Gender Equality

          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