Alarmed that a woman has written a religious article that a man might possibly read, some loving brethren have consigned us—me as an Editor and a Publisher as well as women who may write—to a devil’s hell. Often such ‘judgment’ (James 4:12) is pronounced anonymously, too. Is that “cowardly” (Revelation 21:8) as well as not “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15)?
The supposition is that an article written by a woman if read by a man is to “usurp authority over the man” (1 Timothy 2:12 KJV). “Usurp” means to “dominate.” A woman who wrote an article and who is not present were a man to pick up and read a piece of literature in which a woman’s article appears cannot possibly dominate over a man. The sister is not forcing anyone to do anything or even to read the article. Furthermore, if a man were to feel (subjective emotion) dominated by a woman whose article he was reading, he can and ought to put it down immediately! He certainly should not violate his conscience (Romans 14:23). By all means, put it down!
The New Testament does make a distinction between the religious roles of women and men. For instance, sisters in Christ must remain silent in the worship assemblies (1 Corinthians 14:34), except for their part in congregational singing (Ephesians 5:19), confessing their faults (James 5:16) and professing Christ (Romans 10:9-10). Further, Scripture forbids a woman to teach or have dominion over a man (1 Timothy 2:12). Yet, a sister in Christ may and sometimes must teach men, however, without subjecting men to her. Priscilla participated in the teaching of a preacher named Apollos (Acts 18:26), and sisters in Christ teach men—even in the assembly—when they sing (Colossians 3:16).
Outside the worship assembly where women may be members of a Bible class taught by a man, or as participants in a religious discussion where no one is subject to another in the group, a man may learn something from words spoken by a woman—without violating 1 Timothy 2:12. Likewise, 1 Timothy 2:12 is not infringed when Christian men sing songs written by women (which teach) or books and articles written by sisters in Christ. A man does not subject himself to the dominion of a woman (who usually is not even present) when he sings songs or reads literature written by women.
Yet, clearly the New Testament makes no provision for female preachers, teachers, elders, deacons, song leaders, leading prayer, Scripture reading or any other religious activity in which men are subject to a woman. Women, of course, may preach, teach, lead singing, etc. in the presence of women exclusively (e.g., Ladies’ Days, Ladies’ Bible Classes).
Anyone who is offended by reading a religious piece written by a sister in Christ certainly ought to reconsider the hymns in our songbooks before singing them. Not only are a large number of the songs that we sing written by women, but most of those women are not even our sisters in Christ—not members of the churches of Christ. Think about the ramifications of criticism and realize that often when registering one’s complaints, while pointing at others, three fingers point back to oneself (Matthew 7:3-5).
