V - Women within Jehovah's Witnesses

Equal before God, but not the same position? RECOGNIZABLE QUESTIONS • Why are women not allowed to become elders or ministerial servants? • Why does the Governing Body consist exclusively of men? • Why is the man seen as the head of the family? • Why are women not allowed to give certain teaching assignments or talks? • Why can women, according to the doctrine, belong to the 144,000, but not hold a leadership position? • Is there a difference between equality of worth and equality? • How do other Christian churches view this? WHAT DO JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES TEACH ABOUT MEN AND WOMEN? Jehovah's Witnesses teach that men and women are equally valuable to God , but that they have been given different roles and responsibilities . Within this teaching, the Biblical principle of headship is discussed. According to Jehovah's Witnesses, God has established a certain order: God ↓ Jesus ↓ Man ↓ Woman This order is based on various Bible texts, including 1 Corinthians 11:3 . From their faith perspective, headship does not mean that a woman is worth less, but that the man carries a different responsibility. HEADSHIP WITHIN MARRIAGE Within Jehovah's Witnesses, the man is considered the head of the family. An important Bible text here is: 1 Corinthians 11:3 "The head of every man is the Jesus; the head of the woman is the man; and the head of the Jesus is God." Ephesians 5:22-25 is also often cited. It says, among other things: "Wives, be in subjection to your husband." In the same passage, men are called upon to love their wife as Jesus loved the congregation. According to Jehovah's Witnesses, a man should therefore use his position lovingly, considerately, and not in an overbearing way. WHAT TASKS ARE WOMEN NOT ALLOWED TO PERFORM? Women take an active part in the life of faith within Jehovah's Witnesses. They can, for example: • take part in the preaching • conduct Bible studies • handle parts during meetings that are intended for that purpose • become pioneers • teach other women and children However, certain roles are reserved exclusively for men. Women cannot: • become elders • become ministerial servants • become members of the Governing Body • perform official teaching or authority-related tasks assigned to elders For this, the following texts are used, among others: 1 Timothy 2:11-12 "I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man." 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 Where mention is made of women keeping silent within the congregation. These texts are interpreted differently by various Christian churches, incidentally. THE GOVERNING BODY The Governing Body, according to Jehovah's Witnesses, is the small group of men that provides direction to the organization worldwide. They see themselves as the "faithful and discreet slave" from Matthew 24:45-47 . Their responsibilities include: • preparing Bible instruction • publishing literature • determining worldwide policy • overseeing the organization All current members of the Governing Body are men. AN INTERESTING QUESTION Within the teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses, both men and women can belong to the 144,000 anointed ones . That means that, according to their faith, women too will ultimately rule with Jesus from heaven. At the same time, women on earth cannot become elders and cannot be part of the Governing Body. That raises an interesting question: If, according to the doctrine, a woman can be suitable to rule with Jesus, why can she not then fulfill a leadership role within the organization on earth? Each reader may answer this question differently. WOMEN IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY In the Bible, various women are mentioned who played an important role. Phoebe Romans 16:1 mentions Phoebe as a servant (or deacon, depending on the translation) of the congregation in Cenchreae. Priscilla Together with her husband Aquila, she helped Apollos understand the Christian teaching better (Acts 18:26). Junia Romans 16:7 mentions Junia. There is debate among Bible scholars about her position. Some translations speak of a woman who was "outstanding among the apostles," while other translations render this differently. Historical research shows that women in the first centuries of Christianity were active in congregations in various ways. HOW DO OTHER CHRISTIAN CHURCHES VIEW THIS? Christian churches differ widely in their views on the role of women. Some churches: • have female pastors • have female bishops • allow women to take the lead Other churches reserve certain spiritual roles exclusively for men. That is why it is not correct to say that all religions see women as inferior . However, many religious traditions have historically had a structure in which men held most of the leadership positions. DO RULES CHANGE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION? Within Jehovah's Witnesses, some organizational rules have changed over time. Examples of this include changes regarding: • wearing beards • dress codes • other organizational guidelines At the same time, certain doctrines and organizational structures have remained unchanged. That leads some people to questions such as: How is it determined which rules can change and which are considered a permanent Bible-based principle? WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH IT? For many people, this topic is not only a theological discussion, but also a personal one. Perhaps you recognize yourself as a woman who wonders why certain opportunities are closed to her. Perhaps, on the other hand, you find great value in the role that your faith gives to men and women. Whatever view someone has, it can help to carefully compare and examine different perspectives side by side. QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON • What does equality mean to me? • Is equality the same as equal responsibilities? • How do I view headship? • Which Bible verses do I consider important in this? • Which explanation have I always heard? • Have I also been introduced to other Bible explanations? • What role might culture and history play in interpreting these texts? • Which qualities do I consider important in someone who leads? • Would a governing body function differently if both men and women were represented in it? SUMMARY Jehovah's Getuigen teach that men and women are equally valuable to God, but have been given different roles. Within this teaching, the man is the head of the family and certain spiritual leadership roles are reserved exclusively for men. At the same time, Jehovah's Getuigen believe that both men and women can be among the 144,000 anointed and will ultimately rule with Jesus. That raises interesting questions about the relationship between equality, responsibility and religious authority . As with many topics in religion, there are different views on this. By becoming familiar with both the Bible texts and the various interpretations of them, each person can form their own well-informed opinion. Sources Official teaching of Jehovah's Getuigen JW.org – articles on headship, marriage, elders and the governing body. New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Bible texts Genesis 1:27 1 Corinthians 11:3 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 Ephesians 5:22-25 1 Timothy 2:11-12 Romans 16:1-7 Galatians 3:28 Scientific background Research on women in the early Christian era (including Cambridge University Press). Historical studies on the development of church leadership and the role of women in different Christian traditions.