A low regard for women

Today, a blog from Lilypad2 reminds us of the infamous Jack Hyles and his treatment of women in the name of religion. This site includes audio files of an expose of Hyles and his followers in the 90's which document incidents of child sexual abuse, severe corporal punishment, and Hyles recorded responses from the pulpit. Admittedly, this is an extreme example of the experiences of women in Christianity today. However, it does remind me that this kind of "low regard for women" in Hyles brand of fundamentalism sets the stage for these kinds of happenings. When women are not included on an equal basis in the celebration of religion, it is very likely that some kind of abuse will occur. Women have been indoctrinated for centuries to believe that if they follow the lead of men, they are submitting to a biblical model. Yet, if we examine the scriptures, we see women in the Bible who were leaders in the early church. How did we come to this model of exclusive male leadership? Sadly, examples like Jack Hyle remind us how devastating the reality of gender is for women in these churches.