What is the Christian teaching on roles of men and women?

Christians tend to look at the Bible and the social issues when it comes to the subject of men and women.

Christianity follows the teachings of Christ that were founded on Judaism. The first four books of the New Testament, or Gospels, describe Christ’s dealings with women. He showed respect and compassion for all women, regardless of their social standing. He initiated a dialogue with the Samaritan woman at the well, something no self-respecting leader of his day would have done. He valued the insignificant money given at the Temple by a poor widow over the vast sums given by the religious men. He equally offered to men and women a way to a right relationship with God. He never made a distinction between men and women regarding spiritual potential and allowed former prostitutes to join his inner circle. After his death and resurrection, he first appeared to women and then later to his male followers.

The rest of the New Testament refers to many women leaders in the early Church, such as Lydia, Phoebe and Priscilla. Yet, the role of women was still defined in relationship to men. Paul emphasized in his Letters to Timothy that women were not to have positions of authority over men. He even describes how they were to keep quiet in Church and wait to ask any questions of their husbands once they returned home. However, in his Letters to the Corinthian church, he describes how a woman was to be sure to cover her head whenever she led in prayer in Church. Many have interpreted Paul’s descriptions of the role of men and women to place women in an extremely subservient position. However, for his day and time, it may have actually elevated the role of women. Women were told to obey their husbands, but husbands were told to love their wives in the same way that Christ had loved the Church. Since Christ gave his life for the Church, the implication is that men were to put their wives above their own needs. In fact, Paul reminds men that their wives have become part of them. Husbands are therefore told to treat their wives the same way they treat their own bodies. This precludes all physical abuse, infidelity or any other humiliating act.

The final book of the New Testament, the book of Revelation, describes the affect of the second coming of Christ. All the effects of the sin in the Garden of Eden will be reversed. All sin, sickness and death will cease. Since the dominance of men over women is described in the Bible as resulting from the Garden of Eden events, this too will be removed. Heaven will restore the original, full equality and partnership of men and women.

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There is also roles within a marriage, where the husband and wife is involved. Some Christians believe that the wife should obey the husband and support and care for him- in his career and his children. Therefore the man should be in charge and needs to look after his wife and children, and bringing food home for his family. They believe that it is what the Bible says. They may think it is important for someone to have the stronger lead in the relationship and because they see men to be stronger than women, they think men are the ...

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