The Leadership Role of Women in Nigeria Churches a Case Study of Anglican Communion according to 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
The Leadership Role of Women in Nigeria Churches a Case Study of Anglican Communion according to 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
In recent years various women’s issues have been the focus of attention and debate not only in connection with many of the structures and institutions of the Nigerian society but also within the church, including church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). Many women who are highly talented, capable and spirit filled are without any defined assignment for God. These women with golden talents are gradually quenched through inaction and lack of wisdom with their gifts wasting away. Thus second class status has often been the lot of wives and women in general in both Judaism and Christianity.
One of the most significant current debates within the ecclesiastical world is that regarding the role of women in the ministry of the church. In the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), women are not appointed into leadership positions. Women have also been excluded from the power centers and decision making process. The researcher is concerned with the ill-treatment given to women in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). When a woman is to preach in the Anglican Church, she does that from the lectern, but if it is a man even if he is lay, is led to preach from the pulpit.
As a communicant in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the researcher also observed that women do not serve as ‗cross bearer‘ or ‗pastor‘s warden‘. The cross bearer is one who carries the cross and leads in procession during the worship service. These uncharitable and unchristian attitudes and concepts are being largely upheld based on church tradition and could be alluded to the interpretation of some biblical texts such as 1Corinthians 14:26-40. It is however complicating when the New Testament gives evidence of texts that describe women as active participants in ministry and the same time advocate the (complete) silence of women in the church.
Various cultures and religions have marginalized women and wrongly interpreted the biblical terms, ―weaker vessel‖ to mean inferior. Genesis sees creation of man and woman as the crown of God‘s plan for making a world which he sees as very good. Both are created to belong to God and to one another. However, many advocate that the Bible sees no difference between men and women in the Church. Some suggest that Paul made an error in 1 Corinthians 14:34. Others consider men and women equal as humans but entirely unique as creatures. However, feminists are of the view that time had gone when women were regarded as inferior beings. They are now making visible efforts.
There abound a lot of biblical examples of women in ministry. Obielosi (2015) notes that despite the Partriachal and androcentric nature of the Old Testament times, many passages still view women at a very high esteem. Old Testament history includes accounts of strong female leadership in many roles. The following are striking examples: Miriam was a prophetess to Israel during the Exodus, alongside, Moses and Aaron. Deborah was a prophetess and a judge who directed Barak to lead the army of Israel into successful combat against Israel‘s oppressors. Huldah who was also a prophetess authenticated the scroll of the law found in the temple and helped spark religious reforms in the days of Josiah.
The Leadership Role of Women in Nigeria Churches a Case Study of Anglican Communion according to 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
A thorough study of the Scriptures show that women played active roles especially in the New Testament. In the Gospels, Christ recognized their active participation in his ministry and so did not relegate them to the background. Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Chuza, Susana, Martha and her sister Mary were recognized by Jesus. The early Church recognized Tabitha‘s effective benevolence ministry in Acts 9:36. Philip‘s four unmarried daughters were recognized prophetesses in Acts 21:8-9. Paul singled out two women Eurodia and Syntyche, as ―women who have contended at my side in the course of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers‖ (Philippians 4:2-3).
In the same vein, women in Church history have played variety of roles in the life of Christianity – notably as contemplatives, health care givers, educationists and missionaries. Until recent times, women were generally excluded from Episcopal and clerical positions within the Christian churches, however great number of women have been influential in the life of the church – from contemporaries of Jesus, to subsequent saints, theologians, doctors of the church, missionaries, abbesses, nuns, mystics, founders of religious institutes, military leaders, monarchs and martyrs. It is however, of great concern to this study, why women are still being marginalized despite their contributions in the Church and society as afore mentioned.
This study is provoked by Paul‘s injunction in 1 Corinthians 14:34 which states that women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. This idea has also crept into modern Christianity. This passage has been interpreted in several ways by scholars. Could the silence enjoined in this passage be a specific, limited silence? Some scholars, with slight evidence according to Schloer (2016) have also suggested either that 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 was not written by Paul but was inserted by a copyist or that it is a question from Paul‘s opponents in Corinth which Paul denounces in 1 Corinthians 14:36.
It is important to note in this study that women are still being restricted. Some leadership positions they aspire for are not being given to them based on the notion that women are not to
lead men but to be surbodinate in the home and the Church which is upheld by the complementarians. The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) places little or no value on women leadership training, ordination of women and appointment of women into leadership positions based on Church tradition and biblical injunctions which informed this research.
The Leadership Role of Women in Nigeria Churches a Case Study of Anglican Communion according to 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Over the years, women have been subjugated under men in matters of leadership in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and elsewhere. In the Nigerian context, the women take the upper number in the roll. The question of women‘s role in Church and whether or not they ought to be pastors is under serious debate within many churches.
Today, some denominations do not have any place for women. They seem to adopt Paul‘s position in 1 Corinthians 14:34 ―Women should remain silent in the Churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission as the law says‖. This shows that not much importance was attached to women and their activities in the service of God, hence the gender difference which makes the position of women as well as their contributions less significant.
A literal reading of the text (1 Cor. 14:26-40) clearly conveys the notion that women should remain silent in the Church and be subordinate. Recognizing this fact, however, reveals several questions. The question one is tempted to ask is: did Paul (or someone writing in his name) mean what he said regarding silence? Normally, one of three interpretive decisions is made. Thomas (2000) suggests; one possibility is that Paul intended women to remain silent outside the ministry of the church. Another option is to say that Paul meant what he said regarding silence but did not intend these statements to be taken as universally applicable.
The Leadership Role of Women in Nigeria Churches a Case Study of Anglican Communion according to 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
Rather, they were directed to specific situations and have nothing, or very little, to contribute to the broader question. Still another approach is to say that Paul simply did not mean what he seems to have said.
Why did Paul write to the Corinthians that women should keep silent in the Churches when he had just informed them that women prayed and prophesied in public (11:5)? What did he mean when he used the word ―to speak‖ (lalein)? What relationship is there between the word
―to speak‖ and the enquiries which they were to direct to their husbands at home? These questions necessitate this research as the text will be thoroughly examined. It is therefore the intention of this research to solve the problem of subjugation of women in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) based on the interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:26-40.
The Leadership Role of Women in Nigeria Churches a Case Study of Anglican Communion according to 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The New Testament seems both to deny and affirm a leading role for women in the ministry of the church. On the one hand, there are passages which state that women are to remain silent in the congregation (1 Cor. 14:33b–35), and are under no circumstances permitted to teach or have authority over a man but must be silent (1 Tim. 2:11–12). These passages seem to be contradicted or at the least modified by other passages (1 Cor. 11:5; Titus 2:4). On the other hand, there are a number of texts which appear to assume a prominent role for women in the church‘s ministry. Based on these discrepancies, this research:
- Investigates the intention of the writer of the text (1 Corinthians 14:26-40).
- Analyzes the question of the place of women in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).
- Evaluates the implications of 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 to contemporary women in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).
- Examines the effects of misinterpreting 1Corinthians 14:34 to the church and
- Investigates the factors responsible for the restrictions of women in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) with special interest on Paul‘s idea of women in 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
- Suggests and proffers possible solutions to these problems through the examination of relevant books and Bible Commentaries which will help in the re-interpretation, analysis and application of the text under study.
1.4 Scope of the Study
This research is not designed to be an exhaustive study on the subject of women‘s ordination; neither will it deal with every single argument regarding women as pastors. It aims at presenting the exegetical understanding of the pericope, 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 with its focal point on verse 34. According to Anglican Communion (2008), the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) is the second largest province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptized membership after the Church of England. The activities and roles of women in this denomination will carefully be examined.
1.5 Significance of the Study
In modern society, especially in the Nigerian context, women have been subjected to child bearing and domestic work because they are seen as second class citizens who do not have much to offer to the society. Some parents even see the education of a woman as a waste of money. This ideology is not far from what we have in some of our churches.
The women who have left their various duty posts and areas of calling as a result of the interpretation of the text of study will be awakened. Paul being an apostle of Christ would not deviate from the steps of his master whom he preached.
This research creates awareness on the roles the women play in the day to day administration of the Church. It is a useful database to discover various ways by which women are involved in the progress and development of the Church. It will project women as inevitable force or group which is inseparable in the contemporary churches.
This work helps to deepen the understanding of the vital roles women played in the scripture and brings a change of attitude towards the contemporary women ministry. It is making a case for the provision of necessary encouragement and training to them. This work helps encourage and support women as they fill their various ministry positions and roles.
Through the re-interpretation of the text, this work hopes to arouse the zeal of the women in their services to God and to face the challenges of the twenty-first century. It intends to bring to focus the pre-requisites as well as the general contextual picture of the pastoral ministry as it affects the women. The research also adds to the body of knowledge as a source of reference material especially on the subject of women in Christian ministry and feminism.
1.6 Methodology
Research writing is an academic investigation in an internationally accepted format. It is therefore necessary to adopt a method for this research. The researcher examined the biblical text under study carefully, using established rules of New Testament interpretation. Several objections have been raised against the traditional interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:26-40. This study adopted hermeneutical approach. Hermes is a Greek god of commerce, eloquence, travel, cunning and theft who serves as herald and messenger to other gods.
He is a bearer of messages or news. He is equivalent to the Roman god Mercury. Hermes was also considered to be the inventor of language and speech. He was an ideal representative figure for hermeneutics. Hermeneutical approach is concerned with interpretations, analysis and applications of the text which will help to establish the meaning in biblical texts to avoid drawing erroneous conclusions.
In sourcing materials for the study, the researcher gathered information from primary and secondary sources of data collection. Primary sources of data collection helped the researcher to conduct oral interviews from Christians in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) which included clergymen, clergy wives and lay members in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). Secondary sources included books, Bible Commentaries, Journals, and online materials. The researcher also consulted the Greek Bible and Greek Lexicon for exegetical and hermeneutical analysis of key words in the text.
1.7 Definition of Terms
In this study, the researcher defined operative terms that form the title of this dissertation. Words such as woman, Church and perspective are defined. These definitions are thereby given for clarity purposes.
a. Woman
Woman has been variously defined according to Okereke (2010) in the following manner: weaker vessel, feeble minded being, child bearer, emotional being, man‘s helper, caretaker, man‘s better half, man‘s wealth preserver, man‘s soul mate, home managers, among others. According to Louw and Nida (1996), the Greek word for woman which is ―γςνή‖ implies an adult female person of marriageable age. Fulfer (2008) conceives of woman as being that the patriarchal society relegates to the background.
No matter the definitions given to the term, woman as stated above, she got more qualities than these. A woman is powerfully created with superior structures. She is fearfully and wonderfully made by her creator. In 1 Corinthians 14, the term woman is used in a plural sense which is γςναῖκερ (women). Paul was referring to the married women or wives in the Corinthian assembly who are married to Christian men.
b. Church
The English word Church ‘according to Marshall (1996) is derived from the Greek adjective kyriakos as used in some such phrase as ―kyriakon doma or ―kyriake oikia, meaning the Lord‘s house‘ that is a Christian place of worship (p.199). Church ‘in the New Testament however, renders Greek ekklesia, which mostly designates a local congregation of Christians and never a building. Although we often speak of these congregations collectively as the New
Testament Church or the early Church. An ekklesia was a meeting or an assembly. Its commonest use was for the pubic assembly of citizens duly summoned, which was a feature of all the cities outside Judea where the gospel was planted. Church can also be described as the whole number of true believers throughout the world. It is called the invisible Church because one cannot see it. Only God can look into a person‘s heart and know if one is a true believer in Jesus Christ. Many people conceive of the Church in the following ways:
- A building for public worship especially a Christian
- (a) A body or organization of religious believers as a whole body of Christians, (b) denomination, (c) congregation.
- A public divine
To Nmah and Amunnadi (2012), the Church universal is the vast invisible cloud of witnesses passing across the age. It is the body of Christ in the world whose mission is to gather believers, (/John 17) into confessing communities, to administer the sacraments, preach the word and make disciples (Matt. 28:19-20). Church is viewed as the assembling of Christians with the same liturgy, doctrine and faith for a common goal. According to Lumen Gentium of Vatican 11 (2010), the primary role of the Church, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in order that all might have an opportunity to receive Christ.
c. Perspectives
According to Collins (2018), perspective has a Latin root meaning ―look through or ―perceive. It is the way one sees something, a particular way of thinking about something, especially one that is influenced by your beliefs or experiences. It is a way of regarding situations, facts and judging their relative importance. It is the proper or accurate point of view or ability to see it objectively.
Perspectives from 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 in this study has to do with Paul‘s views concerning women in the Church of Corinth and their relative importance to the present day Church. On this note, this research focuses on women‘s status and roles they play in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), and analyzing it from Paul‘s injunction to women in the text (1 Cor. 14:26-40).
