Yesterday, dong some research on the web, I read an article that stated, "A woman preacher has made herself an abomination to the Lord" and the article concluded with this, "A woman's place is a man's queen at home. Outside of that, she has nothing. I know that sounds old-fashioned ['old fashioned? that doesn't begin to say what it sounds like] but I know that many of you young children will find, in the days to come, that this is exactly the Truth, because I speak it in the Name of the Lord."
It is the truth because he speaks it? WOW! I cannot believe such people still exist. But they do.
Well, that is not the point of this post. Yesterday I also read a post from Questing Parson about the "feminization of the church" that actually says that this is not necessarily a bad thing! That was a first.
All right, I do not want the men to feel they are overrun by the women. As I told Questing Parson in a comment, we just want to stand beside you guys and lend our voices to the chorus with you. I have a CBE bumper sticker on my car, put there yesterday after reading QP's blog, that says,
Put Women in Their Place: Right Beside Men.
That is it exactly! I've had that bumper sticker for two years and was somehow indimidated to put it on my car for all to see. Why? I do not know.
This is the second time I've mentioned the QP recently. It is not because he and I agree on everything. I know we don't. It is not because he is from my denomination. He isn't. (I'm a Pentecostal--Assemblies of God--and Parson is a Methodist. We AG people do spring from the Wesley branch of the Church tree, but that is beside the point.) It is because this dear "retired" (ha!) parson so often reveals the grace and love of Jesus Christ in his life.
This article made me want to shout with joy. It is wonderful to be around (or in this case, communicate online with) men who genuinely love and respect and honor women--and I don't mean because we are delicate flowers. ;-) I wish I knew QP in "real" life.
It is no wonder we RevGals all love you, dear Questing Parson. Thank you for your wisdom, your insight, and your respect. And for the article. It made my day!
All right, I do not want the men to feel they are overrun by the women. As I told Questing Parson in a comment, we just want to stand beside you guys and lend our voices to the chorus with you. I have a CBE bumper sticker on my car, put there yesterday after reading QP's blog, that says,
Put Women in Their Place: Right Beside Men.
That is it exactly! I've had that bumper sticker for two years and was somehow indimidated to put it on my car for all to see. Why? I do not know.
This is the second time I've mentioned the QP recently. It is not because he and I agree on everything. I know we don't. It is not because he is from my denomination. He isn't. (I'm a Pentecostal--Assemblies of God--and Parson is a Methodist. We AG people do spring from the Wesley branch of the Church tree, but that is beside the point.) It is because this dear "retired" (ha!) parson so often reveals the grace and love of Jesus Christ in his life.
This article made me want to shout with joy. It is wonderful to be around (or in this case, communicate online with) men who genuinely love and respect and honor women--and I don't mean because we are delicate flowers. ;-) I wish I knew QP in "real" life.
It is no wonder we RevGals all love you, dear Questing Parson. Thank you for your wisdom, your insight, and your respect. And for the article. It made my day!
6 comments:
I can't believe you held onto that bumper sticker that long - MOM!!
Daryl grabbed the sticker and put it on his truck the day he saw it.
I'm glad you put it on.
Wednesday at CBE, they had a lecture about women being the image of God too. And the quotes from our forefathers in the Christian faith say the same thing as the article you read. That a woman isn't the image of God unless next to a man. It is sad that it is still taught today. As if God made a mistake making us.
oh, what a good post for me to read this week! I've been struggling recently with women's ordination (which I can't talk about on my blog -- it's still too private for what is a very public space).
Husband and I were reading some things on the topic, and one went on and on about how women were subject to men and how this was really a blessed way to be etc. Husband turned to me and said, "If it's so great, why doesn't he want to be subject too?
Anyway, thanks for the post. It's good to hear.
I obviously don't have a problem with women's ordination, but I am a quite traditional wife/mother, as in "stay at home Mother." But I've been very active in my church in almost all volunteer jobs, including preaching.
At church, the women volunteer for any positions in numbers way greater than the women. This isn't just because more women are at home either. It is also true among the retired set. And it is true for the worship responsibilities. I think that men have more "nervousness" about being in the public eye, such as lector or worship leader.
About 30 years ago, when more lay involvement started to be encouraged, the women stepped forward. Not that men haven't done so, but not as many men. And sometimes it seems that the women tend to be more organized and able to deal with the details of leadership than the men are.
Now that we have a woman pastor and other women in paid positions, I've been concerned that there isn't enough balance.
I've very pleased to report that these days we have a number of very fine men who read the scriptures in church, lead committees, etc.
I would venture to say that we have a fine group of leaders, both men and women, a fairly large group. I think that we may have more good lay leaders than back in the old days when the pastor was the do it all person in the church. We never lack for people to run for council, for example.
Praise Be to God!
"At church, the women volunteer for any positions in numbers way greater than the women." WOOPS. Volunteer for any positions in numbers way greater than the MEN."
P.S. Somewhere I missed, or I forgot, that you have a woman pastor? You musta told me....senior moment?
This male-female argument pertaining to the Bible always confuses me. Doesn't it say -someplace or other - probably in Genesis with the creation - something about God having created Eve to be a helpmate, to be by Adam's side or something along those lines? (I'm paraphrasing there.) But does it say in the Bible that women are to walk so many paces behind the man? In marriage, there is a section that says man is to be the head -and of course, the male ego has to take that to extreme interpretations at times too, don't they? (I know, not ALL feel the urge to take a literal translation but many do.) Frankly, I don't understand the men who even today feel the need to "rule" over everyone, everything. But, then again, that's just me, my interpretations of things which also may be incorrect too for all I know.
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