March Pastoral Writings

Serving the Boise area for over 50 years.
Text Box: Dear Friends in Christ, The Risen and Ascended Christ declares from His Heavenly Throne: “I am” {Yahweh, the Lord, who causes all things to be, “Who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans. 4:17)} “He that liveth and was dead” {Who alone but the Lord could raise Himself from the dead? Jesus raised Himself from the dead! Therefore, ‘Jesus is Lord’ (1 Cor. 12:3).} “AMEN” {It is true, Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me “(John 14:6). WHY?} “I…have the keys of death and hell.” {We were locked in our sin and eternal death with the Key of the Law. But they could not hold the Lord. With the Key of the Gospel, we are set free from death and hell. “He was delivered for our offenses and was raised for our justification.” Rom. 4:25} A Blessed Easter in Christ the Resurrected Lord, Pastor David Hrachovina Christianity and the Status of Women (Part 3 in a Series) What has Christianity done to the status of women? Popular opinion holds that one of the main agendas of the Church has been to subjugate women to men, to “keep them in their place.” To support this accusation, people usually point to the Bible’s call for wives to serve their husbands, the prohibition against women serving as pastors, and the claim that Christians hold women responsible for sin (because Eve ate the forbidden fruit first). Is all of this true? With [a lot of] help from Alvin Schmidt’s How Christianity Changed the World, let’s see if history backs up the claim. If the criticisms of Christianity are true, one would expect that the status of women was far better before Christians began to influence society. This is far from the case. The city of Athens is one example of the Greek world: there, a respectable woman could not leave home without a male guardian or slave who was appointed by her husband. (A mistress could, but not a wife.) If her husband had male guests, she was required to retire to her room so as not to interact with them. Within Roman culture, the situation was no better. In the 5th century B.C., the Roman law patria potestas was implemented, giving the husband absolute control over his household, including the right to chastise, divorce or even execute his wife. Apart from a few in high social standing, women were not permitted an education. They had no rights, and could not even leave an inheritance to their children apart without the husband’s permission. In both societies, women were expected to remain silent in public. In both societies, where abortion and infanticide were practiced, baby girls accounted for the nearly all the casualties. Infant boys were considered an asset, girls an economic liability. In both societies, it is true that women participated in religious rituals at the temples. But why? Because the rituals often included sexual acts, and the women were present to serve as temple prostitutes. In Jewish culture, women were not permitted to speak or receive an education. Rabbinic writings said it was better to burn the Torah than teach it to a woman. A later rabbinic prayer would teach men to arise each day giving thanks that they were created neither as Gentiles, beasts or women. (Gnostic heretics who tried to take over early Christianity likewise taught that only men could go to heaven.) Jesus was born a Jew in a Graeco-Roman world: these were the dominant cultures of the time that Christianity began to spread. What did Christ and Christianity do to the status of women? Jesus spoke to women (John 4:7). He taught them doctrine (Luke 10:39). He listened to them when they spoke. Women were counted among his followers. Following His resurrection, He appeared first to women. He declared that marriage was to be a lifelong commitment (Matthew 19:6)—not an arrangement to benefit the husband until he tired of the wife. All of this was counter-cultural. All of this was scandalous! Why would this Teacher have such a high regard for women? The apostles carried on Christ’s teaching. The New Testament faults both Adam (Romans 5:12) and Eve (2 Timothy 2:14) for the Fall into sin. St. Paul—so often accused of chauvinism—wrote that marriage involved mutual submission and service between husband and wife (Ephesians 5:21), and that husbands were to love their wives selflessly (Ephesians 5:25). He declared that Christ had died for all, and that salvation was equally for male and female (Galatians 3:28). Rather than cast out widows or call for their death (the burning of widows with their dead husbands was practiced in Scandinavia, China, New Zealand, some American Indian tribes and Hindu cultures) Christianity commanded that they be helped. History indicates that much like today, the early Church congregations were comprised largely of women. Part of this was because the Church elevated women as worshipers, instead of demeaning them as sex objects for man’s use in ritual. They were taught like men, baptized like men. They received the Supper as did the men. But part of this was also because the Church opposed infanticide: little girls weren’t liabilities, but people for whom Christ had died. We might add, too, that the Roman law patria potestas was finally repealed in 374 A.D. by Valentinian I, generally considered a Christian emperor. In all candor, we acknowledge that the Church is full of sinners, some of whom have demeaned women in the name of Christ. However, we do not measure Christianity by the acts of sinners, but by Christ and His Word. Christians will stray into false teachings, but the Word endures forever. We also acknowledge the Scriptural command that women not serve as pastors: this is not a matter of chauvinism, but of vocation. As some men illustrate Christ by serving as pastors, women illustrate His bride—the Church—by receiving the Word that is preached. The Lord has different plans for different people: in this case, He has different plans for different sexes. Does this mean that Christianity is stuck in the past, while other religions and cultures now do a better job at elevating the status of women? No. Even today, in many non-Christian (primarily Islamic) cultures, women are still subject to the barbarity of female circumcision. In Saudi Arabia, they may not obtain a driver’s license. In Iran, it’s a crime to wear lipstick. In China, where couples are allowed one child only, it is usually the baby girls who are unwanted and still subject to abortion or infanticide. In Western culture, current feminism trumpets the “accomplishment” that women may now be as openly promiscuous as men. Wouldn’t it be far better for all if men were expected to increase in self-control and chastity? Once again, popular opinion is ill-conceived. Christianity has done much to elevate the status of women in the world, not demean or subjugate them. But while the cultural contributions are evident and substantial, this is by far the greatest teaching of Christianity in the matter: a woman’s place is alongside men, receiving the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, for Jesus has died for all. —Pastor Pauls