My heart is filled with thanks to God for gathering us to celebrate the lives of women created by God in God’s own image. Today we have gathered for a specific task, i.e. to reflect and understand the role and status of Pakistani Christian Women in church and society.
As we reflect upon our role and status in this study, let us call upon the Holy Spirit to remove the scales from our eyes, so that our vision is corrected and we have a right perspective towards life in the light of Christ’s call and mission. When we depend on God’s vision, we allow love, peace and justice to grow and roll down like a river. It is this continuous flow of the Spirit that helps women, and men to rediscover, reclaim and develop their own sense of self, thus empowering them to relate with God and their neighbor as fully human. It is this intimate relationship with the Divine that enables them to play a fuller and meaningful role in church and society.
The role of a person is explained based on the context of culture, standards, and mindsets of a particular nation or people. The role and status of women was low traditionally and remains so at the present. The worldwide patriarchal culture considers women as inferior and dependent beings to men. Before the patriarchal society shifted to a rigid and hierarchical structure, women had enjoyed active participation in various social activities and had almost equal rights as men. However, in the course of time women’s role and status were diminished gradually due to the dominant ideology of patriarchy. Thus, while women are seen as inferior and subordinate, men are regarded as superior, having power to dominate women.
In today’s world there are still many people who misunderstand God’s vision. The powerful and the affluent tend to dominate those who are weak, poor and marginalized. There are certain oppressive norms prevalent in our society which tend to deny women’s humanity, rather their very existence. In many societies the birth of a girl child is not celebrated. From the moment a woman is born she is conditioned into accepting that her purpose in life is to be married, and bear children. She is considered complete only when she bears sons. In some cultures, women who are unmarried, divorced or widowed are expected to live a life that is not their own, but dictated by men or older women.
Unfortunately the church has also held to some of these beliefs. In the Jewish religion, women were considered as man’s property (Ex. 22:16). They were considered impure due to menstruation and child birth(Lev.12:l-5). They were thought of as the devil’s gateway and bitterer than the death (Ecc.7:26). The teaching of Torah was prohibited for women. There is a Jewish saying which says, “To teach Torah to a woman is like casting pearl to the pigs” or “It is better to burn the Torah than to place it in a female’s hands.” The fact of the matter is that women’s position and role has always been overlooked and denied by the church, and society. Such an environment retards women’s spiritual growth, and thus makes her feel insignificant in her own eyes.
In spite of significant contribution of women to the life of society, women and womanhood have been subjected to sufferings and exploitation even in the Church. It is therefore necessary for the church to re-examine and change the traditional attitudes towards women and bring them back to a fuller human hood, so that the purpose of God will be fulfilled, by sharing the partnership in God’s mission
The new theological awareness coupled with the changing world in which new models for women began to be available, made it difficult for the most educated women to accept the traditional roles assigned to them in both society and the Church. It is a joy to see that changes are taking place within the church in spite of various odds. A number of church women feel and believe that they are called by God into the ministry and more and more women are seeking theological education. They believe that ministry of the church remains incomplete without the full and equal participation of women. For if men and women are both created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27 and 5:1-3), they are inseparable and their equal status as well as dual ministry is assumed. In Christian ministry both men and women must work together in multiple ways with the goal to establish the Reign of God Christ had initiated.
The theme challenges us to understand the role of women in the light of the Holy Bible from which we derive our authority and authenticity.
The book of Genesis tells us that God created human being, female and male in God’s own image to live in a community, with God, with one another and with God’s entire creation. When God created Adam and Eve, God called them both to stand in God’s presence. God blessed them and made them responsible steward (supervisor/ guardian)of God’s creation. God created this world good, and wants us to maintain its beauty, sanctity, and goodness. Today, we find ourselves living in a brutal environment, where stewardship is not balanced and shared for an authentic and creative growth of God’s creation; where powerful, and strong nations, races, and gender tend to oppress the very existence of weak and poor. The Scriptures teaches us to share God’s gifts of life with those who are weak and marginalized, and to live in just relationship with God, with all God’s people, and protect our environment.
God wants men and women to live as partners to strengthen one another to carry out God’s mission and service in this world. After creating man, God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” Man receives a woman as his true helpmate, and companion (Gen.2:18 b). Many people believe that the word “helper” is subordinate in nature, and therefore suggest that a woman is inferior to man. The Hebrew verb “azar” from which the noun “ezer” derives, means “to succor”, or “to deliver from death.” Woman, therefore is the succor, who extends her help to a man at a time of distress and adversity. Besides woman, this word “ezer” is also used for God. God is the helper of Israel in time of distress.(Psm.33:20) The Bible expects women and men to live in a loving, caring and a just community, as it is when they live together that the Image of God is fully restored and protected. Therefore women must never undermine their role and responsibility given to them by God. Remember, we are called to create life, protect life, nurture and sustain life, which is a gift from God.
The Scriptures bears witness to the fact that women have played tremendous leadership role in human history. A few unusual women who played a significant part in Israel’s history are as follows: In Exodus 1:17-21, Hebrew midwives Shiphrah and Puah. were able to outsmart the Pharaoh and save the lives of Jewish newborn boys. These women refused to obey the king, and spared the lives of Hebrew children. In doing so they protected life and were rewarded by God. These women were instrumental in raising Moses, the great leader and savior of the Israelites.
In Exodus 2, the birth mother of Moses was able to circumvent the Pharaoh’s order to kill all of the baby boys, and to save her son. Moses’ sister Miriam and his mother through their wisdom and courage saved and nurtured Moses so that he could emerge as a leader to free people from the bondage of slavery.
In Judges 4 and 5, Deborah is described as both a Judge and a prophetess of Israel. She was a charismatic leader. As an outstanding person, she was able to arouse the scattered tribes of Israel to a sense of unity and loyalty to Yahweh in their early struggles against the Canaanites. This sense of religious unity was of crucial importance for the establishment and continuing life of the nation Israel.
In 1 Samuel, Abigail through her prudence and courage saved her people from destruction. When Nabal, the Carmelite refused to invite King David to his sheep shearing, Abigail, his wife who was known for her beauty and good sense goes to meet king David and persuaded him not to take vengeance on her foolish husband. As a leader, she demonstrated tremendous courage, farsightedness, and good relationship with the higher authorities to achieve her goal of defending her husband and nations. This act of hers not only pleased the king, but the king in return spared her husband and thus she was instrumental in protecting her husband’s life.
In 2 Kings 22:14-19 and 2 Chron 34:23-7, the prophetess Huldah was asked to validate the book found in the Temple — presumably the book of Deuteronomy. She spoke “. as the voice of God: ‘Thus says the flORD’ Jeremiah and Zephaniah were in Judah also at the time but there is no
record of their having been consulted.
The Risen Christ affirmed women’s role as bearer of good news. He transformed their identity and status. He stood with them in their struggle to find meaning in their life. As we look at Christ’s life, we see that at each important step of his life, women have played vital roles. They have cared and ministered to Christ. They sat at his feet to listen to him and to strengthen and nurture their spirituality. Jesus encouraged them to his dialogue partners. They engaged in a dialogue of life with him. The Samaritan woman was not only empowered by Christ, but became an instrument of empowering others. She goes to her city as a preacher and a transformer to bring her people to Jesus, the Messiah. Through her testimony many Samaritans from that city came to know Jesus. Thus she became a great evangelist of her time.
The Syrophoenician woman comes to Jesus and pleads for her daughter’s healing. Although a non- Jewish, she has tremendous faith, trust and confidence in herself and Jesus who is able to heal her daughter. When she asks Christ to heal her daughter, he speaks harshly and arrogantly with her. This woman is not intimidated by a Jewish Rabbi’s negative response. She does not even loose hope or courage. She intelligently argues with Christ. In a culture, where women could not enter into discussion with men, she dares to have a dialogue with Jesus, a religious teacher, so that her daughter can receive life and healing. The Scriptures tell us that through her intelligent, persistent and convincing argument, she is able to bring about a change in Jesus’ thinking and attitude. Christian women today are challenged to engage in dialogue and build relationship with those in authority and people of other faith in order to share God’s healing grace and life with them. We women are called in the 21st century to review our discriminatory beliefs and attitudes towards others, and be open in sharing God’s love, shalom and life. Jesus while affirming her womanhood, appreciated her faith by saying, “woman, your faith is great.” In this encounter both Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman are mutually transformed. This meeting brings blessings to Jesus, woman and the daughter. As a dialogue partner, she understood her role as a mediator and advocate of healing and life for her children.
Jesus restored women’s status and raised their full dignity as daughters (Luke 13). Jesus refuses to accept woman as man’s property. He refuses also to accept adultery as an offence against the husband rather he accepts adultery as an offence against the dignity and personhood of women. He says, “But I say that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart”. (Matt. 5:28)
Jesus reckons women as “holy”. He rejects the idea of woman as impure by allowing the woman with hemorrhage for twelve years to touch him. After her healing Jesus does not wash himself, but goes to a religious man’s house to raise his daughter. Jesus does not consider women as evil, rather allows them to touch her and speak to them in public, i.e. the woman with hemorrhage, and woman at the well.
Jesus protests against the stereotypes assigned to women and rebuke Martha for being “too much occupied with serving” and affirms Mary’s claim to participate in the circle of disciples, by commending her for choosing the better part. Jesus rejects that women are not worthy of studying the Torah. He teaches Mary about the word of God and enters into a theological discourse with her. Jesus acknowledges her mother’s role as the disciple and hearer of the word rather than her being only the biological mother.
It is also interesting to note that the women in the early church played a significant role to establish house churches. During Paul’s time we know that there were women like Pricilla, Junia, and Aphia who were serving as missionaries and preachers. Lydia, a wise business woman was instrumental to bring many people to Christ, and in establishing the church. Nympha was a leader in the church at Laodicea, in whose house the church met (Col.4:l-5). Phillip’s daughters were prophetesses who participated in the ministry with Paul.
The advent of the Holy Spirit is a significant event in the church’s life as it is this event that brings back women in the forefront of the church ministry. At Pentecost Peter quotes the prophecy of Joel:” And in the last days it shall be, God declares I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophecy…yea, on my men servants and my maid servants in those days, I will pour out my spirit; and they shall prophecy.(Act 2:17) We know that the women who were gathered on the Pentecost day were filled with the spirit. With the pouring of the spirit came the gifts of the Holy spirit to all people. These gifts are given to God’s people even today without discrimination.
The women must recognize and nurture these gifts and make them available for the building of the church. Spiritual gifts are not personal possession, rather they are given to be shared and spent for the building up of the church and for the transformation of society. In Ephesians 4 Paul points out that God’s gifts are given for the service of others. The author of 1 Peter says ” Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received'(lPeter 4:10). Anyone who does not use his or her gift for the service of others is not being a good steward of that gift.
The earliest Christian communities followed the practice of Jesus. In the first century women exercised the ministries of disciple, apostle, prophet deacon, proclaimer of the gospel and leader of worship. Despite the fact that women were not equal and were generally subordinate to men in contemporary Jewish, Hellenistic and Roman society, both Jesus and the early Church allowed women to hold and exercise ministerial office.
Conditions for Christian Ministry: The New Testament gives an indication of many factors which were considered important conditions for Christian ministry, such as faith in the risen Jesus, commission by Jesus or by recognized ecclesiastical authorities, understanding of and ability to communicate the gospel message, and gifting by the Holy Spirit.
The sex of the minister was not relevant for ministerial office either in the teaching and practice of Jesus or in the earliest theology and exercise of ministry in the Church. Sex became a problem, beginning in the second half of the first century, when the Church began to come into conflict with its social setting and began to adapt its own practice to the customs of that time.
In the same way the marital status of the disciple or minister was also irrelevant for the exercise of ministry in the New Testament era. The presence of a wife in the company of a male minister was considered normal, not as contaminating the minister. Those apostles, bishops and other ministers in the early Church who were not married were considered exceptional.
Shared ministry exercised by husband and wife teams was a common phenomenon in the first century Church.
Model of Ministry in the New Testament is Discipleship & Service: The ministry of Jesus was characterized through the application of the image and theology of the suffering servant. The gospels portrayed Jesus as teaching his disciples that the nature of their ministry was to be like his own, one of service. The Christian servant or the disciple is called to serve both God and the people through total self-offering even to death. The disciple is a person who is bound in close, loving, and learning relationship to Jesus. The disciple is called to be like his or her master, to be a servant. The service of the Christian disciple may be understood as priestly through the model of the priesthood of the suffering servant. The levitical model of priesthood of power and status cannot be authentic Christian ministry.
Model of Ministry in the Old Testament is levitical priesthood: This ministerial model of levitical priesthood is not found in the New Testament. It is mentioned only in passing reference to contemporary Jewish priest, but its application to Christian ministry is nowhere suggested. In the first century, as the Church was in the process of working out its understanding, theology and structures of ministry, there is no scriptural evidence that the model of levitical priesthood was ever introduced. In the Old Testament the levitical model had developed connotations of power and status, sexism and hierarchy. When it was finally introduced into Christianity, in the second through the fourth centuries, hierarchical status and power and the exclusion of women from official ministry appeared at the same time.
The early Church experimented with other models of ministry which it found in the Old Testament tradition of the ministry of word. There were Christian teachers and disciples, apostles, prophets and elders. There is evidence in the New Testament of the participation of women in all of these offices, with the sole exception of that of elder which was rooted in patriarchal tradition. The office of elder, however, soon ceased to exist in the Church as it was merged with other offices.
In 1976 the majority of the members of the Pontifical Biblical Commission in Rome voted to affirm that scripture does not give sufficient evidence to exclude the possibility of the ordination of women to ministerial office in the Church today. The magisterium of the Church has itself called for the equality of women in all areas. The only area in which women are still today excluded from equality in and by the Church itself is the exclusion of women from the Church’s call to serve Jesus in the fullness of sacramental ministry. The Church has justified this exclusion on the basis of tradition. Yet the Church has also consistently taught that its tradition and practice must be conformed to the norm of scripture. The crux of the problem lies in the interpretation of scripture.
Scholars today are realizing that the interpretation of scriptural texts about women have long been influenced by bias/prejudice of male commentators. Since scholars have now become aware of such influences, they are better able to eliminate them from future understanding of scripture. Current biblical scholarship is in the process of rediscovering the prominent role of women in ministry in the New Testament. New understanding in this area, as has happened in other areas of biblical scholarship in the past, will finally come to influence and affect the life of every Christian in the Church. Pakistani women are therefore challenged to play a leading role in studying, understanding and interpreting the scriptures to empower themselves to better serve the body of Jesus Christ. It is not an option. Church must make an intentional effort to educate women and men so that they can fully participate in various ministries of the church.
Many people quote St. Paul to silence women in the church. They read his letter without understanding the context in which he was writing. My humble request to these ardent followers of St Paul is to pay attention to his over arching theme and passion, which is found in his letter to the Christians of Galatia. Paul proclaimed that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female. In spite of this theology of Paul, all three dichotomies (ethnic/race, social, gender) have existed within the history of the Church. The first was overcome in the first century, by Paul himself. The second was not overcome until the nineteenth century. In both cases the process of moral insight and change involved controversy, pain and division. It is time now for the Church in Pakistan to denounce the third dichotomy and to suffer the pain which that may entail. I wish to draw our attention that this dichotomy has been resolved and accepted by the church universal. We have women priests in Muslim countries in Africa and Asia. Apart from Pakistan, this dichotomy has also been resolved in South Asia. In my opinion, this issue could have been resolved in Pakistan, if an intentional effort on part of women and the church was made. Unfortunately, the church of Pakistan and church in Pakistan has been bogged down with property and power sharing matters, and have ignored important issues related with our calling and ministry. Instead of opening ourselves to the larger community, we have created walls around us. For the health and wholeness of the church, we must make an effort to become an inclusive church, and break all walls that separate God’s people to becoming fully human. No doubt it is a painful act, and may bring some division in our pursuit to be faithful to Gospel Values. This is however a challenge and we should not shy away from our responsibilities as a prophetic church. We should not worry about the Pain and division as it is very much a part of biblical tradition. Remember, suffering, as the New Testament affirms, leads to the birth of new life.
If church women and men in Pakistan would like to get rid of “Spiritual Poverty,” that has stagnated our growth and forward march, the first moderator of the church of Pakistan said, let us join hands to empower women so that the church may stand on strong footings to face modern day challenges and temptations of life to make body of Christ a truly worshipping community. By paralyzing fifty percent of Christ’s work force, we will not be able to fulfill God’s mission.” This directive is given not only to men, but also to women. Therefore, in obedience to God’s call, women must stand up in faith to serve the church, without being intimidated by authority and oppressive powers. Let us like the Canaanite woman, and Hebrew mid-wives, break oppressive traditions and authority, and reckon God’s commandments higher than man made traditions.(:why do you yourself transgress commandments of God for the sake of your traditions.) Let us take up our role as “ezar” and step forward to help the church to understand Risen Christ’s mandate to women: Do not be afraid; go and take my word to my brothers. Matt. 28:10)
Mary Magdalene, according to biblical accounts, is the one who announces seeing the resurrected Jesus. “He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons,” the Gospel of Mark says. “She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. It is worth mentioning that a woman was chosen for the task rather than a man. It’s a woman who gets that truth to tell. A woman is the first missionary of the Resurrection.
Scholars of the Bible and its portrayal of women agree that the prominence of women at Jesus’ side is significant, but they differ on how to interpret that prominence. For example, some consider Mary Magdalene a missionary or an evangelist, but others view her role as evidence that women have a rightful place in the pulpit. It is important for the church to realize and understand that women should have full access to church leadership as they had access to the Lord of the church, Jesus Christ.
I think that we have more than a glimpse of what the ideal is, which is men and women sharing and participating together in ministry together, not one assigned one role and another assigned another role. Role assignment during Jesus’ time and in the early church was not assigned on the basis of gender, class, or race. We have ample examples of women in the Old and New Testament, who have proved that they can deliver with devotion and dedication by serving in whatever ministry they were in. And I strongly believe that they will continue to do so without having any official title. Mary Magdalene, though didn’t have a formal title, she was definitely doing the work of an evangelist, and ardent disciple and a faithful friend of Jesus.
Jesus encouraged women to break culture of silence: Jesus encourage women to take initiatives, even if it means risking their lives to find meaning, hope and strength to themselves and to their neighbors. Christ affirmed women’s role as bearer of good news. He transformed their identity and status. He stood with them in their struggle to find meaning in their life. Jesus raised them to their full dignity, as daughters. He helped women to understand their role as disciples of Jesus Christ. Today, Jesus calls us women to be true prophetesses in Pakistan: to speak against unjust practices, traditions, church polity and biased attitudes against women who are part of God’s divine image. Women are called to be ministers and priests to the people. The scriptures remind us that all God’s people male and female, slaves and free, young and old are called to be “a kingdom ofpriest”(Ex:19:6).
The New Testament calls the church to exercise this priesthood for humankind that groans in pain. Today we see the body of Christ in many parts of the world being afflicted, torn apart and bleeding in so many ways. Older people, rural women, people with disabilities, and minorities of all kinds are discriminated and marginalized. Our nations, our communities and families are in need of care and compassion. Healing and wholeness is very much part of God’s nature. And we are called to carry out this healing task in church and society.
My message to you, dear sisters and brothers, is that our commitment to Christ and to Christ’s mission must continue. The 21st century challenges us to speak against all attitudes, structures and practices that hinder our participation as evangelists, prophets and priests in Church and society.
Pakistani sisters, unite to work for social and spiritual transformation. Work hand in hand with men to build an inclusive community. Raise, nurture and train younger women to see visions and dream dreams for a better world. Stand in solidarity with one another to affirm each other’s gifts and potentials to engage in Christ’s mission to bringing peace and justice in church and society. Remember that it is in the faithful response to Christ’s call that women and men will be blessed by Christ’s abiding and empowering presence.
In conclusion, we need to encourage ourselves that through the struggle of our “fore-mothers” and many of us, a definite improvement and changes though small, are being observed in the life of the church. There are many leaders and lay people in the church that recognize that women have a more definite role in the church. To cite a few examples of our success stories, I would like to mention that 15 years ago, there was no girl’s hostel for women students in Gujranwala seminary, there were no ordained woman priest. There were very few theologically trained women in Pakistan. Today we are happy to see that Gujranwala seminary has a beautiful girls’ hostel; there are hundreds of theologically trained women; one of the dioceses of the Church of Pakistan has taken a daring step to ordain two women; there is yet another ordained woman in the Pentecostal church serving in Sindh province; there is an ordained priest serving in one of the diocese of the Church of Pakistan, and her ministry is accepted and revered.
In spite of pain, suffering, and many difficulties in the institutional church, these improvements took place. We hope that this consultation will open doors for new grounds, where we can be instrumental with our leaders, brothers ad sisters in ministerial role of healing , reconciliation and restoration in the life of the Church in Pakistan, so that women are empowered through theological education and ministries.
(This paper was presented during a theological consultation held in September 2007, organized by the Women’s Syndical Church of Pakistan. The consultation focused on the theme ‘Women Making a Difference through Theological Education and Ministry in the Church’.)