A Christian group at Bristol University in England has adopted a new policy forbidding women to speak to the group unless their husbands are speaking with them. This is apparently a reversal of an earlier policy, which was likewise the reversal of yet another policy:
The Bristol University Christian Union (BUCU) had originally decided women would be allowed to teach at meetings after their international secretary resigned in protest, but the group has since changed its policy.
The Huffington Post UK has seen the email sent out by president Matt Oliver to all BUCU members which said: “It is ok for women to teach in any CU setting… However we understand that this is a difficult issue for some and so decided that women would not teach on their own at our weekly CU meetings, as the main speaker on our Bristol CU weekend away, or as our main speaker for mission weeks.
“But a husband and wife can teach together in these.”
For some reason, there are other Christians who are surprised by this:
Rebecca Reid, a member of the university’s feminist society wrote on the group’s said: “I’m Catholic and I think that’s obscene.” Student Lucy King added: “So it’s ok for women to teach, as long as they’re not the most important speaker?!? This is really unbelievable.”
Really? A Catholic finds this unbelievable? Her own church does not allow women to become priests, for crying out loud. And by the way, this is all quite in line with what the Bible commands. Just look at 1 Timothy, chapter 2:
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.
The problem here is not with the policy, it’s with the religion itself. At least they’re being consistent. Christianity is a blatantly misogynist religion and this is one of many Biblical commands that proves that to be true.
