Governor Sarah Palin
And The Biblical Role Of Women
Christian reaction to the resignation of Alaska’s Governor Sarah Palin in July, 2009 shows just how divided the church is on the doctrine of female leadership. Both sides marshal seemingly indisputable proof texts in support of their position on women such as Governor Sarah Palin holding public office. And both sides claim to have a corner on Biblical truth.
What about the Governor? Instead of relying on scientific statewide polling, she conducted an informal focus group and found that all five of her children supported her decision to step down. The decision was further confirmed by her husband. Many observers, including many Christians, were dismayed by what seemed like an unorthodox move. It wasn’t that long ago that almost everyone, unbelievers as well as Christians, thought women occupying public office was a little bit on the wild side. Prior to the early 1980s it was considered a social taboo. Public opinion polls were conducted to measure the fast-paced trend in attitude. Today nobody bats an eye when a woman like Governor Sarah Palin is elevated to public office. Doctrine of Male Headship However, women in positions of civil leadership are cited by the prophet Isaiah to be one mark of God’s judgment on a nation. “O My people!,” he lamented, “Their oppressors are children, and women rule over them” (Is. 3:12). In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul forbids women from assuming formal teaching positions over men. “But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet” (I Tim. 2:12). Examples As Exceptions One principle of Biblical interpretation is that examples must yield to clear statements of doctrine. They must be interpreted in such as way as to confirm and corroborate, never contradict propositional truth. Thus, we see several examples in the Bible of women in positions of leadership. The lesson to be learned is that when no man is available to do His work, God will use a woman.
For example, we have the Old Testament example of Deborah, who led Israel during the time of the Judges. Deborah is introduced as “the wife of Lappidoth.” The question might well be asked, “where was Lappidoth?” Likewise, Barak refused the military leadership role and insisted on sharing it with Deborah. He was reproved by God and denied the full honor of his commission and victory (Jud. 4:8,9). Role Vs. Relationship The problem when it comes to women like Governor Sarah Palin stems from a failure to distinguish between role and relationship. Men and women have equal standing before the throne of God. Both are equally condemned for their sin and both are equally redeemed by the grace of God. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free, for ye are all one in Christ.” The relationship is one of equality. However, God has assigned the responsibility of leadership to the male and the support role to the female. In this the woman is the glory of the man. Which is more honorable? Jesus dignified and elevated the support role forever when he stooped to wash His disciples’ feet. When his disciples clamored for rank, he rebuked them with the words, “It shall not be so among you, but whosoever shall be great among you let him be your servant” (Mt. 20:26). Men and women are to submit one to the other in the bond of matrimony. This principle helps to explain the limitation of the franchise to male heads of households in early America. The colonists believed that when God deals governmentally with mankind via His ordained institutions – church, state, family – it is always with the covenanted head of that institution. For example, God dealt covenantally with Adam as the federal head of the human race (in Adam’s fall, we sinned all). He now deals covenantally with the head of the new humanity, Jesus Christ (see Rom. 5). Thus, when it comes to civil government, God deals with representatives of the people, not the people as a whole. Likewise in the church he deals with elders chosen by the people, and in the family he deals with the husband. This was the rationale for restricting the vote to male heads of households. The counsel of the wife was highly regarded due to her position as vice-regent within the family, but each covenant household was granted a single vote. That vote cast by the husband – the covenant head of household – who was governmentally responsible before God. We’ve come a long way, baby. From the days of the covenant family to the era of Governor Sarah Palin, from which she herself has thankfully sounded a retreat.
Return From Governor Sarah Palin to America Betrayed 1787
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