Partners, Not Rivals: Gender Inequality and Its Implications for Women’s Participation in Pastoral Leadership in Church of Christ in Nations

Abstract

Gender equality is a biblical and universally recognized moral principle. Women, however, find it difficult to flourish in the religious space because many doors are closed to them as a result of the persistent widespread belief that they are inferior. Women, despite forming the larger percentage of congregational membership in churches, still occupy the smallest space in pastoral leadership. The Bible is often used as a tool for the restriction of women, ignoring both that God’s grace liberates men and women bringing them to work together in partnership and that as God’s image bearers, women have an innate need that requires them to perfect themselves through full participation in church. Sometimes the search for answers to the question of what women’s place in the church is, raises tensions that pitches men and women into rival camps of opinions rather than ministry partners. Using an African feminist theological framework, this article examines the implications of gender inequality on women’s participation in pastoral leadership in Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN). Findings show that cultural worldviews have modified the biblical hierarchy of relationship of equal image bearers of God and equal rulers of creation such that male leadership is assumed to be normative in every sphere of life. In COCIN, cultural practices and biblical interpretations have been uncritically applied to limit women from assuming ecclesiastical positions, including leadership. Education and re-education that accepts the interface of theology and culture, and ‘two-winged’ theology, empowering congregations’ participation and embodying the mission of Christ are recommended as way forward.