Other Christians however, hold an even more traditional view: they interpret the Bible’s teachings to mean that women are weaker than men and are helpers; “God said, <It is not good for man to live alone, I will make a helper suitable for him>”- Genesis 2:18. Because of this, some women choose to vow obedience to their husbands even though it is not obligatory; however, this option was not necessary for men in the first place: “Paul said, <A woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives>”- Romans 7:2. This belief emphasises the importance of there being a leader in the relationship (the man) and that the man should have authority over his wife; “Paul said, <Women should learn in silence and humility. I do not allow them to teach or have authority over men; they must keep quiet>”- 1 Timothy 2:11-13. Another reason that they believe women are weaker than men is in the Bible story of Adam and Eve, Eve was conceived out of one of Adam’s ribs, “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of Adam”- Genesis. Also, Eve gave in to temptation of the forbidden fruit faster than Adam did.
Contrastingly, some Christians believe that men and women can have the same roles if they wish; a completely different view to the traditional one. They may believe that the men can partake in the housework and caring for the children too, and the women can go out to work and earn. This belief builds on the teaching that men and women were created equal, and extends this to them having equal opportunities in work and sharing of childcare: “Jesus tells Martha that there is more to the role of a woman than just doing housework”- Luke 10:42. Christians who believe this may think it is important not to compare men and women’s differences in a way that may suggest that men are superior and in charge. A Quote by St. Ambrose supports this view: “You are not her master but her husband; she was not given to you to be your slave, but your wife... Return her attentiveness to you and be grateful to her for her love.” These Christians have a more balanced approach to men and women’s roles: a woman having a career (if she chooses to have one) is just as important as her work at home (if she doesn’t choose a career); also, men should be equally involved in family life and care as women: “But if anyone does not take care of his relatives, especially the members of his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever”- 1 Timothy 5:8.
The different Christian denominations each have their own view on what the roles of men and women should be. For example, the Roman Catholic Church values the work of the woman in the home as on par to any career she chooses to have. Pope John Paul II said, “Men should truly esteem and love women with total respect for their personal dignity, and society should create and develop conditions favouring work in the home.” This quote suggests that Roman Catholics mostly believe that men and women have equal rights and roles both in the family and outside it, though they seem to subtly prefer women’s role being in the home. To support this further, the Catholic Church only allows men to become priests and bishops - the Pope is always male. Women can become ministers of the Holy Communion but fact still remains that the “higher up” positions are only available to men.
The Anglican Church shares similar views as the Roman Catholic Church but with more variation in opinion between individual Anglican Christians. They believe that the roles of men and women are equal; both can become vicars. Again though, only men can become bishops and the Archbishop (leader of the church). Since some Anglican Christians have varying views, some believe that bishops and the Archbishop should be allowed to be female, while others prefer how it currently is: “Any woman that proclaims God’s message in public worship with nothing on her head disgraces her husband”- 1 Corinthians 11:5.
Research has shown that the Baptist Church currently has a more traditional approach that women are inferior and therefore should not be allowed to be deacons (except in a few cases). Evidence of this is a quote about Jimmy Carter, Former President of America, and his separation from the Southern Baptist Convention: “Jimmy Carter is getting some attention for recently reiterating his separation from the Southern Baptist Convention due to gender discrimination.”-
More evidence of this is: -
“In 1996, First Baptist Church of Waco, Texas, ordained its first women deacons--Doris Smith and Amanda Smith (the women are not related). The church, once viewed as socially conservative, has since moved rapidly to elect more women to this leadership position every year since the process began. By July 2003, twenty-four of the church's 130 deacons were women... a change that other twenty-first-century Baptist churches are encountering and must decide whether to adopt, reject, or avoid.”
According to further research, the Free Methodist Church accepts women as equal to men and both are allowed to be ordained: “The General Conference of 1974 passed a resolution "giving women equal status with men in the ministry of the church" (General Conference Minutes, p. 388).”- This suggests that Methodists believe that the roles of men and women in a family can be the same.
In conclusion, the roles of men and women in a Christian family depend entirely on their own thoughts, views, upbringing and what they as individuals believe. The Bible’s teachings are often contradictory to one another, as they are with family roles; this means the roles the husband and wife in the Christian family take depend on their interpretation of the Bible: “Paul said, <All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work>”- 2 Timothy 3:16. Their views, however, may also be influenced by the Christian denomination that they belong to.
Njeri Chege