Why men should head the church

Source. My critics argue that St Paul’s words, along with much of the Bible, should be reinterpreted according to our culture — women in his day were not as educated as they are today, for example — but I am as unconvinced by their argument as they are by mine. St Paul’s teachings are not based on the prevailing culture of his time but on the pattern of human relationships established at the Creation. Adam was formed first and then Eve.

Just as the pattern of the Creation produced mother, father and child, so it should be echoed in the family of the Church. The father figure stands for leadership, the mother figure for nurture.

In the Church, there is a variety of different roles that a woman can take on within the nurturing realm — as deacons, pastoral workers, youth or child workers — but by ordaining them to the role of the man, we are denying God’s children of the clear roles that the two sexes play in the developing process.

I've been saying this same basic statement for months. You'd be amazed how many people don't agree.

I suppose it's hard to imagen, that a young woman could be happy not "being allowed" to do certain things. That I'm content with the idea of a man being the headship of the house, and of the church, but that's it. I am.

Now, I suppose that might seem pretty contradictory considering I'm going through a divorce, but it's not really. I long to fill the roles God has given me. I want to do as He says, but at the same time I'm not called to follow my church or even my husband into sin. Yes, Chris is figuring himself out, but I know that right now I cannot submit to him. And I do wish him the best and hope he truly lets God transform him.

But that doesn't change what I know to be right. So for now at least, God will have to be my direct head. We all have different funtions to serve, different jobs to do, and we cannot ignore what God calls us to do. I am an equal heir with my brothers in Christ, but we serve very different and vitally important roles. And it's only in understanding that and being willing to submit to it that we truly allow God to move freely in our lives.