Date of Article: 14/03/2009 The church is an institution, and just like any other institution, it has its set of rules and obligations. These regulations and standards need to be respected and obeyed by all those who associate themselves with this institution. In the old school of thought it was a well held opinion that a woman does not have a right no the expertise to preach over men in the church. In many churches, P.C.A. inclusive, this idea that women are sub-ordinate and men are the head of households and therefore must be in charge of church affairs became the law or the norm. This patriarchal system was strengthened by the language used in our congregations, which was not only sexist but also exclusive and in many cases degrading.
This system also forbade the ordination of women as religious ministers in our church as well as elder and deacons. “An elder in our constitution it says a male is a man and not a woman, this became a norm in the Presbyterian Church of Africa.
Many women were forced to conform to this paternalistic system because they did not see their way open to stand up for what they believe in. Women were expected to act “respectable”, and this meant that they were not allowed to go past the pulpit. This was a men’s world. As South Africa saw the light and a political new life, so old the P.C.A when the moderators of our church in both the two defunct General Assemblies which united in November 2005, laid hands on women ministers in ordination.
This to the women folk of the P.C.A became crystal clear that the long sustained systematic argument about the role of women in the church was to be clearly defined. The early tradition was now to be widely revisited, and both Rt. Rev BN Mgujulwa and Rt. Rev EN Matomela opened the doors for this revision.
This new acceptance of women as of equal value with the men in the church did not come with out its own problems and questions. Even the staunch feminists in our church still have a problem accepting these women ministers. Many questions are being asked as to whether these pastors will have the same“ status” with their male colleagues, or are the head of the family and thus of the church. This leaves much to be desired, but all we know now is that women are taking their rightful place alongside their male counterparts. Our church now is really trying to maintain homeostasis between its male and female congregants.
For this we take our hats off for our church leaders who finally realized that God’s delays are not God’s denials. Now women have a future as leaders in our church, who knows maybe we will soon hear of a female moderator very soon. This is the way our church now sees the women and their value. | |
