chase the Lion by Mark Batterson. Others tell the life stories of people we ‘know’ from our TV screens – Matthew Perry was a Christmas present for me! – the book, not him!

Then there are the books that make your eyes water and challenge your ‘all my life’ thinking and to question whether you might actually be wrong in what you thought about a subject. ‘The making of Biblical Womanhood’ – Beth Allison Barr is one such book. I thought I would journey through it with you, if you want to join me, to explore a deeply engrained subject. Some of you will no doubt say, at last, here she comes! I know I am late to the party for many people, but I also think there are a lot behind me too and because it’s not easy to write that you could be wrong, I wanted to document my thoughts as I go through it. Will it convince me that I’ve been wrong? Probably.

Beth Allison Barr is a Professor of History and teaches at the Baylor university in the US. It’s important to note that. She is qualified to speak.

Let’s go.

Beth begins the book by explaining where she is from – Texas and her Church back ground – Southern Baptist. In everything from sermons to Sunday school, she was taught from well meaning teachers that women were called to secondary roles in church and family, with emphasis on marriage and children. That women behind the pulpit were not acceptable unless just describing experience. In other words, no preaching, just story telling. [1]

I am from the North of England and my church background is Pentecostal. I can’t honestly remember that kind of teaching being so prevalent. I know that Elim in the early 90’s debated for years on the ordination of women, but I was outside of that and I don’t remember having an opinion back then. I think I am right in saying that Marilyn Harry – a wonderful friend, who also happened to be on the panel at our very first church interview in Porth 1989! Thank you for giving us the job! – was the first woman to be ordained in Elim – and I will say, very worthy of that ordination. I don’t know if there was pain attached to that journey for Marilyn, I hope not, but there probably was. My thoughts on women leading churches is mainly protective, I have other thoughts too, but protective of my own sex is up there. Ministry is TOUGH. I’ve been in it all my life. My dad was a pastor and the pain I have seen my parents go through, who would want that? And it’s only when the buck stops with you, that you will understand that pressure.

At this point, I should probably tell you that I am in the process of ministry training – I will get ordained in a couple of years unless I’m cancelled for my thoughts! Hahaha! I am laughing as I write this because never in my wildest dreams did I think I would go down this road, maybe I will tell the story later.

For now, back to the book.

Beth was taught and ‘believed’ that women were meant to let their husbands rule (Genesis); wait for the perfect husband (Ruth) mens’ voices were public and women were to be private (1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy) and, when women did take charge it was either because of sin, (Eve) or because a man failed to do their job (Deborah) [2]

This was her world for 40 years. It’s impossible to comment on the whole book, but the crux for her was when she was told by her church that she couldn’t teach anything biblical to a Sunday School class because it had 14 year old boys in it and it was at this age that it was considered you moved from being a child to an adult, therefore not theologically acceptable. The year was 2016.

Again, I would love to know if it was like this in Elim because I don’t remember it being so when we joined Elim in 1979 (my parents were given the Blackpool Church at that time). When John and I first went into ministry, 1989, I said I would never preach because I didn’t think it was for me, not for women, for me. We are over 30 years away from those early days and preaching/teaching are among some of the most favourite things I do! (Not just my opinion by the way). I have never been told I can’t preach/teach in the sense of not allowed. I have had people walk out on me because they don’t think women should, so I don’t take that personally, but it’s never been an official stance of any church I have been in. Let me know if it has been for you. I am interested.

Beth’s qualification as a historian and the evidence she has found, has shown her how biblical womanhood was constructed, century by century and it is this evidence, brick by brick, that changed her mind on everything she had been taught in the church regarding womanhood.

I think it may just change mine too.

Until next time, D x

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[1] Page 1

[2] Page 2