Thoughts on women...

1 Timothy 2:11-15 11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. First things first. I'm no theologian but I'm grateful to the many amazing voices and brains who've dedicated time, faith and energy to the Word. Second thing... This passage is HARD so the second thing is actually the most important thing. When reading passages like this, which on the surface really seem to subjugate women, we have to remember the premise which underwrites everything we know. God is good. That's it, full stop, no "God is good... but...", Psalm 107:1 says "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures fore...

Outing yourself as a feminist to fellow Christians is a bit of a minefield. Poor understanding of the word and deliberate misunderstanding and demonisation of women who stand up for an equal shot at humanity is rife in the conservative Christian world. So indoctrinated by the ideology of male headship, even some women clutch their pearls at the idea of being labeled a feminist, even those who secretly subscribe to the notion that women are equal to men in every way. It is true that some progress has been made, particularly on the east side of the pond. Women are even fairly frequently to be found in pulpits preaching, and on leadership teams pastoring (in all but title). The less said about the west side of the pond the better really, what a frightening place to be either a woman hoping for bodily autonomy or a child hoping to be safe at school. So the question remains, if these progresses have been made, why are so many women still so angry about it? For me it's the absolute lack ...