3.2 REFLECT
Prayerfully consider the following questions and write down your answers:
1
In sermons, religious education courses, Sunday school classes, and other church teaching, how often is there preaching/teaching about women in the Bible and female leaders in church history?
2
Are sermons/teachings about those women primarily directed at women? When was the last time a male teacher/preacher taught about a woman in the Bible to a male or mixed audience?
3
Consider what kind of illustrations/anecdotes/characterizations of women are used in preaching and teaching: What kinds of descriptors are being used about women in the stories?
Are the ones used about women demeaning in any way? Are they related to her appearance versus her gifts, calling, and achievements? (“my hot wife” or “beautiful daughters” or “our lovely secretary”)?
4
Have teachers and preachers taken time to examine their assumptions about women and men, and whether they are based on human culture versus God’s design?
5
Which translation of the bible do you most often teach/preach from? Are you aware of its biased language regarding women? Does the translation accurately reflect the original Hebrew and Greek texts? Does it take into account historical or cultural factors?
6
What answers do you give congregants for tough texts about male headship and female submission, or women speaking in the church? When someone questions The difficult texts, do you feel able to answer with confidence?