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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 April 2017
Fundamentalists and Women in Ministry
As the question of women's suffrage was settled so long ago – and apparently for henceforth and forever more – the truism that fundamentalism is opposed to women in ministry is the one that is more prominent today. A standard source to cite in order to substantiate that view is John R. Rice's Bobbed Hair, Bossy Wives, and Women Preachers (1941). Rice, a separatistic Baptist, was a leading fundamentalist voice through the power of his popular journal, the Sword of the Lord. One reason why this book is so often referred to by scholars is because its evocative title neatly attacked allegedly wayward women on three different fronts in three curt phrases (the social/societal, the domestic/familial, and the ministerial/ecclesiastical). ‘Women preachers’ are the relevant target for this chapter. Rice offered a synopsis of each theme in the table of contents, and his summary on women in ministry begins:
Human opinions differ. Questions cannot be settled by logic, by opinion, nor by feeling. Impressions that are contrary to the Bible not from the Spirit of God. 1 Timothy 2:11–15 says no women to teach or usurp authority over men. Based on fundamental differences in man and woman since creation. Women permitted to teach younger women, to teach children, to win souls, but to be in silence as far as teaching men or the whole church, or having any place of authority over men or over the church. Pastors have authority from God to rule, so no woman could be a bishop or pastor. Evangelists were to ‘command and teach,’ so Bible forbids woman to be evangelist. 1 Corinthians 14:34, 35 commands women to be silent in the church. Addressed to all Christians everywhere, therefore binding today. Women forbidden to have authority in the church, likewise commanded to be silent in other mixed gatherings, as far as official teaching or preaching is concerned. There were no women pastors, evangelists, Bible teachers or preachers in New Testament times… .
This is often considered the unanimous opinion of the fundamentalist world, an impression that led Bruce B. Lawrence to declare confidently that fundamentalism never recognized ‘an individual woman as authoritative teacher’.
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