Former President Carter Leaves Southern Baptists Over the Role of Women Issue
http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=95311&page=1
This week Former President Jimmy Carter broke ties with the Southern Baptist Church over its positions on the role of women in church leadership. President Carter noted that he could no longer in good conscience remain within the denomination. In an essay in The Age Journal , Carter wrote:
“…its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.”
And, later:
“The truth is that male religious leaders have had — and still have — an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women throughout the world.”
I applaud Carter for asking on the strength of his convictions and for the winsome way in which he acted.
I often wonder if this is going to be the main stumbling block for people investigating Christianity. It has the potential to create a lot of problems for the church (discrimination lawsuits, etc.).
while I may applaud Carter for acting on his convictions, I think it’s a stretch that SBC churches not allowing women to be ‘pastors’ is the foundation or cause of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women.
With all due respect: Mr. Carter just now discovered his denomination’s position on women in the ministry and just now was offended enough by it to leave?
While I respect deep convictions (even those with which I disagree), to characterize a legitimate interpretation of Scripture as something that “excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime” is overkill. There is too much of this rhetoric in public debate, from both sides of the aisle.