Role of Women in the Church

Paper Summary:

In this study, the writer presents a critical review of the arguments surrounding the egalitarian position of women in church. Ideally the idea is to get an understanding of whether the necessary hypothesis is grounded in the scriptures of the Bible. More importantly, the writer maintains that there has to be a critical review of whether the egalitarian approach is simply an adaptation of changes in society as it relates to gender roles. The writer questions if the Church is imitating how society treats women. If this is the case, the writer argues that it should be that society imitates the church's value and leadership structure. The writer discusses what the Bible has to say about the issue.

Outline:
Introduction
Literature Review
Working Outline: Structure & Dissertation Categories

From the Paper:

"The egalitarian position as presented by Datu is that, since the Bible teaches that all people are created and should be equal, then the Church has a duty to advocate gender equality and equity in churches, and more so in church leadership . Many theorists ground the general egalitarian movement in the foundations and teachings of Jesus Christ, and other New Testament principles. Datu highlights the fact that female egalitarianism is a necessary prerequisite for the success of the church, since the role of women cannot be undermined. Datu also shows that the current opposition of the movement is due to societal pressure and that the historical process shows that female egalitarianism and female leadership in the church was not uncommon in past periods, however cultural prejudices and defined gender roles in society, have created an atmosphere that not affects female leadership in the church."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bilezikian, Gilbert. Beyond the Sex Roles: What the Bible Says About Woman's Role in Sex and Family, Michigan, Baker Academy, 2006.
• Boldrey, Richard. Chauvinist or Feminist: Paul's View of Women, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1976.
• Chang, Patricia. "Female Clergy in the Contemporary Protestant Church: A Current Protestant Church: A Current Assessment", Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 36, 4, (December 1997), 565-573.
• Cullen, Murphy. The Word According to Eve: Women and the Bible in Ancient Times and Our Own, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998.
• Datu, Cynthia. "Filipinas and the Church: The Recovery of Egalitarian Leadership", Didache Faithful Teaching, 2, (Summer 2002). Available at http://media.premierstudios.com/nazarene/docs/didache_2_1_Datu.pdf

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