FireQuill Publications
The
Short Stories, Plays and Bible Studies of Kathy Kearney
The
Short Stories, Plays and Bible Studies of Kathy Kearney
Your Subtitle text
What Can A Woman Do?
What Can a Woman Do?
BY: Kathy Kearney
BY: Kathy Kearney
Can a woman be a priest, a pastor, a CEO, a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker? Is her only domain the kitchen, and being barefoot her only permissible fashion statement? Is her absolute, written-in-stone occupation, childbearing?
During America's suffragist movement, women suffered tremendous abuse for the "crime" of petitioning their government to accord them with the same rights men enjoyed. Their English sisters didn't fare much better in their quest for equality. When they were jailed they went on hunger strikes. Jailers force fed these women by ramming rubber hoses up their nostrils. Some died, while others came away with life-threatening and lifelong physical complications from such inhumane treatment.
Today we've forgotten their hard won victory. Nary an eyebrow is raised when women stream to the voting polls. Now women occupy positions as teachers, physicians, phone operators, presidents of business, police officers--all were once the domains of men. But still the war between the sexes rages on. When will we learn that the victory lies not power but in service.
Salvation Army founder, General William Booth, often said that there wouldn't be a Salvation Army in America if not for the women. These women made up the first wave of evangelists, preachers, and commanders (pastors) of corps (churches) in America. They established and pastored congregations of more than a thousand members laying the foundation for the Army’s ongoing humanitarian work.
Booth's wife, Katherine, a more gifted speaker than he, by his own admission, worked tirelessly with her husband fulfilling their mutual call to lead men and women out of sin's darkness into God's light. What they accomplished within their marriage of equality is truly amazing. Today, the Salvation Army still practices the biblical truth that women and men better serve God and society under the banner of unified equality in rank as well as reason.
Unfortunately, many churches continue to regard women as inferior to men. Some forbid women to pastor churches; others deny them places on church boards, or positions as deacons and elders. Still others say a woman may not teach men, only other women. (Odd. Is a woman's truth different from man's truth?) Sadly, such thinking laps over into society, subtly perpetuating the myth that women are inferior to men, or need constant direction and supervision from men. Bible verses that actually promote equality are often taken out of context with total disregard of the cultures to which they were penned.
The Bible never teaches that women must be subdued, enslaved, controlled and "put in their place." In fact, such nonsense is a breeding ground for abuse.
Women often accuse the apostle Paul of chauvinism. Not true! Not the Paul who wrote in Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Not the Paul who ends the Book of Romans with a loving salute to the women, as well as the men, who have been part of his ministry.
Priscilla and Aquila, a husband and wife, traveled with Paul. (Acts 18:2) When referring to this couple, Priscilla's name always precedes Aquila's because Greek etiquette placed the name of the more educated spouse first. In Acts 18: 26 they met a zealous evangelist named Apollos, whose theology wasn't quite complete--he hadn't heard of Christ's death and resurrection. Both Priscilla and Aquila "took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately."
Aquila didn't order Priscilla to serve coffee while the men folks discussed manly, manly things too deep for a mere woman. In Luke 10: 39-42, Christ himself commended Mary for choosing "the good part, which shall not be taken away from her," by remaining in his presence listening and learning when Martha demanded she help out in the kitchen.
In I Timothy 2: 11-12, Paul writes to Timothy, a young pastor at Ephesus, to counsel women to be silent, to learn quietly, and not usurp authority over men. This verse often has been used to "keep women in their place" in the church.
Using what is known of that day's culture, along with putting the verses back into their surrounding context, we will see that Paul wasn't urging the suppression and silence of women.
In Roman culture learning quietly was considered a virtue. But few women had the privilege of education. Furthermore, they believed that their only worth lay in physical allure. Some of these women may even have been temple prostitutes before their conversions since Ephesians embraced religious expression through sex in pagan temple rites. Paul's use of the Greek word, "authentien", meaning to wrest away authority by violent or sensual methods, makes sense when the reader understands the culture. Paul is merely telling these newly converted, uneducated women that learning quietly is more godly than employing sensuality to usurp positions of leadership. He's teaching them that everything has been made new-- new lifestyles, new roles, and a new way of using their true gifts and achieving new positions in a new way.
The Bible records stories of women as prophetesses, judges, business owners, teachers, preachers, church officers, landowners, and rulers. Scripture never teaches that one gender, one class, one race is superior, or has the right to dominate another. Rather it calls men and women to enjoy and use to the fullest capacity the gifts and talents which God in His wisdom has bestowed upon them.
What can a woman do? What can a man do? "Whatsoever is in your hand to do, do with all your might." (Eccl. 9:10) Nothing limiting about that!
The above article is from Kathy Kearney's seminar entitled Gracious Womanhood. The seminar material is not included in her articles but as her husband and prayer partner I decided to include it for your reading and study pleasure. DK
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During America's suffragist movement, women suffered tremendous abuse for the "crime" of petitioning their government to accord them with the same rights men enjoyed. Their English sisters didn't fare much better in their quest for equality. When they were jailed they went on hunger strikes. Jailers force fed these women by ramming rubber hoses up their nostrils. Some died, while others came away with life-threatening and lifelong physical complications from such inhumane treatment.
Today we've forgotten their hard won victory. Nary an eyebrow is raised when women stream to the voting polls. Now women occupy positions as teachers, physicians, phone operators, presidents of business, police officers--all were once the domains of men. But still the war between the sexes rages on. When will we learn that the victory lies not power but in service.
Salvation Army founder, General William Booth, often said that there wouldn't be a Salvation Army in America if not for the women. These women made up the first wave of evangelists, preachers, and commanders (pastors) of corps (churches) in America. They established and pastored congregations of more than a thousand members laying the foundation for the Army’s ongoing humanitarian work.
Booth's wife, Katherine, a more gifted speaker than he, by his own admission, worked tirelessly with her husband fulfilling their mutual call to lead men and women out of sin's darkness into God's light. What they accomplished within their marriage of equality is truly amazing. Today, the Salvation Army still practices the biblical truth that women and men better serve God and society under the banner of unified equality in rank as well as reason.
Unfortunately, many churches continue to regard women as inferior to men. Some forbid women to pastor churches; others deny them places on church boards, or positions as deacons and elders. Still others say a woman may not teach men, only other women. (Odd. Is a woman's truth different from man's truth?) Sadly, such thinking laps over into society, subtly perpetuating the myth that women are inferior to men, or need constant direction and supervision from men. Bible verses that actually promote equality are often taken out of context with total disregard of the cultures to which they were penned.
The Bible never teaches that women must be subdued, enslaved, controlled and "put in their place." In fact, such nonsense is a breeding ground for abuse.
Women often accuse the apostle Paul of chauvinism. Not true! Not the Paul who wrote in Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Not the Paul who ends the Book of Romans with a loving salute to the women, as well as the men, who have been part of his ministry.
Priscilla and Aquila, a husband and wife, traveled with Paul. (Acts 18:2) When referring to this couple, Priscilla's name always precedes Aquila's because Greek etiquette placed the name of the more educated spouse first. In Acts 18: 26 they met a zealous evangelist named Apollos, whose theology wasn't quite complete--he hadn't heard of Christ's death and resurrection. Both Priscilla and Aquila "took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately."
Aquila didn't order Priscilla to serve coffee while the men folks discussed manly, manly things too deep for a mere woman. In Luke 10: 39-42, Christ himself commended Mary for choosing "the good part, which shall not be taken away from her," by remaining in his presence listening and learning when Martha demanded she help out in the kitchen.
In I Timothy 2: 11-12, Paul writes to Timothy, a young pastor at Ephesus, to counsel women to be silent, to learn quietly, and not usurp authority over men. This verse often has been used to "keep women in their place" in the church.
Using what is known of that day's culture, along with putting the verses back into their surrounding context, we will see that Paul wasn't urging the suppression and silence of women.
In Roman culture learning quietly was considered a virtue. But few women had the privilege of education. Furthermore, they believed that their only worth lay in physical allure. Some of these women may even have been temple prostitutes before their conversions since Ephesians embraced religious expression through sex in pagan temple rites. Paul's use of the Greek word, "authentien", meaning to wrest away authority by violent or sensual methods, makes sense when the reader understands the culture. Paul is merely telling these newly converted, uneducated women that learning quietly is more godly than employing sensuality to usurp positions of leadership. He's teaching them that everything has been made new-- new lifestyles, new roles, and a new way of using their true gifts and achieving new positions in a new way.
The Bible records stories of women as prophetesses, judges, business owners, teachers, preachers, church officers, landowners, and rulers. Scripture never teaches that one gender, one class, one race is superior, or has the right to dominate another. Rather it calls men and women to enjoy and use to the fullest capacity the gifts and talents which God in His wisdom has bestowed upon them.
What can a woman do? What can a man do? "Whatsoever is in your hand to do, do with all your might." (Eccl. 9:10) Nothing limiting about that!
The above article is from Kathy Kearney's seminar entitled Gracious Womanhood. The seminar material is not included in her articles but as her husband and prayer partner I decided to include it for your reading and study pleasure. DK
www.1-800BadCredit.com Need a new car but think your credit will hold you back? Check our site and be pleasantly surprised.
Budget Resume Would you like a professionally written resume but can't afford it? Well now you can! How about Interview help? That gives lots of people problems. Visit our Resume On A Budget site and get the Interview help you need.
www.ResumeHelpBlog.com Let our experts find you a job.
