The Role of Women in the Church?

Question

I wanna know that what is the role of woman in christian church. what they do ? how they act ? are they equal with men ?
Iam very interested

Thank you

Answer 1

The role of women is highly debatable. Mostly it depends on how much of a fundamentalist/literalist you are about the bible.

If you look at the example in the bible (Ruth, Priscilla, Rebekah, etc.) you tend to find strong women who played an integral role in the development of Christianity and in the early church. If you listen to what Paul says in the NT and what law states in the OT books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers you get a sense that they have a "lesser" role in the religion. Or at least that is how modern society would see it.

Christianity is a very male religion, as such you really have to search to find strong female role models. This is not a statement of good or bad. Just a statement. Christianity is the worlds largest religion so it can't be that bad if the majority of human beings are into it.

Answer 2

This is an interesting topic. See Time magazine's cover story "God and Women: A Second Reformation sweeps Christianity" from Nov. 23, 1992. To summerize, the Episcopal Church USA is an example of how churches dealt with expanding roles for women. In the 1970s and 1980s, feminism began to influence theological study in the seminaries. As the denomination embraced the progressive stand on many social issues, feminism was read back into theology and part of this, was to role back some of the patristic approach to Holy Orders. It was a hot topic, because it seemed like a select few hyjacked the church and took it somewhere a lot of people did not want to go over a very short time. When the first woman was consecrated as Bishop of Massechusetts, she threw off her miter and yelled something like "yippie, we made it." It was about progressing a feminist agenda.
Biblically, if we were to be responsible scholars, we would make certain to grab the essence and translate it to our day and culture. Most believe this brings us to conclusions which do not prohibit women from holding all offices men hold. I am one of these people, though I am not a feminist. I do not swear loyalty to the patriarchal presuppostions of the Old Testament. Therefore, I do not read them into the N.T. Many will insist on a literal interpretation of certain verses without applying lower criticism. This is dangerous. Responsible scholarship demands lower criticism in order to be faithful to scripture. The Bible is "Living." This means it is not static and neither are we. Many believe women can hold all offices except that of bishop or senior pastor in the respective religious traditions. They are reading a patristic presupposition from the Levitical priesthood into current day pastorates, via the fact the apostles were all men. That was in the first century, in a Jewish culture and within Jewish religion. We are in a different situation; we know gender isnt as important as they thought it was. Many will say this is breaking down distinctions in the roles between men and women. Gender confusion is not my basis, but this is just a little on a comprehensive subject. Hope it helps. Read the Time story if you can find it. It will help a lot.

Answer 3

In my church women are treated equally to men i've been a youth leader since 2004 and i take decision as the other male leaders in the committee with me
women are allowed to lead the praise and teach n youth and sunday schools , can lead girl groups and give opinions just like all other male leaders. in the bible the man shall love his wife as Jesus loved the church
actually church gave the freedom and the ability 2 lead and give much more than my society did..........

Answer 4

Yes equal, we were built from Adams rib so that we may walk BESIDE him, not from his foot to be stepped on by him. .
Women are traditional care givers and do organize church activities and Sunday school.
Many Christian churches are afraid to tell todays women, that we are mens helpers. Men are meant to be our leaders. Now before you react to that ...it means they should be the protectors and providers for their wives and children. In letting our men do this the relationship is STRONGER and then they do NOT think of us as their mothers but as their partners.

Answer 5

1 Timothy 2:11 says that the woman should be submissive, and should not teach or have authority over men. A man is to love their wife as they love the Lord, a woman is to be submissive to their husband. Obedience to a man is hard for a woman to swallow in the 21st century, but if their husband loves them as the Lord has commanded, it should not be a hardship.

Answer 6

-----Men:

Ephesians 5:25-33
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

-----Women:

Ephesians 5:22-24
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.


2 Thessalonians 2:9-15
9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Answer 7

Hello have you heard of Mother Mary? She's the mother of God....

that's enough to justify women's role.

Look at Mother theresa....And St Anne.

Answer 8

I assume you mean christianity. They are to sing, donate money and read their bibles, and wear floral dresses--oh, and spank their kids outside the church if they act up.

Answer 9

Sure they are equal, if you overlook the fact that women are the 'claw of the devil', the 'gateway to hell' and the reason that we all have to suffer and die *lol*

Answer 10

more and more important each day