Curate outrages congregation by telling women to 'be silent and submit to your husbands'
Last updated at 11:53 PM on 12th February 2010
"With Valentine’s Day approaching, parishioners might have expected a more heartwarming message. Instead, they got a sermon urging women to ‘submit’ to their husbands.
The apparent lack of obedience of ‘modern women’ was blamed for the high divorce rate. In a sermon entitled ‘Marriage and women’ last Sunday, curate Mark Oden, told the congregation at St Nicholas Church in Sevenoaks, Kent: ‘We know marriage is not working.
‘We only need to look at figures – one in four children have divorced parents. Wives, submit to your own husbands.’
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Under fire: Vicar Angus MacLeay (left) told his female parishioners to 'be silent' and 'submit to your husbands'. Just days later his curate Mark Oden (right) blamed the behaviour of modern women for the UK's high divorce rate
It is understood some women parishioners – and even their husbands – have vowed never to attend the church again.
Its vicar is Angus MacLeay, 50, a married father of two who is a leading member of the evangelical group Reform, which is opposed to the appointment of women clergy.
Under fire: Vicar Angus MacLeay (left) told his female parishioners to 'be silent' and 'submit to your husbands'. Just days later his curate Mark Oden (right) blamed the behaviour of modern women for the UK's high divorce rate
It is understood some women parishioners – and even their husbands – have vowed never to attend the church again.
Its vicar is Angus MacLeay, 50, a married father of two who is a leading member of the evangelical group Reform, which is opposed to the appointment of women clergy.
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The group has produced a leaflet, called ‘The role of women in the local church’, which uses Biblical quotes to urge them to ‘remain silent’ and telling them ‘wives are to submit to their husbands in everything’.
One woman churchgoer said she was ‘disgusted’ by the sermon, adding: ‘How can they talk that way in the 21st Century?’
Another, who also did not want to be named, said: ‘We’re supposed to let our husbands talk for us and remain silent? What kind of medieval sermon is that?’
Mr Oden a married father of three, is reported to have said: ‘I am passionate about helping people to have healthy marriages. I did not set out to unnecessarily offend people, but I stand by what God has said in his word, the Bible.’
The group has produced a leaflet, called ‘The role of women in the local church’, which uses Biblical quotes to urge them to ‘remain silent’ and telling them ‘wives are to submit to their husbands in everything’.
One woman churchgoer said she was ‘disgusted’ by the sermon, adding: ‘How can they talk that way in the 21st Century?’
Another, who also did not want to be named, said: ‘We’re supposed to let our husbands talk for us and remain silent? What kind of medieval sermon is that?’
Mr Oden a married father of three, is reported to have said: ‘I am passionate about helping people to have healthy marriages. I did not set out to unnecessarily offend people, but I stand by what God has said in his word, the Bible.’
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Controversial sermon: St Nicholas Church in Sevenoaks, Kent
Mr MacLeay, a Scotsman who sometimes wears a kilt to church, said: ‘There are times when the Bible challenges modern society. It recognises that women are fully equal to men, but it also recognises that in certain areas of life they may have different roles.
‘Of course, in marriage, our main concern, it is the responsibility of husbands to show consideration and love for their wives.’
Controversial sermon: St Nicholas Church in Sevenoaks, Kent
Mr MacLeay, a Scotsman who sometimes wears a kilt to church, said: ‘There are times when the Bible challenges modern society. It recognises that women are fully equal to men, but it also recognises that in certain areas of life they may have different roles.
‘Of course, in marriage, our main concern, it is the responsibility of husbands to show consideration and love for their wives.’
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On its website, St Nicholas Church describes itself as a church where ‘we believe that the Bible is the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith.’
Reform believes that leaders of a church should be men and say the leaflet was produced to explain this view. Sources in the group said the leaflet had been misinterpreted.
The source added: ‘People misunderstand the word “submit”. In this context it means saying how can I be most beneficial in this relationship as a helper. To submit does not make you an inferior being.’
A woman of 24 who was at the sermon said: ‘Isn’t it a vicar’s job not to tell you what everyone wants to hear and what society says, but to help explain the Bible says about issues?"
On its website, St Nicholas Church describes itself as a church where ‘we believe that the Bible is the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith.’
Reform believes that leaders of a church should be men and say the leaflet was produced to explain this view. Sources in the group said the leaflet had been misinterpreted.
The source added: ‘People misunderstand the word “submit”. In this context it means saying how can I be most beneficial in this relationship as a helper. To submit does not make you an inferior being.’
A woman of 24 who was at the sermon said: ‘Isn’t it a vicar’s job not to tell you what everyone wants to hear and what society says, but to help explain the Bible says about issues?"
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Of course...who do these preachers think they are, standing up behind that pulpit and preaching convicting, truthful Scripture...shame on them! Don't they know women are 'liberated' from Biblical headship and doesn't apply to us now in this modern, secular society we live in???
*wink* :-P
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Blessings,
Dawn
3 comments:
Sadly, my church completely avoids the issue and the outcry here is why. I guess some things in the Bible just are not to be discussed anymore? Geesh. Sad sad times.
I guess that it's just a sign of the times in which people don't believe that biblical truth would still apply in this day and age. It's sad to see that everyone has to have such a negative reaction to a subject that is anything but! Men and women each have their allotted roles in life. We have gotten away from them and look where it's gotten us... If you agree (or disagree) check out the rest of my thoughts! http://www.kevinspeaks.com
These are sad, sad men. "Submit" has a meaning in English and Greek, and it is not "find your rightful role" or whatever nonsense they came up with the backpedal on their sermons. Women have leadership and teaching roles in the church and in the home. They have always had these roles in the church; this is clear fromt he writings of St. Paul as well as from church history. We do discuss this; we talk about it a lot in some churches. "Headship" is not the same as mindless submission.
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