Male covering, male headship and male leadership turn men into little gods, and make the blood of Jesus of no effect in redeeming women.

Do I believe that all who hold to this theology believe this?

No.  I don’t believe they really think this.   They don’t really believe that men are becoming little gods and they fully believe that the blood of Christ redeemed women just as much as it redeemed men. They don’t really believe that men have suddenly become divine.  But to be divine is the only way men can have headship over women.  They prefer to have blind eyes, which keeps them from carefully examining their beliefs.

What does this mean?

It means that their teaching is contrary to their beliefs.  Somehow or the other they have justified their teaching. They see no conflict with the full redemptive blood of Jesus for both men and women – and still keeping women as followers to their leader husbands.  They cannot see women as complete spiritual beings.

Why do they do it?

That is more complicated. 

• Some have a heartfelt belief that God made women for certain roles.
• A literal translation of the Bible, ignoring background knowledge, cultural history
• It is the way it has always been done – only men can be deacons and pastors
• Respected Seminaries and their professors
• Respected pastors
• Parents who believe in the literal translation that “the head of the wife is the man.”
• Money, books, dvds, conferences
• Some want to believe that there is a perfect world with men in charge

It wasn’t always this way

The words male headship, male covering, male leadership, and the teaching that husbands would stand before God and account for their wives is a new teaching – a false teaching.

They are false prophets, leading people astray. No matter how heartfelt their beliefs are. They are wrong.  The Bible does not bear out their theology.  This is a new theology brought about because they were afraid women seeking equality would destroy the church.

This scripture describes these 21^st century false prophets:  “They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by many desires. Such women are forever following new teachings, but they never understand the truth. And these teachers fight the truth just as Jannes and Jambres (magicians) fought against Moses. Their minds are depraved, and their faith is counterfeit. But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as happened with Jannes and Jambres.  2 Timothy 3:6-9 (NLT)

And

“But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies about God and even turn against their Master who brought them.” 2 Peter 2:1 (NLT)

It is false teaching that Jesus submits to God, that husbands stand accountable for their wives, and that husbands are to have authority over their submissive wives. Men who teach this laugh when they are teaching it, and they make fun of women to show that women are forced to submit. 

The correct teaching is that Jesus is God, and knew from the beginning that his purpose was to come to earth and give his life for the redemption of men and women, that husbands and wives are individuals and as such, are accountable for themselves as Jesus constantly showed that people had choices to make, and husbands cannot have authority over their wives as that would make a woman a lesser person and make the husband god-like.

Join us at the Seneca Falls 2 Evangelical Christian Women’s Rights Convention in Orlando, Florida, on July 24, 2010.