It is to our great disadvantage that the church ignores the research Mickelsen, Cervin and Nyland, shed on the interpretation of ‘kephale’.  Many church leaders know these most recent findings and the twenty and more years of debate but have refused to bring it to the attention of the church.

For example, Mickelsen, Cervin, Nyland, and others cited in Nyland’s notes do not stand alone. Some of the finest Christian leaders of the last century accepted scriptural equality between women and men and worked alongside them (as did the Apostle Paul) [6] to further the work of God.

1. 1. 1. J. Gordon, as early as 1888 wrote an article refuting the subordination of women. Dwight L. Moody in 1877 invited women to assist him in his evangelistic work. Many Christian women were at the forefront of women’s suffrage. In 1876 Bible commentator Adam Clarke encouraged women to preach. It is notable that all great revivals included women and men working alongside one another. This spark of freedom and mutuality ignited revival fires.

Charles Finney and Oberlin College in America were committed to female reform. Oberlin became the first co-educational college in the world. A number of Oberlin graduates became some of the most important feminists of the period. Lucy Stone, the most well know of these is renowned for working out a marriage contract that provided equal legal and personal rights for herself and her husband. Also, among these graduates was Antoinette Brown, the first woman to be ordained, and Sally Holly a famous anti-slavery lecturer. Finney was severely criticised for his stand but he was more interested in the glory of God that he was in the fears of men.

Leaders of that day recognised the magnitude of the harvest and received and encouraged women to take their rightful place in the church to function in their gifts. Susanna Wesley not only exercised spiritual leadership in her home but outside as well. She turned the Sunday family worship service into an evening service and 200 people regularly attended. When her husband returned home, he questioned the proprietary of a woman leading the services but he could not deny her success and so capitulated. The overwhelming success of the women preachers forced John Wesley to change his mind and allow women into the ranks of church leadership. Many women in his day were renowned preachers, itinerant workers, and planted churches.

I have sought to highlight the work of scholars who are in the mainstream of translation work today where the issue of woman’s position in Christ is questioned. We have considered the work of the Mickelsen’s, The Head of the Epistles. We have noted Cervin’s critique of Grudem’s ‘proof’ that ‘kephale’ means ‘authority over’ or ‘leader’ and Grudem’s error Grudem in limiting his research to an inferior source.  We note Cervin’s acknowledgment of the Mickelsen’s idea of ‘kephale’ as ‘source’ and that, in his opinion, St Paul’s use of the word in his ‘Christ is the head of the body’ metaphor is simply a reference to oneness.  We have considered Nyland, whose thorough study notes the use of the word ‘kephale’ and refutes the idea that this means head in the sense of hierarchy but rather the root of the word meaning ‘source’.  It therefore cannot be used to place women under man’s authority.

Whether we take Mickelsen’s and Nyland’s view, that ‘head’ equals ‘source’ or Cervin’s concept of ‘oneness’, it is impossible for us any longer to accept that ‘kephale’ (head) means ‘authority over’ or ‘leader’ based upon the most up to date research presented here.

The way in which the bible is interpreted influences the way in which we think about God. This manifests itself in the way social issues are addressed or ignored. It colours the way important principles and the weightier matters of life are perceived and understood.  Wrong teaching and implementation lead to an imbalance and results in injustice on a grand scale.

Wrong teaching in the church and home that elevates men to women, causes incalculable suffering: emotional, financial, spiritual, and in some instances, verbal and physical abuse.

(to be continued)

[6] Request ‘Women in Ministry’ Series:” Go and Tell”. This lists all the women in the letters of the New Testament who are mentioned serving in the New Testament churches (paterlandsen.au).