The Belfast Telegraph ran the following headline over an article by one of its reporters, Fionola Meredith, on Friday 23rd.
‘Presbyterian men cloak sexism in theology, calling women equal while denying them power’
I read somewhere that the writer is a ‘Pentecostal’ but I don’t know how true that is.
What she is not is one in submission to the Word of God, seeing the Bible alone is the infallible, complete, and sole and final authority for faith and practice.
In the article she is critical of a group of Irish Presbyterians called the Biblical Church Leadership group.
She says:
‘The theological view, known as ‘complementarianism’, claims the sexes are equal but designed to have distinct roles in God’s Kingdom.
Ah yes, complementarianism: a big, philosophical-sounding, mealy-mouthed word for blatant sexism. I first heard the word — sorry, I can’t be bothered to type it out again — several years ago, when the Rev Dr Stafford Carson, then principal of Union Theological College and convenor of the Presbyterian Church’s doctrine committee, used it to explain why he didn’t support the ordination of women ministers.’
Now, I am no defender of evangelicals in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. I would that the men conducting this study regarding the place of womenfolk in the purpose of God as revealed in His Word, would give earnest thought to what God says about separation from an ecclesiastical body as far removed in its practice as is the church to which they belong!
Here is one passage which condemns their presence in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God,” 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1.
Now having shown that these men are as out of step with God’s revealed will as those they complain of in their studies, I want to say a few words about Fionola Meredith’s article.
Complementarianism
If in this Presbyterian Church in Ireland study group the doctrine of ‘complementarianism’ is being set forth, then that, as defined as: ‘a theological view holding that men and women possess equal value, dignity, and worth as bearers of God’s image, yet are created for distinct, complementary roles in marriage, family, and the church,’ is a Biblical doctrine.
I don’t imagine Fionola Meredith would be aware of that!
The Word of God sets forth very plainly that the duties of a Christian woman within the church are different from those of a man.
Before the Lord their duties are the same. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might,” Deuteronomy 6:4-5.
In Mark’s Gospel the Saviour expanded that law. “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these,” Mark 12:30-31.
The Lord Jesus taught that commandment to His male and female disciples.
However, when it comes to the role of the man and the woman in the work of God, they are different, complementary but different.
This is in keeping with their physical differences, though perhaps Fionola Meredith belongs to that group which would contend there are no physiological differences between the two.
I believe that the Bible and its teaching ‘liberate’ the Christian woman by recognising the role that the Lord would have her play and influencing society into understanding and honouring that role.
Heed the words of Paul.
“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also,” Romans 16:1-2.
Here was a woman who carried out the most important duties which aided Paul in his furtherance of the Gospel.
Please remember those women who carried out a vital role during the Saviour’s ministry. They were particularly loyal and true at the time of the Saviour’s crucifixion, when the male disciples deserted Him and ran away!
“And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children. When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre,” Matthew 27:55-61.
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene,” John 19:25.
Then there was that honouring of the woman who anointed the Saviour’s head.
“Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her,” Matthew 26:6-13.
That woman has been honoured and tribute paid to her memory times beyond numbering!
I can never forget the steadfastness of Mary Magdalene and her attendance at the tomb of the Saviour and how she was thus honoured by Him.
“Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils,” Mark 16:9.
Not for one moment does the Bible teach that women in the eyes of God are spiritually inferior.
Distinctions
However, the Lord would have us recognise and observe the difference that He has ordained within the affairs of His Kingdom
* Women are not to hold the office of minister or elder.
“A bishop (a term interchangeable with elder and presbyter) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach,” 1 Timothy 3:2.
“For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly,” Titus 1:5-6.
* The headship of the man.
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head (Christ). But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head (her husband) uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered,” 1 Corinthians 11:1-6.
It is in the matter of a woman’s head covering that there is much defiance of God today!
* Keeping silence in church.
“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law,” 1 Corinthians 14:34.
Here is what the great teacher, Dr John Gill says of this verse.
‘This is a restriction of, and an exception to one of the above rules, that all might prophesy; in which he would be understood of men only, and not of women; and is directed against a practice which seems to have prevailed in this church at Corinth, allowing women to preach and teach in it; and this being a disorderly practice, and what was not used in other churches, the apostle forbids and condemns, and not without reason.’
He goes on: ‘All speaking is not prohibited; they might speak their experiences to the church, or give an account of the work of God upon their souls; they might speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; or speak as an evidence in any case at a church meeting; but not in such sort, as carried in it direction, instruction, government, and authority. It was not allowed by God that they should speak in any authoritative manner in the church.’
Some denominations have taken this verse to mean that women should not pray audibly in church. I do not think that is a right understanding of those words. Mary, the mother of the Saviour, was at the prayer meeting that led up to Pentecost (Acts 1:14). I cannot but believe she actively partook in that seeking of the face of her son in prayer!
Prophetesses
I have often pointed out that the Lord used women prophetesses.
“And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron,” Exodus 15:20.
“And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged (act as law-giver) Israel at that time,” Judges 4:4.
“So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel,” 2 Kings 22:14-15.
While Ruth the Moabitess never spoke she so lived as to preach to all who read her story in the Book of Ruth.
No Infringing
The honouring of these distinctions will not infringe upon the dignity of the woman. Consider these word in Ephesians:
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church,” Ephesians 5:22-29.
The underlined words indicate that within the Christian marriage, where the Word of God is obeyed, both the man and the woman will live in a loving harmony to the pleasing of the Lord.
It is an evil slander of God’s Word and the honour the Lord places upon women and a gross ignorance of God’s Truth, for what is stated in the Belfast Telegraph to be published abroad.
It is but a display of that of which the Saviour warned His disciples.
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause,” John 15:18-25.
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
24th October 2026