Does the Bible Undermine the Woman?

"Patriarchal, androcentric, sexist," are the leading adjectives that have been used to describe the culture portrayed in biblical narratives.

Church denominations have used (and still use) parts of the Bible to deny women’s full participation and treat them as second-class citizens in church and society.

For example, women are denied ordination based on the argument that all of Jesus’ disciples were male. Paul’s teaching that women should be silent in the church (1 Cor. 14:34-35) has often been used to deny women’s religious leadership. People have also cited the household codes (Col. 3:18—4:1; Eph. 5:21—6:9; 1 Peter 2:18—3:7) to support wives’ submission (or is it subversion?) to their husbands, and to typecast women's roles in the family.

In view of the above, feminist hermeneuts have emerged, clamoring for a re-reading of Scriptures from a feminine perspective, devoid of the patriarchal and androcentric positions against women, which have thrown up "oppressive structures" undermining the dignity of the woman both in the church and society.

In modern society, women continue to agitate for equality and empowerment in virtually every sphere of human endeavor. There's no end to the claims and demands of rights and entitlements, as more feminist agendas are forming across religious and sociopolitical lines.

As expected, sharp reactions are meeting this feminist novelty, certainly from the male tribe, tagging the womanist 'uprising' as an affront on, and an attempt to deconstruct the creational order.

While it is apparent that the Bible was written into specific cultures and contexts that didn't give equal social advantages to women, it would not be true to say that the message of the Bible is sexist or discriminatory against women.

The idea of male dominance is actually a fallout from fallen humanity (Gen 3:16). The clause, "...he shall rule over you” is not a biblical command for men to dominate women, it's rather God's judgment, predictive, of the woman's inordinate desire to overrule her husband. In the beginning, it was not so. However, in the New Testament, Christ restores all things to the ideal, including the relationship between man and woman. We will dwell on that as the series unfold.

From the beginning, the Bible presents gender equality. It teaches that man and woman are created equally in the image of God and together have dominion over the earth (Gen 1:26–27). "...in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them."

The creation narrative plot climaxes in the creation of the woman, fulfilling man’s need for a partner corresponding to him (Gen 2:18, 20), not subordinate to him, as some have misinterpreted. The text describes the woman being created to be the man's helper literally, “a strength corresponding to him.”

Unfortunately, the English translation did not do justice to the Hebrew word ʿēzer', often translated “helper,” which, in English, implies a subordinate or servant. In the original referent, ʿēzer' does not suggest “helper” as in “servant,” but in most cases describes God as his people’s rescuer, strength, or might.

So, impliedly, the Bìble puts the woman in a position of strength, support, and rescuer in relation to the man; as a corresponding partner and not a subordinate.

In the next episode, we shall examine God's own disposition in history, to Israel's patriarchy and restrictive tradition against women.

To be continued...