Gender issues and the body of Christ

Can the Church ever claim to be taking justice issues around gender equality seriously while it still has readings such as the one from Proverbs set for today in the Lectionary? It has been used for centuries to keep women in their place. It has been used, usually by male preachers in recent times, to refute claims of control of women by pointing out that this woman was free to make decisions such as buying and selling land. While the woman was ensuring that her family was well taken care of, her husband was sitting by the gate probably doing nothing more strenuous that chatting, discussing or philosophising. This was the custom for men of the status of the woman depicted. She was in a substantially better off household than most of the women in the world. These sermons generally leave the women listening, feeling inadequate for not living up to the standards set and the men gloating because what was being said didn’t apply to them.

There is no corresponding passage in the Bible about how a good husband should behave. Sure, occasionally there is a sentence directed at men. We have in Genesis 2:24 that a man should leave his father and mother and cling to his wife. Deuteronomy 24:5 says, “When a man is newly married he shall not go out with the army or be charged with any related duty. He shall be free at home one year, to be happy with the wife who he has married.” and in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” NRSV.  But these are all, and in our rural areas it has been far more likely that the wife has had to leave her parent than the husband would leave his.

.... There has been focus on domestic violence in the past year and again recently. We as members of Christ’s body, the Church, must ask how much we are contributing to the plight of battered women by our understanding of how women should behave and how men may treat them. It is time we questioned closely how our beliefs may affect others and ask if this is what Christ wants for people.    How can we condemn the practices of genital mutilation and the burning and acid throwing attacks on women in other cultures and the murder and harm done in our own if we have not learned better than this by now? ...In prayer, we can ask for Christ’s guidance for gender issues of this time and not think we heard the final word on it three thousand years ago. When we are in closer relationship it is easier to ask questions. You are part of the body of Christ. Do not be afraid to question and question and question as you ponder God’s Way and what is meant by God’s goodness and love. Remember that nothing can separate you from God’s love, not even what may seem like the most trivial of questions. The answers may take a while. They probably won’t be what you expect but God will bless you with interesting answers.

Rev Julianne Parker (for full sermon see sermon's page)