An interesting pairing today in the CNN Newsroom. Margaret Feinberg, speaker and author of books such as The Sacred Echo, and Voddie Baucham, Pastor of Grace Family Baptist Church, went head-to-head on the issue of women in leadership. The debate was inspired by the recent nomination of Sarah Palin, and the segment can be found here.Personally, I don't know much about Voddie Baucham except that he is an Oxford-educated, well-spoken pastor and I certainly wouldn't want to take him on in a live, television forum. That is why I was so impressed that Margaret handled herself with grace while standing her ground. And that is also why I was so stunned to hear his comments representing beliefs about women that I thought only existed in the distant recesses of Quaker country.
Bauchum believes that a woman's place is as "keeper of the home" (Titus 2:5), which he interprets as Joan Cleaver or Donna Reed or something. When faced with the Biblical figure, Deborah, a woman and wife that God hand-picked to lead the nation of Israel--a nation full of capable warriors, I might add--Baucham replied, "She certainly was, and the fact that something happened doesn't mean that it's normative for the church. In Isaiah Chapter 3, for example, one of the signs that a culture is under judgment is that women are in leadership in their nations. So Deborah was actually a sign that things were very bad in Israel. Not a norm for the church."
So, according to Mr. Baucham women in leadership illustrates divine judgment. Luckily, Margaret responded to this looney-toon comment with her trademark kindness refusing to call Voddie a "sexist" even when CNN Anchor Kyra Phillips pressed her.
When Voddie stated that a woman should be "keeper of the home," Margaret aptly replied, "But Voddie, being a keeper of the home can be translated in so many different ways. And that means that if a woman happens to be the breadwinner, shouldn't they have the opportunity to step out and take care of their family in that way?"
Baucham was left speechless.
Voddie holds a view of women that is surprising for a man with his pristine educational background. (Not to mention that he keeps referring to things as "the gospel" that are clearly NOT part of the gospel.) I certainly believe that God has uniquely equipped women for motherhood. I don't think anyone is denying that. But, when Baucham claims that women lack the occupational credibility and Biblical license to work in the 21st Century, he twists the scriptures and places an unfair constraint on many working Christian women.
Take a look, and you be the judge.
