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The Role Of Women In The Christian Church

      With the advent of the feminist movement, the role of women in
all parts of society has come under increasing scrutiny. One area of
recent controversy is the role of women in the Christian Church. Some
churches whose traditions and practices are less rigidly tied to
Biblical doctrines have begun placing women in leadership positions
such as pastor or teacher. Other churches which interpret the Bible
more literally have been slow to adopt such changes. Much of the
confusion is based on attempts to interpret scriptures pertaining to
women. In this essay, we will use the Bible to understand the role of
women in the church of the first century and apply that understanding
to the church of the twentieth century.

      Many people would dispute the Bible's relevance to contemporary
thought in general, and in particular to the role of women in worship.
If the Bible were not written under divine inspiration, a person or
practice is not bound by its teachings. He or she can therefor pick
and choose whatever corresponds to his/her point of view. However, if
the Bible is of divine inspiration, then a cautious consideration of
passages relevant to a particular issue must be undertaken. Traditions
and customs that have arisen after the Bible was written may thus be
carefully scrutinized. Such practices may or may not prove sound after
comparison with scripture.

      Before we discuss specific issues concerning women in worship,
we should consider principles derived from the relationship of Adam
and Eve as described in Genesis chapter one. The Apostle Paul
frequently uses this passage as a guideline when discussing women and
women's issues. Genesis 1 verse 27 states: "So God created man in his
own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he
created them." Most Commentators agree that man and woman are both
equally a reflection of God's image; the word "man" here is used as a
synonym for...