Is Womanist theology winning the gender debate in most black churches? Part 2
Continued from Last Week
Like Feminist Theology, Womanist theology has at least two more scriptural problems. First is its belief that the scripture is sexist. As Sheron C. Patterson writes in her book entitled New Faith; "Face It: There is sexism in the Scriptures due to the cultural attitudes of the time. Passages that demand we submit, be silent, and refrain from teaching have been presented in a way to keep us toward the rear of the church leadership." (emphasis hers p21)
This statement plays on the feelings and emotions of women that feel that men have work to keep them out of leadership roles in the local church. The fact remains we must question her claims of the scriptures being sexist. This is not an attack on male preachers that preached on women being a submissive wife, because many of today’s mega church pastors support women preachers, but this is an attack on the very nature of the text itself. To say that the scriptures only place such demands on women is not true and is an out right deception aimed at the heart of the Gospel message that being said we all must submit to God through Jesus Christ. Let’s look at what the Bible has to say in the book of Ephesians: The very first thing that on should look at when studying this subject is the order in which the passages are arranged. Paul writes, Therefore be imitators of God… (chapter 5:1 emphasis mine). Here the writer draws the mind back to the previous passage where He describes to us some of the attributes of God. Then he takes us on a journey into the relations of the family. Chapter five again begins with the writer informing us to be an imitator of God. He then says walk in love, just as Christ (v.2). The sexist part for the aforementioned writer (Mrs. Patterson) comes in at verse 22, where Paul tells wives to be subjected to their own husbands. For any women to view this passage as sexist is proof that the person misunderstood Paul’s intent. Many believers in Womanist theology skip right over the verse that comes before the one I just mention. It reads and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ (v.21 emphasis mine). Okay this verse means both men and women are too be subjected to one another but how is that possible? What does subjected mean? This is the word hupotassô found 31 times in the New Testament, it is a Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden. In this passage it is the second meaning that Paul is calling for. We see this in the next few verse. The husband is to submit to Christ rule in his life and the wife is to voluntary giving in, cooperating under the Godly rule of the husband. But look at what the Lord requires of the husband. He is to 1. Love his wife, 2. give himself up for her 3. Sanctify her. How is he to do that? 4. Bath her in the Word. This is done all for one purpose to present her without spot or wrinkle. This is done to teach the world one great truth Christ loves His church this very same way! Wow if that is sexiest it very sexiest in deed.
The next problem for Womanist theology is its view of gender roles. Like its counterpart Feminist theology, Womanist Theology attempts to consider every aspect of religious practice and thought. Some of the questions feminist/womanist theologians ask are:
How do we as women do theology? This basic question of how womanist theologians may go about creating systems of thought is currently being reinterpreted by feminist theologians. Many womanist theologians assert that personal experience can be an important component of insight into the divine. They see the relevance their own personal experience as being the true guide to beliefs and understanding of the Bible.
Who is God? Some womanist theologians have supported the use of non- or multi-gendered language for God, arguing that language powerfully impacts belief about the behavior and essence of God.
To be continued next week...
Like Feminist Theology, Womanist theology has at least two more scriptural problems. First is its belief that the scripture is sexist. As Sheron C. Patterson writes in her book entitled New Faith; "Face It: There is sexism in the Scriptures due to the cultural attitudes of the time. Passages that demand we submit, be silent, and refrain from teaching have been presented in a way to keep us toward the rear of the church leadership." (emphasis hers p21)
This statement plays on the feelings and emotions of women that feel that men have work to keep them out of leadership roles in the local church. The fact remains we must question her claims of the scriptures being sexist. This is not an attack on male preachers that preached on women being a submissive wife, because many of today’s mega church pastors support women preachers, but this is an attack on the very nature of the text itself. To say that the scriptures only place such demands on women is not true and is an out right deception aimed at the heart of the Gospel message that being said we all must submit to God through Jesus Christ. Let’s look at what the Bible has to say in the book of Ephesians: The very first thing that on should look at when studying this subject is the order in which the passages are arranged. Paul writes, Therefore be imitators of God… (chapter 5:1 emphasis mine). Here the writer draws the mind back to the previous passage where He describes to us some of the attributes of God. Then he takes us on a journey into the relations of the family. Chapter five again begins with the writer informing us to be an imitator of God. He then says walk in love, just as Christ (v.2). The sexist part for the aforementioned writer (Mrs. Patterson) comes in at verse 22, where Paul tells wives to be subjected to their own husbands. For any women to view this passage as sexist is proof that the person misunderstood Paul’s intent. Many believers in Womanist theology skip right over the verse that comes before the one I just mention. It reads and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ (v.21 emphasis mine). Okay this verse means both men and women are too be subjected to one another but how is that possible? What does subjected mean? This is the word hupotassô found 31 times in the New Testament, it is a Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden. In this passage it is the second meaning that Paul is calling for. We see this in the next few verse. The husband is to submit to Christ rule in his life and the wife is to voluntary giving in, cooperating under the Godly rule of the husband. But look at what the Lord requires of the husband. He is to 1. Love his wife, 2. give himself up for her 3. Sanctify her. How is he to do that? 4. Bath her in the Word. This is done all for one purpose to present her without spot or wrinkle. This is done to teach the world one great truth Christ loves His church this very same way! Wow if that is sexiest it very sexiest in deed.
The next problem for Womanist theology is its view of gender roles. Like its counterpart Feminist theology, Womanist Theology attempts to consider every aspect of religious practice and thought. Some of the questions feminist/womanist theologians ask are:
How do we as women do theology? This basic question of how womanist theologians may go about creating systems of thought is currently being reinterpreted by feminist theologians. Many womanist theologians assert that personal experience can be an important component of insight into the divine. They see the relevance their own personal experience as being the true guide to beliefs and understanding of the Bible.
Who is God? Some womanist theologians have supported the use of non- or multi-gendered language for God, arguing that language powerfully impacts belief about the behavior and essence of God.
To be continued next week...
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