Former President Jimmy Carter takes a stand for women
If you only read one thing today, or this week, or this year, I hope you will read this essay by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (“Losing my religion for equality” The Age, July 15, 2009).
An excerpt:
During the years of the early Christian church women served as deacons, priests, bishops, apostles, teachers and prophets. It wasn’t until the fourth century that dominant Christian leaders, all men, twisted and distorted Holy Scriptures to perpetuate their ascendant positions within the religious hierarchy.
The truth is that male religious leaders have had – and still have – an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women throughout the world.
