A common long-lived belief has been
that men are qualified and can handle a job better than a woman in high-level
roles in the workplace. This traditional view has caused a great stir among all
types of people when it comes to the importance of gender equality. The
question of ability and intelligence of women begins to come across compared to
the man’s ability in roles of leadership.
To be an effective high-level leader it is
believed that a leader must be: confident, task-oriented, competitive,
objective, decisive, and assertive which are all masculine traits, not
feminine. For decades the feminist fight
for equal rights in the job market has grown and created a great deal of
questions and problems for the traditional male dominated work force. Slowly
women have received
educations,
earned the rights to vote, and continued into higher positions of leadership
throughout the business world. The fight for equal rights for men and women has
been fought with a great amount of intensity as it conflicts and agrees with
many people’s standards for work place ethics.
Gender equality has come across the
invisible barrier known as the ‘glass ceiling’ of the American workplace. This
barrier is a force which has separated the higher-level positions and
leadership roles in the workplace from those roles lower and less important.
Prejudice is the biggest threat to the gender equality in getting women to find
a place in the traditional male roles. This type of discrimination can lead to
lack of opportunity to gain needed experience for future advancement. “It tends to appear again when women attempt
to step, beyond the traditional role of practitioner and into positions of greater
power and influence (Tebo).” There is a constant unending battle for women to
prove their own ability in a male work structure. The common and prevailing
assumptions of most work places is that women are not made for the positions
which men have grown accustomed to dominating.
One of the main problems for women is
the view that their roles are always going to remain less important and
strategic then the roles of men. It seems that throughout the years the
differences between men and women have played themselves out and only caused a
greater rift toward equality. “Historically women have been left behind in the
access to new opportunities and are second-class citizens in the process of
empowerment brought by the digital era (Tarasiewicz).” Even though there
remains a great move on the feminists part to increase woman’s role in the work
place there still is a great deal of opposition. Women have been and are
continually taught that there place is at home and should not seek further
advancement in society’s workplace.
Movements have continued to inspire
and create laws that would ensure equal rights of women, including the right to
vote and free speech. But even with these gender laws there are limitations to
how much they can affect. “Women and men are not similarly situated with
respect to pregnancy and cultural patterns of child rearing, divisions of labor
within and outside the family, or the cultural value assigned to their work
(Sapiro).” Both men and women have fought for decades to create a fair and
balanced equal division of rights to both genders, but have met with their own
problems. The creation of full equal rights is difficult when there remains a
wide majority of people who feel the higher level of position and power should
be left up to the male gender.
An argument found in alliance to the
woman’s goal to become independent and seen as equal is that of equal
education. Due to prejudices that women are not as smart as men and could never
learn to the same capacity, they have never been given proper occasion to prove
otherwise. There are many examples of women defying the traditional role and
proving with equal educational opportunities they can prove to be equally
intelligent. Catherine Mumford, a gifted preacher in her time and known as the
[Salvation] Army Mother, is one example of a woman showing herself to be highly
educated and able to break the traditional male roles (Winston, 2). Many women
over time have proven their own worth as they have fought their way into the
higher-level roles.
Even
if a person does not agree that women should be leaders in the business world
or the Church, they cannot argue against them having a role of some kind.
“Women by nature have a role that assures their identity, for men cannot fill
it. That may explain why men are given a distinctive role; although it appears
arbitrary, it makes a sphere for them, just as women have a sphere of their
own” (Ferguson, 343). It is clear from society today that women do hold a role.
From here we ask the question of what God says about feminine ministry.
More
important than people’s view is the way God sees and how He treats women in
leadership roles. “We must consider the way God used them before we attempt to
pull isolated Scripture out of context to build doctrine that restricts the
ministry opportunities of women” (Grady, 36). To do so would not be taking into
account the whole counsel of God in order to find truth. Many women as far back
as Moses’ sister Miriam, and on through history with Deborah, Huldah, and
Esther are mentioned as leaders (Exodus 15:20, Judges 5:31, 2 Kings 22:14,
Esther).
“There
are many women today in the church who have been called to act boldly, and
they, like Esther, struggle with fear. They are called to preach, and their
words hold the power to bring salvation and deliverance to many. Yet how many
men in our churches are willing to be like Mordecai, to challenge these women
to speak out: It seems we prefer that women remain silent (Grady, 38)!”
The
Old Testament is not alone in its examples of women leading. The New Testament
is also full of women mentioned by the Gospels and Paul.
It
is from the Apostle Paul and his writings that come much of the debated
Scripture used to argue against women having ministry leadership. It is from
the ancient epistles he wrote to the Church and his young protégée Timothy,
that come much of today’s target scriptures about women.
Among the passages of Paul comes 1
Corinthians 14:34,35. It is similar to the verses found in1 Timothy but because
of the nature of this paper and the different words used we will look at it
separately. It is in this passage that we find Paul telling women they must be
silent in church and are not permitted to speak (1 Cor 14:34). The
interpretation of this passage often relays less on what Paul meant and more on
what people believe in regard to the scope of what a woman can do in a
leadership role. What is most important is to discover what Paul is really
saying. Does Paul really mean for women to never get up and speak in a Church
service? Combining what we find in other places about women teaching it is hard
to believe Paul wants them to be silent, as the passage appears to indicate
(Titus 2:3). We often find that it is our own past assumptions that keep us
from grasping an important truth. By looking at the context of the passages we
see Paul is referring to the social atmosphere of the teaching time.
The text First Timothy 2:9-15 holds
the most verses up for scholarly debate. The basis for our beliefs on what
women should or should not do in the Church stream from here. Paul beings this
section by telling women how he wants them to dress. After that comes the
frustrating command not to teach but rather quietly receive instruction. Paul
gives an example from Adam and Eve and ends the section noting women will be
saved through child bearing.
The cultural setting of this text is
important in finding what Paul was meaning when he wrote it. During the time
this text was written women who dressed immodest or indecent were women whom
purposed for seduction. This idea has carried itself over to present thinking.
In the business world as well as any leadership work place it is easy to regard
women in the same way they have always been seen. Paul is making a point that
women are coming before God in service and should dress appropriately and not
like those who do not follow Him. In all Paul is telling Timothy that women
should come into the assembly ready to meet God with their heart and their
appearance.
Paul begins by addressing women whom
have fallen to a specific heresy that was spreading. The women have taken on
the normal dress for harlots during who would dress in fine clothing and make
themselves up to distract and seduce their customers. The false teachers taught
against getting married and having children which Paul refutes in verse 15. He
wants to make Timothy aware of the trouble the heresy has caused in relation to
the women of the Church.
Paul goes on to address another point
bringing up the need for women to be quiet and listen. This is not because Paul
is against women and anti-feminist. Women were uneducated and that is one
reason they fell for the heresy quicker then men. The solution for Paul is that
women be given the ability to learn to they would be placed on equal footing with
men. Paul wanted women to learn so they would someday be able to teach
correctly and not fall into the snare of Satan as Paul mentions in verse 14.
The
use of the word “permit” Paul uses is the Greek word “epitrepo.” The context
Paul uses it is important in seeing his intention for the women of this Church
Timothy is in charge of. Paul uses it in a temporary and situational way, which
means that it does not apply to any other time then the one Paul talking about.
From
a study of the Bible texts about women there remain two sides of the issue.
This issue has been debated widely over centuries never with much solution.
Well, educated scholars do not all agree on Paul’s view of women. The Apostle
Pal throughout his letters mentions women as fellow servants who should be on
equal standing with all believers (Rom 16:1-16).
On
one side of the debate are those traditionalists read Paul’s words as saying
women should never have authority over men. Women are allowed to teach women,
but not take place over a man in the church gathering. To teach is the same as
to have authority according to one author. By saying this he means that by
women teaching men they would have authority over them. The overall position is
that women in the church today should keep to their role and only teach things
other than Biblical Doctrine, and should teach women only.
A
different approach takes a look at the education of men and women during the
time Paul wrote. This gives insight to what Paul believed about women being
teachers and leaders in the Church.
In
the Jewish society of the day women were rarely educated and often illiterate.
This was due to the fact that men thought women were unable to learn and of a
lower class. Women faced opposition if they tried to ministry somewhere, often
because men saw them as uneducated. Many women were not educated and had to
learn only from their husbands.
The
Apostle Paul is offering solutions to the problems the Church is facing with
the women being uneducated. Paul tells the women to learn. In other words Paul
places women on equal footing with men and tells them they need to learn. If
women learned more about the Bible they could teach it without ignorance.
Anyone speaking out in the meeting ignorantly was considered rude. So Paul is
instruction the husbands to teach the women privately at home and the women
would accept learning that way since they had no other way.
“In 1920, Roman Catholic bishops in
Massachusetts ruled that women should be considered ‘fallen’ if they entered
the political arena” (Grady 31). Other denominations have also moved in favor
of keeping women out of leading roles in the Church.
Perhaps
this fear of feminization is at the root of modern opposition to ministry
opportunities for women. But for the most part, those who fight the idea of
women’s ordination today are still using the same cultural arguments and
misinterpreted Bible passages that were used by the medieval church patriarchs.
Old lies don’t die easily (Grady 32).
Women are
most often discouraged to follow their calling because of man-made regulations
on Church government. The bottom line is that there is no verse in the Bible
that says only men should be heading Pastors. “If Christ commissioned solely
men to the ministry of the gospel, why did He send the power for that mission
upon both men and women? (Grady 33)”.
Today’s view on women in the Church
and God’s role for them has spilled over into the workplace ethics of every
area in society. People lose sight of the greater consequences of their actions
when they deal with the ethics of equality. The traditions of men throughout
history hold back the woman from fulfilling her leadership roles and rising to
power in the workplace. Due to holding the women back from pursuing higher
education the job market misses out on possibilities of progress that can only
come from the unique view and experience of women.
Working in a world full of male
dominated leadership and a complete lack of female input may result in a
failure to move forward with change. So many of the presumptions and prejudices
that keep us from embracing women only truly keep us from adding something new
and different. Change is inevitable and in the process to change there should
be the equality of both men and women in every work place.
In personal reaction to this topic I
find there is a great need to incorporate the full equality of both men and
women in every area of leadership both in ministry and non-ministry work. Any
occasion I find the opportunity I should base my opinion on the talents, skills,
and knowledge of a person above gender. Keeping track of my own assumptions and
beliefs will guide me in making the best choices when it comes to working with
and around both men and women and allowing full equality in the workplace
ethics. The best response is to be willing and open to accept the right choice
rather than be seduced by traditional male or female ideas of how something
should be run.
Works Cited
Ferguson,
Everett. The Church of Christ. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing
Co, 1996
Grady, J.
Lee. 10 Lies the Church tells Women. Lake Mary, Florida: Charisma House,
2000
Sapiro,
Virgina, Conover, Pamela Johnston. “Gender Equality in the Public Mind.” Women
& Politics. New York: March 31, 2001. Vol 22, Iss 1; Pg 3
Tarasiewicz,
Malgorzata. “Taking Gender into Account.” UN Chronicle, Dec 2003-Feb 2004, Vol
40 Issue 4, p37.
Tebo,
Margaret Graham Tebo, “Pounding on a Glass Ceiling.” ABA Journal, Oct 2003, Vol
89 Issue 10, p84, 1p.
Winston,
Diane. “Women in God’s Army: Gender and Equality in the Salvation Army.” Church
History; March 2004, Vol 73 Issue 1, p 321, 3p
