Roles of Women in the Church

In today’s society the controversial subject of what positions in the church a woman can hold; has become incredibly debatable among the nation. Some people believe that women have equal rights with men and can uphold any position that a man can. Today’s society also believes that because a woman can be in political and business power, then a woman can also be in authority in the church. However, that could not be farther from the truth a women’s positions in the church are defined by God.

First, a woman’s position in the church as a teacher has many standards set by God. The Lord sets some standards of who a woman is to teach in the church. Gilbert Bilezikian in his book Beyond Sex Roles, states, “According to the Epistle, women were appointed to teach, provided they were properly qualified.” Although, who can they teach? The bible says, “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” (I Timothy 2:12) The first standard set by God is that women cannot be teachers over men, because it violates the order of authority that God has established. Samuel Bacchoicchi states in Women in the Church, “Teaching is by nature an exercise of authority and would violate the principle of submission of women to man.” God has designed men to have authority to teach and lead woman in the way of the righteous.

The second standard set by God is that woman can be teachers over the children in the church. Mary Hayter writer of the book The New Eve in Christ says,

The church, as the Christian community, should demonstrate maleness in authority and femaleness in loving care and service, and these phenomena must be seen to exist in the father and minister, as symbolizing one pole of the personality conti...

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...to be the leaders. God is well pleased when His people follow Him. Although, woman are not to have head authority over the church, woman can indeed be great helpers in growing the church and reaching others with the word of the Lord. Robbins quotes this statement by Charles Hodge, “The desire for knowledge in women is not to be repressed, and the facilities for its acquisition are not to be denied them.”

Works Cited

Bacchoicchi, Samuel. Women in the Church. Michigan: Biblical Perspectives, 1987.

The Bible (Authorized Version).

Bilezikian, Gilbert. Beyond Sex Roles. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1985.

Hayter, Mary. The New Eve in Christ. Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing, 1987.

Nicholas, David. What’s a Woman to do in the Church. Arizona: Good Life Productions Inc, 1979.

Robbins, John. Scripture Twisting in the Seminaries. Jefferson: The Trinity Foundation, 1985