Egalitarian Heresy
Author: Steve Amato
Description: The Bible and the Feminist Egalitarian Movement among the Christian community today
Keywords: 1Tim 2:12, egalitarian, feminism, bible, church, christian

# The Egalitarian Heresy

"Heresy is an introduced change to some system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established canon of that belief." Wikipedia

Due to the feminist culture in which we live, its infiltration in the church due to irresponsible church leaders who either have neglected to address the issue, or are themselves promoting heresy by teaching and practicing what is contrary to the Bible, many in the Christian community don't realize that the Bible teaches men and women are to have different roles.

The Bible restricts women from teaching men and from holding positions of authority over men.

Paul writes, "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent." 1Tim 2:11,12

The meaning would seem clear enough. But the Egalitarian heretics have gone out of their way to misread this verse. Unbelievably some read into this verse the idea that women can teach man and be assigned positions of authority over men just as long as they have a male authority over them. Consider what the verse actually says and who it is that says it. Here's Paul thinking to himself whether he should allow women to teach or have authority over men. The egalitarian would advise Paul that he should do so since he would be the male authority over them. But it is in this very context that Paul says, "NO!" So regardless of whether she has a male authority figure over her, women shall not teach men nor have authority over men. It is not their place.

Another tactic of the egalitarians is to play with the Greek to attempt to make it say what it doesn't say. What some have attempted to do is to morph "teach" and "to have authority over" into a single idea of a teaching elder , but the text does not support that. In this way they attempt to open up roles for women which the text actually restricts them from. But among other things, notice the Greek places "to teach" and "to have authority over" even further away from one another than even the English translation. Here's the word for word in the Greek.

1Tim 2:12
γυναικι <a woman> δε <but> διδασκειν <to teach> ουκ <not> επιτρεπω <I allow> ουδε <mor> αυθεντειν <to have authority over> ανδρος <a man> αλλ <but> ειναι <to be> εν <in> ησυχια <silence>

There's no grammatical basis to support their idea of morphing these two together. Notice also the placement of "nor", which is "oude" in Greek. Herzer wrote a rebuttal to the Egalitarian heretic Clowney on this point. See http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/herzer_1timothy212.doc

Notice also the last word "silence" is the same Greek word "silence" as in the previous verse: "Let a woman learn in silence with all submission."

By choosing "silence" rather than "submission", Paul is further emphatically stating his position that women are to keep quiet. It is not sufficient for women to simply "be in submission" to elders to justify them preaching and teaching men. The text is emphatically against that position, which is also consistent with what he said in 1Cor 14:33b-35 "As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church."

So what can be said of the modern Egalitarian or Feminist movement within the Christian community today? It is disgraceful. Isaiah said, "Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. O my people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path." Is 3:12 When women are placed in positions of teaching or that of having authority over men, not only are they practicing rebellion against the Word of God, they are also teaching children to be rebellious. Children learn from the examples adults set. Is it no wonder in this society that boys grow up to be effeminate and even opt for homosexuality when this is simply what adults are teaching them? Is it no wonder wives rebel against their husbands; no wonder that they callously murder their own babies with the excuse "It's my body and I can do what a damn well please with it!" These and like things are all symptoms of a rejection of God's order of creation. Notice Paul in explaining his position in 1Tim 2:12 goes on to say, "For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner." His position is based upon the order of creation and nature of the fall.

The root problem is found in Is 3:12b "O my people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path." Church after church abandons what the Bible instructs on this subject, let alone those teachers of the secular society. Not only this largely pagan society in which we live, Christians also have been led astray and been fed the leaven of the world's philosophy by their own institutional church leaders - the Egalitarian Heretics.

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources