Christian views of women have varied considerably throughout the last two millennia, evolving with the societies in which Christian people have lived. Christianity, which inherited much of its scriptural material from Judaism, canonized many of these ancient Jewish materials as the Old Testament. It also was heavily influenced by the writings of Saint Paul, a Jewish citizen of the Roman empire who initially persecuted Christians viciously but had a dramatic change of heart after a spiritual experience with Jesus.
Paul combined Jewish ideas with Roman ideas and the Gospel in his many epistles to the growing church, and it was he who wrote about women keeping silent in church, covering their heads, and "subjecting" themselves to the rule of men. Some recent Biblical scholarship suggests that Paul has been partially misunderstood, particularly his infamous quotation from 1 Corinthians which demands that women be silent in church. Based on textual evidence, some scholars have argued that Paul is quoting part of a letter from the Corinthians to him, and refuting their anti-woman arguments in the subsequent passage. Other scholars, however, disagree, and feel that this is an attempt to rehabilitate Paul's image and reduce feminist criticism of the New Testament.
Christianity, in all its variations, relies on the Bible as a guide, if not always the sole source of divine revelation. Therefore, the basis for many long-held beliefs about women in Christianity can be found in the Bible. For all the quotations below, it must be remembered that there are multiple scholarly traditions surrounding their interpretation, and that many denominations deny the applicability of some of these verses to modern-day Christians.
The following quotations are from the Bible.
Some interpreters view the two verses from Deuteronomy as casting women in an unfavorable light, especially when compare to the status women enjoy in modern Western democracy. American Christians no longer believe that it is proper to force a war captive into marriage. Likewise, if a modern American were to seduce or rape a female, Christians would now say that he should not be rewarded by gaining a bride. On the contrary, Christians would strongly support punishing rapists with imprisonment, or even (in some cases) the death penalty.
Others see these ancient Jewish scriptures as elevating women from the status of chattels. Some historians believe that in ancient times, men used their superior strength to force themselves on women to whatever the degree their physical or power permitted. Rather than being entitled to have his way with a slave endlessly, an ancient Hebrew man was required to marry her, thus forcing himself (under Jewish custom and law) to treat her according to the obligations a husband has to his wife, and not the much less stringent restrictions on the way a master may treat his slave.
On the other hand, this verse specifies not just any woman but one who is engaged to be married; such a betrothal might be considered halfway to marriage. Also, this verse does not permit the man to get away with anything: he is to be stoned to death, too. Another verse from the same book exonerates the woman if the incident takes place outside the city walls; the reasoning is that she might have screamed, but no one could have heard her.
It must be noted, however, that no similar verse condemns a betrothed man who "lies with" a woman in the city--many take this as the Bible implicit agreement with the double standard that men may be promiscuous and women may not. Others suggest that there is an implication that men would be held to the same standard, and that certainly there is no open statement that men are allowed to be promiscuous (numerous verses in the Bible denounce extramarital sex on the part of men and women).
Jesus encountered a group of people who were preparing to stone to death a woman "caught in the act of adultery". He persuaded them to stop by two means: he suggested, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone" and he bent down to write something in the sand. The Bible does not record or even comment upon what he wrote. Some people think it was evidence of certain embarrassing sins, because one by one the people slunk away, finally leaving only the woman before Jesus. Noting there was no one left to "condemn" her, he told her to "go and sin no more".
To those who regard admonishment as more favorable treatment than death by stoning, this represents an elevation in women's status.
See also Numbers 30:3- / Deuteronomy 22:5, 23:17-18
See also: Old Testament views on women
Similarly, much of the biblical imagery of the Church depicts the Church as a bride, with Jesus Christ as the bridegroom. Therefore, every woman is in some sense an icon of the Church. Men are also encouraged to live as icons of Christ, but to imitate Christ's humility and laying down of his life, rather than attempting to imitate Christ's lordship. See Ephesians 5.Old Testament verses about female slaves
See also Genesis 19:8, 29:24, 29 / Exodus 20:17, 21:7, 8 / Deuteronomy 5:21, 25:5 / Judges 1:12-13, 5:30,14:1-3, 15:2, 19:22-30, 21:7, 10-12, 14, 20-21, 23/ Ruth 4:10 / 1 Samuel 25:44 / 2 Samuel 12:11,13:1-22, 20:3 / Esther 1:7-22, 2:2-4 / Jerimiah 6:12, 8:10 / Amos 4:1Old Testament scriptures about stoning a woman
This verse could be interpreted as punishing the woman for not yelling loudly enough when resisting a rape. Indeed, even as late as the 20th Century, the attorney for a man charged with rape might defend him by claiming "the sex was consensual" on the grounds that no one heard the woman protest. New Testament scriptures about stoning a woman
Christians believe women must be submissive to men.
As noted above, the passages from 1 Corinthians (and perhaps others) are thought by some to be instances of Paul quoting an argument he disagrees with before refuting it: many scholars, however, disagree. For egalitarian perspectives on these verses, see Christians for Biblical Equality at [[1].Christians believe women are examples worthy of imitation
Christians also see in Mary, the mother of Jesus the prototypical Christian. She was the first to hear the Good News of Jesus' coming, the first to say "yes" to God and literally invite Jesus inside her during her pregnancy as other Christians figuratively invite Christ to dwell in them. She is one of the very few of Christ's followers present at his crucifixion. Thus it is a woman who is most imitated among Christian saints. Every pregnant woman is seen in the Orthodox church as an icon of Mary pregnant with Jesus.
