Submissive and Evil Women of The Holy Bible

The Submissive and Evil Women of the Bible

The Bible and the church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the

way of woman's emancipation.

A famous 19th century feminist named Elizabeth Cady Stanton voiced this

about her struggle for women's freedom. Women, considered a lower class than the

men, wanted this subjugation changed. Part of the reason for the subjugation of

women is that the Bible could be interpreted in many different ways to suit the

needs of the interpreter. These interpretations of the Bible are in part

responsible for the belief that women are of a lower class than men. The reason

this belief is present in our society is that approximately 85% of Americans are

Judeo-Christian. We see examples of these beliefs when we look at the church,

the daily lives of women, and the media. Looking at 1 Timothy 2:11-12, we see

why our religious society could interpret the Bible this way:

Let a woman learn in silence with all submission, and do not permit a woman to

teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.

We must look at the historical context of the passage. Written

approximately 2000 years ago, many parts of the Bible seem outdated. The passage

portrays a time when women were property and were “trained” to be weak and

fragile. This stopped only about 30 years ago. Before this time, society taught

women from birth to be submissive to men. What does this mean to us today? It

means that although American Society is no longer training women to be

submissive, the problem is still present in our belief system. Many churches do

not believe that women should be part of the clergy. This is because they

interpret parts of the Bible, such as 1 Timothy 2:11-12, as saying that only men

should preach. In 1848, women made a retaliation to these sentiments. At the

Seneca Falls convention, women (including Elizabeth Cady Stanton) signed a

Declaration of Sentiments. In the declaration it states:

He allows her in church, as well as state, but a subordinate position,

claiming apostolic authority for her exclusion from the ministry,

and, with some exceptions, from any public participation in the

affairs of the church (Declaration 1)

The people that these women fought against, including other women,

believe that it is the duty of a woman to be quiet and submissive. I have

experienced this anti-freedom dogma growing up in the Church of Christ community.

I experience this dogma when I talk with my grandmother, a woman who lives by