We Don’t Have Equal Rights

Good thing Jesus wasn’t born a female. We don’t have equal rights.

I’m hoping this statement causes someone to respond arguing that the opposite is true. Like it or not, we are a patriarchal society, meaning male dominated.

Neither Male or Female

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatian Christians “. . . there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” This was a bold statement as those in Paul’s audience were members of a patriarchal culture. It is still a bold statement 2,000 years later.

It is true that most cultures today are patriarchal. However, it has not always been that way in North America. Several Native American tribes had matrilineal structures. The mighty Iroquois nation was a notable example, in which the women owned the land and managed the crops. Iroquois men moved into a longhouse with the wife’s family and their children became members of her clan.While Iroquois chiefs were men, women nominated them for these roles and held them accountable for fulfilling their responsibilities.

Equal Rights

In my family, I enjoy some privilege due to my role as the patriarch. Even though Lizzy and I have tried to equally distribute the leadership responsibilities in the family, she is stronger in some areas. She took time away from her career to nurture our children, which means my job has always held a certain necessity in our house. Actually, there were many days when our children were young that I knew it would be easier staying at work than going home to whining, needy little people. Even so, I am happy that I was able to share a major amount of the responsibility.  

It is true that gender roles are important to providing stability in society. However, the American declaration of Independence states that “All men are created equal. . .” and this is an offense to some that argue women in the United States still do not have equal status to men. Women did not even gain the right to vote until 1920, and an equal rights amendment to the U.S. Constitution failed to gain the required 2/3rds approval of state legislatures to pass into law in 1977.

A Difficult Passage

 “Wives, be submissive to your husbands. . .” (1 Peter 3:1-2,7). This passage in the Bible is difficult for people to understand. It is true that most Americans believe in the liberation of women and the equality of the sexes, to one degree or another. This makes Peter’s words controversial. It is also true that some religious leaders distort these words to discriminate against and abuse women. This creates enough of a problem that some women have left the church and made those that remain uneasy by the misinterpretation of Peter’s instructions.

For some, it is tempting to try to ignore these biblical passages, saying, “That was written a long time ago and it doesn’t apply to us today.” For me, discounting any scripture is a danger, as it is important to apply all the scriptures to our lives today. If we begin to eliminate passages we consider outdated, we may find ourselves choosing just those parts that happen to suit our own agendas. The Bible is profitable for correction and instruction in righteousness, thus bringing all believers closer to a person that is pleasing to God. 

On the other hand, while it is true that all scripture was inspired by God, the Bible was written by fallible humans, who brought their own knowledge and the beliefs of their times to the work. For example, the science and astronomy of the Bible are inaccurate by today’s standards. We all know that the earth does not have four corners (Carter).  In the New Testament, the believers were taught that slavery was a legitimate social institution. So, it is appropriate to consider the context of the times when interpreting the meaning of the Bible.  

Challenging the Norms

During the first century, when Jesus and the Apostles lived, women were forbidden to play any leadership role. A single woman was the property of her father and a married woman the property of her husband. Women did not speak for themselves in public, including in places of worship. Women were required to walk several paces behind the men in their lives. Yet, Jesus challenged the prevailing norms regarding women. Many of his most faithful and prominent followers were women. Women were the first to proclaim the good news after Jesus had risen from the dead.

Even the viewpoint of the Apostle Paul, who said that women should not speak in religious services, was likely shocking to the people of the first century. In Romans, Paul lists 27 people who played a prominent role in the early church, of these 10 were women (Romans 16). Phoebe was a deacon. Junia was “outstanding among the apostles,” and Priscilla was a pastor, prominent for correcting the beliefs of Apollos, an early evangelist. 

Shared Ministry Roles

I am blessed to share the ministry responsibilities at our church with my sister. I am the administrator and the teaching pastor, but she is the nurturing shepherd. She takes care of the needs of the flock. When a member is sick, they call her. If someone needs a ride to the grocery store, she knows about it. If someone is being evicted from their home, she is rallying the church to come to the rescue. Just this past Sunday, she instructed a deacon to take one of the young men to the emergency room. I only found out about it after the church service.  

While we may not have equal rights, it is clear that Jesus intended women to play a major role in his church.  Like many Christian leaders today, I believe that there are no positions within the body of Christ that should be withheld from women. We should accept the social order of the time and place in which God has placed us, while questioning and, even, challenging societal norms that violate the equal love and grace extended to all men. . . and women.

Copyright © 2019 Chuck Locklear

Also, see Jesus Was a Radical.

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Carter, Jimmy. Sources of Strength. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1997. Print.