Women's Role in Church and Society
Following is a list of question that, I believe, can lead to an
in-depth discussion on this most vital issue. I hope you can
take advantage of this opportunity to avail yourself of these
questions in any appropriate situation. After this, I added a
few comments of my own.
QUESTIONNAIRE ON WOMEN'S ROLE IN CHURH AND SOCIETY
1- Should women be given equal opportunity along with men in
employment in all cases? What about the military? What about
sports? If not, explain.
2- Should women receive equal pay for equal work alongside men?
3- Do you feel one should lower the quality standards in a
certain situation solely to prevent gender discrimination?
4- Who has the major responsibility for nurturing a child in a
marriage; Or financially supporting the home: The man or the
woman? Why A) What is the prime purpose of a marriage? B) What
are the economic factors that could affect your conception of
what a marriage arrangement should be, and what could be done to
change this situation if it needs changing? C) What are the
career interest factors that could affect your conception of
what a marriage arrangement should be, and what could be done to
change this situation if it needs changing?
5- Are the woman's major responsibilities in life to have
children and take care of the home?
6- What are the physical and emotional differences between men
and women that might affect their role in life?
7- What might be the role of a woman in Church? What about
ordination to any of the following offices: Deacon, Elder,
Pastor, Priest or Bishop?
8- If man were to rule over woman at the beginning of time
because woman came from man according to Genesis 2:21-23, why
did God say that man should rule over woman after the Fall (Gen
3:16)? A) Could you say that man and woman became equal or
helpmates once again after the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ (Gal 3:28)?
9- Could one of the reasons why Jesus only chose men as Apostles
be that even though the Gospels are in the New Testament, they
are really part of the Old Testament whereby women were still
thought to be submissive to men as a result of the Fall?
10- Doesn't being the head and being submissive in and of
themselves create an inequality?
11- In reading Paul's letters, should you consider that
everything that Paul wrote as being a universal truth, or should
you distinguish within his writings what's universal and what's
locally situational?
12- If women are treated more as unique individuals, instead of
as sex objects, would this lessen the need for pornographic
scenarios some men have?
13- Do you believe that as more and more churches use ordained
women clergy, women clergy would be more acceptable within
Christian religious circles?
14- As more churches accept women clergy, do you feel
Christianity offers women more equality than any other major
world religion?
15- Do you feel a woman pastor could more effectively counsel a
women counselee than a male pastor could? Why, or why not?
16- Do you feel that if more and more Christians experience the
pastoral leadership qualities that some women possess, that
women clergy ordination would become less and less of a divisive
issue within the Christian Church?
17- Do you feel one should never be judged solely by gender as
to what one can or can not do in life? I do, but what do you
think?
On Internet, I asked question # 1, and received 9 responses,
which were really mixed in opinions, but I do feel that there
should be an equal opportunity for women to be employed in all
professions without lowering the entry standards in such
professions, and even if some professions don't seem to lend
themselves to femine abilities. They should still at least have
the opportunity to prove otherwise. And women should also
receive equal pay for equal work as well. But if they just want
to be housewives instead, that's OK too. What do you think about
this whole area of concern?
A 2nd Internet Question: WHAT IS THE ROLE WOMEN SHOULD PLAY IN
LIFE?
Corbin says: Although a number of respondees mentioned that the
role of men and women can be different depending upon the
circumstance, which I agree with, I believe women should be free
to pursue any activity that they so desire, and feel qualified
to undertake. In looking at Scripture, it states paraphrasing
"In Christ, there is neither male nor female" (Gal 3:28), so
that much of what it says about women in Scripture could be a
situational local truth according to Paul, and not a Universal
Truth. Many on these websites also interpret Scripture literally
in that every word that's in the Bible comes from the mouth of
God. I disagree in that the Bible, I believe, could be thought
of as a baby carriage carrying the baby, and we have to
distinguish between Universal Truths (the perfect baby) and the
situational local truths (the baby carriage, which can have some
errors on it) concerning the role that women might play. And why
Jesus only chose men as Apostles instead of women could be that
theGospels were written as really part of the Old Testament
whereby women became free again after the resurrection. What do
you think?