The past few weeks I've participated in Zoom conferences with pastors and posted several YouTube videos online. In each of these videos I shared a word from the Lord with the public. One of those words was an exhortation to church leaders to re-evaluate their theology, to rethink their erroneous beliefs restricting women from leadership roles and ministry in the church. These prohibitions have been silencing good women for many generations.
Millennials don't realize that women voting freely in America wasn't always a right. Women serving in Congress is a new phenomenon. For generations, women were disallowed and disrespected. Women's rights and equality were not yet accepted in political life, much less religious life.
Here is a nasty quote from a philosopher and writer from a bygone era. This quotation from Samuel Johnson was repeated in the powerful movie, The Post, starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. She played Katherine Graham, owner of the Washington Post, who inherited the paper when her husband died. Hanks played Ben Bradley, the paper's managing editor. This was during the time when Nixon was President, the Vietnam war was on-going, and the Watergate break-in occurred. Ms. Graham was facing pushback from the paper's male board members over her pending decision to publish the scandalous Pentagon Papers.
The setting in the story was her need as a woman to be courageous in her decision despite pressure from politically connected powerful men. Here is the quotation used in the movie. "A woman preaching is like a dog walking on its hind legs. It is not done well, and you're surprised to see it done at all." The men were considering Katherine Graham to be a dog up on its hind legs.
Thankfully, Ms. Graham made the right decision. The corrupt management of the war by Robert McNamara was uncovered. The huge lies being told to the public were exposed. Pressure mounted to end the Vietnam war. The contest over publishing concealed official information went to the Supreme Court. It rightfully ruled that the press was to serve the governed, not the government. A free press is indeed the first draft of history.
The issue of women's equality in Christ was highlighted for me when a woman I consider to be a friend and a godly Christian leader commented on one of my recent YouTube videos. She described how she experienced exactly the kind of prejudice I was addressing in my talk.
The YouTube video entitled "women preaching" was on the topic of women being approved by God for the ministry despite religious opposition. Today, that opposition comes mostly from Roman Catholics and Southern Baptists. Roman Catholics oppose women in leadership roles based on their long church traditions. Southern Baptists oppose women in leadership based on the Bible, especially two particular scriptures, not realizing they are misinterpreting those "problem passages" written by the apostle Paul. Trying to be true to the literal word of God, they use the Bible to resist the Holy Spirit and disregard the lawful role of women. They are not using the science of exegesis when they misinterpret those prohibitory scriptures.
Jesus liberated women! Yes, women have been abused and disrespected by men. That scenario is ungodly and wicked. Women should be cherished, not put down. At the same time, women should not hate men. Marriage between men and women is still honorable. Kids need both parents. The power of God's love in Jesus Christ heals the hurt in our souls and restores marriages. Thankfully, Jesus is still the repairer of the breach, the healer of wounded hearts.
-- Ron Wood is a writer and minister. Email him at [email protected] or visit www.touchedbygrace.org. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 05/06/2020