Lately, there has been a call for all governments and states to raise the status of women in the society. This comes against a background that women have, for time immemorial, been confined to kitchen work.
Women have for the past years played second fiddle to men in almost all sectors of life.
Realizing that women, too, can perform wonders if given a chance to lead, gender activists in Malawi and other Sadc African countries are fighting for 50-50 women representation in positions of influence in the society. They started with 30 percent, but to date, only five countries have so far managed to meet the requirement.
Malawi happens to be one of the countries struggling to fulfill its commitment to raise the status of women so that they are at par with men.
Suffice to say that the few women currently holding positions of authority in Malawi have not disappointed. Except for a few, at least most women have shown that, given a chance, they can change things for the better.
Take, for example, Anastazia Msosa; the woman chairing the Electoral Commission (EC). She is just a genius and knows what she is doing. She is focused.
No wonder then that even men can draw a lesson or two from the way she handles issues to do with elections in Malawi. Talk of Dr. Mary Shawa—Principal Secretary for Nutrition, HIV and Aids in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
Like Msosa, Dr. Shawa knows her job. She understands her role and articulates issues with much ease to the public. Examples are endless!
However, the question would be: gender equality yes! But to which limit can women assume positions of authority in the society? Should we allow women to assume leadership positions in the Church like pastorate, priestly?
Worldwide, there has been a lot of controversy over the role of women in the Church. The main conflict comes over two passages of the Scripture from Paul.
All Scripture needs to be understood in the context of what was said, who was spoken to, and what the culture was at the time.
On 1 Corinthians 11:3, Apostle Paul says: “ Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God”.
Many poeple have understood this verse to mean that women have to submit to their husbands. In some cultures like Ngoni, a female is supposed to be submissive to any male person however young or insignificant in the society.
However, according to Moses Thomas of Chimkoka Village in Dowa, whether it is by design or change of times, women many women women are no longer in submission to their husbands or the leadership in churches.
Moses argues that women nowadays do not show respect for their husbands and the church elders and this is why we have some people who want to tell women to be silent in the church.
Sheikh Alidi Iron of Usumani Masjid in Machinga says it is against the teachings of the Holy Quran for a woman to stand at the pulpit to preach the word of God.
According to Sheikh Iron, a woman can only preach in the presence of fellow women during their special prayers like dawa.
“Even if she is very educated a woman cannot stand at the pulpit to preach,” the sheikh emphasizes.
“There are many laws in the Holy Book that state that a woman should not stand before men in the mosque,” says Sheikh Iron.
He, however, explains that some women are allowed to holp positions of influence, but their authority is limited to fellow women.
Asked if women have freedom to aspire to become sheikhs, Sheikh Iron states that such women’s authority will still limited to fellow women. Much as Iron supports the idea that more women should take up positions of authority in the society, he does not believe women should go beyond earthly matters.
“Women are supposed to submit to men. That is the teaching of the Holy Quran and the Bible as well. So we are just following what God commanded us.
“During prayers, too, women are supposed to listen in silence. Spiritual matters have to be separated from earthly ones. We don’t have to mix these things,” he says.
But in his book, The Role of Women in the Church, Sandy Simpson argues that just because women are not in submission, and men are allowing it, does not mean that women have no role to play in the Church. On the contrary, obedient submissive women have a very important role in the Church as do men.
According to Simpson, evidence from history shows us that many have been saved and discipled by women, and many churches have been planted by them. Prophecy has come forth for the Church through women, and will continue to do so as the Spirit leads and as women are living in submission to their husbands and to Christ.
One thing we should understand is that both men and women are made in the image of God, not just men. The book of Genesis chapter 1:27 tells us a story of creation.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” On Matthew 19:4 the Bible says: "Haven’t you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator ’made them male and female.’
Note that God blessed both men and women, calling them "man". Therefore this is not a sexist term, but a godly one.
We can also learn from this that some things that pertain to "man" pertain to both men and women, whereas when men or women are specified it is talking about men and women specifically. Here is an example where God is referencing both men and women as "men".
Ephesians 4:8 says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." And 1 Timothy 2:4 says: “who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Joel 2:29 gives us the real picture that God calls both men and women to serve him. God said even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour my Spirit in those days. All have equal access to the Christ and all are one in Christ.
Rev. Fr. Henry Saindi of the Roman Catholic Church says the question on whether women can lead the church is controversial as it is “contentious”.
Fr. Saindi explains that according to the Catholic tradition, there are two points of references to this question.
“We have Sacred Orders those that one exercise as a result of sacred ordination namely, Episcopate, Priesthood and Diaconate. These are for life,” explains the priest in an email interview from Rome where he is currently studying.
Fr. Saindi further states that there are ministries in which one exercises as a result of installation or appointment by an authority in the Church.
Take note that only laymen can be installed ministers in the Catholic Church. Examples of such orders are Lector [reader of the word of God] and Acolyte [one who can be asked to distribute Holy Communion whenever there is need].
“The role of preaching falls in the first category. It must be exercised by those who have been ordained as deacons, priests and bishops. It is their role to break the bread of the Word and also preside over the Eucharist except for the deacons who can only offer their service at the altar,” says he.
Thus in the Catholic tradition women cannot be ordained as sacred ministers or installed as ministers.
He, however, acknowledges that their role is indispensable in the Catholic Church.
Fr. Saindi further discloses that he personally supports the campaign for 50-50 women representation wherever possible in public positions including the church although he asks for good faith and right motives when implementing it.
But he cautions that as much as the Church is human, people have to remember that it is divine. It is not just a human society. It is not just like any other human associations.
The priest agrees with Sheikh Iron saying the prime goal of the Church is to look for and promote those values that can help in the building up of the heavenly kingdom.
“Therefore, the Church cannot be put at par with the earthly policies where the idea of 50-50 responsibility sharing can be possible.
“The Church has to be inspired by those values that would help in the building up of the heavenly city while here on earth. In that way I am afraid one cannot demand a 50-50 position sharing since it is service at play,” concludes Fr. Saindi.
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