Friday, October 3, 2014

Time we act like Christians

Male headship is a flawed theology that perpetuates violence against women
Seeking to speak out against violence toward women, Russell Moore has succeeded only in reaffirming the Southern Baptist Convention’s denigration of women. Russell Moore is the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and he wrote an article titled “The Church and Violence Against Women.” Below is one paragraph from his article. Numbering within the paragraph is mine.
We must teach from our pulpits, our Sunday school classes, and our Vacation Bible Schools that women are to be cherished, honored, and (1) protected by men. This means we teach men to reject American playboy consumerism in light of a Judgment Seat at which they will (2) give account for their care for their families. It means we explicitly tell the women in our congregations, “A man who hits you has (3) surrendered his headship, and that is the business both of the civil state in enacting public justice and of this church in enacting (4) church discipline.”
There are four major theological points in this one paragraph that elevates men and diminishes women. Moore wants it taught in pulpits, Sunday school classes and in Vacation Bible Schools. Be warned. This is a dangerous theology and has no place in any pulpit or church.
Number 1: Protected by men. Women are not children who need constant protection. In fact, mothers protect their little boys and girls, and later in life, wives protect their husbands. So first off, we see that Moore diminishes women’s contribution to the safety and welfare of their homes and families.
Instead of being protected by men, women may need protection from male family members, and other males. In the home it is often the husband, or the father, who abuses the mother and girls. The so-called protector becomes the abuser. As Moore knows, you can cherish a woman and also beat the hell out of her.
Male religious leaders make laws against women, and women need protection from them. Most men and religious leaders will not stand up for women. Pointedly, Moore did not stand up for women in this article. Instead, he quoted male headship theology which perpetuates abuse and misuse of women.
Number 2. Give account for their care for their families. There is NO scripture that says that husbands will give account for their care for their families at the judgment seat.
Moore phrases this in such a way to indicate that husbands are responsible for their families. Moore believes this because the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 says it is so. “He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family.”  
To justify the statement that Russell Moore made, you must believe that men are responsible for women and children, a condition that takes away individual personhood. In addition to taking away a woman’s personhood, it elevates man to a savior-type.
Jesus is our standard, and since Jesus did not commit women’s care to husbands, or to males, and because Jesus did not give males authority over women, then we cannot in good stewardship of the gospel, do so either.
Number 3. Surrendered his headship. Why does a man have automatic headship over his wife when he says “I Do?” And if he has automatic headship, then how on earth can he surrender it? The answer is that he cannot. If male headship is something that God gives all men during the marriage ceremony, then they cannot give it up. There is nothing in the Bible that says a man surrenders his headship if he hits his wife. Nothing. Male headship gives autocratic rule to husbands, and if he wants to hit his wife, then he does it.
In fact, a commandment for male headship over a wife is not in the Bible. It is contrary to everything that Jesus said and did, and it even contradicts what the Apostle Paul said. Paul told the Corinthians that Christ is the head of every man, and that man was head of woman, which actually removes Christ from being the head of women; but then he told the Ephesians that Christ was head of the church, which is comprised of both men and women. As written, it takes a divine God and an earthly god (husband) to be the head of one woman! Surely, we have misunderstood these writings of Paul, because the words of Jesus do not give credence to this male headship teaching, and we cannot call ourselves Christians and ignore the words and actions of Christ.
Number 4. Church discipline. This really opens a can of worms. The church has no discipline for abusive males. There is nothing in church by-laws that gives churches ANY authority over men or women who are not on church staff.
However, if churches begin making such rules that apply to Christians inside and outside the church, then women will be the ones who will suffer. Jesus showed us how men react to rules and laws: remember the adulterous woman who was about to be stoned by a group of self-righteous men. We also see that with other religions. There will not be any church rules or regulations enforced against men. It won’t happen. You can count on it.
So what should the church say about violence against women? The church should do as Jesus did and elevate women. The church must speak up for the equality of women in the church and home. Moore’s article reinforces male headship which is destructive to women and children. What is taught in churches, bleeds out into society, and men who do not even go to church, will use this excuse to beat their wives. In spite of Moore’s statements, the church is responsible for continued violence against women. The only way the church can make it unacceptable to beat, kill, or maim women and children, is to stop teaching the flawed theology of male headship.
We are the New Creation. We are Christians. It is time we act like it.
Repost by Shirley Taylor from

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Christian Newswire Distributes FreeCWC Petition News Release!


And thank you to all who have signed our petition. Don't forget to tell your friends about us.

Stand up and be counted. Like us on facebook  https://www.facebook.com/FreeCWC and follow us on twitter https://twitter.com/FreeCWC !  

Monday, April 7, 2014

Does the Christian Newswire Support the Subjugation of Women?

Originally posted at UnderMuchGrace.com

The Freedom for Christian Women Coalition(FreeCWC) and Jocelyn Andersen have used the Christian Newswire in times past to distribute press releases. The news service featured an announcement of the Seneca Falls 2 Evangelical Women's Rights Convention on July 2, 2010, noting the formation of the FreeCWC.

Perhaps that is why the Coalition was so shocked to learn this morning that the Christian news distribution service, a subsidiary of the Christian Communication Network, has decided to censure their press release concerning the petition to the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood(CBMW). The FreeCWC decided to wait to submit a press release to celebrate the collection of 200 signatures, and was thus was made by co-founder Andersen on Saturday, April 5, 2014 at 10:55 AM. Christian Newswire sent the notice of decline by email on the evening of April 6th.


Andersen spoke with an individual named Gary McCullough at the agency on the morning of April 7th. She was told that a committee reviews submissions, and it was their decision to “not distribute” the news release. McCullough would not disclose the reason for the censure.

Read the email that Andersen received as well as the original press release below.

We encourage the public to contact Mr. McCullough to let him know how disappointed we are that the Christian Newswire will only support press releases in favor of the subjugation of women.

And naturally, the reader is invited to sign the petition if they have not already done so.

Also of interest is the appearance of the Biblical Womanhood Statement arising from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary(SWBTS). One wonders how this substantially differs from the True Woman Manifesto and their program which this writer findsmanipulative. The Associated Baptist Press published an article suggesting that this new initiative at SWBTS was a response to the FreeCWC petition. Read more about the president of the seminary, his wife, and their participation with CBMW at a recent article at The Wartburg Watch. Apparently, they are also preparing to make a submission to the Christian Newswire. May theirs be approved.


~~~~~
From: Dan McCullough dan@christiannewswire.com 
To: Jocelyn Andersen, newsdesk 
Subject:We have chosen not to distribute your news release "Freedom for Christian Women Coalition petitions CBMW to repent of war against women" 
Apr 6, 2014 11:44:12 PDT
Receipt No: 2601-5764-1199-0128

Dear jocelyn e andersen,
Christian Communication Network just sent you a full refund of $140.00 USD for your purchase. 
If you have any questions about this refund, please contact Christian Communication Network.
This refund will appear on your credit card statement as credit from PAYPAL *CHRISTIANCO.
If you have any questions, please contact Christian Communication Network. 

Dan McCullough, 
Christian Communication Network  
2020 Pennsylvania Avenue NW 
Washington DC 20006202.546.0054 
www.ChristianNewswire.com


Freedom for Christian Women Coalition
petitions CBMW to repent of war against women

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

In 2010, the newly formed Freedom for Christian Women Coalition (FreeCWC) sent by FedEx a demand that the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) apologize for their destructive teachings against women as outlined in the Danvers Statement, a harmful document released in 1987 which has united churches across denominational  lines and has been adopted and implemented within denominations and local churches worldwide.

To date, almost four years later, CBMW’s response has been dead silence.

However, in 2010, Al Mohler, a council member of CBMW and President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary which is headquarters to CBMW—an influential seminary that aggressively supports the oppression of women through the precepts of the Danvers Statement—did attempt to censure FreeCWC through a tweet suggesting that supporters of  the Apology Demand seemed to be confused and poorly organized.

After four years with no response from CBMW, the FreeCWC has now taken their demand toChange.org in the form of a petition to Owen Strachan, Executive Director of CBMW.
With 200+ signatures, and rising, Christian men and women are uniting in demanding change within the evangelical community regarding the derogatory attitudes and teachings against women propagated through CBMW, an organization committed to the complete subjugation of women both on earth and—according to Dr. Bruce Ware, a council member of CBMW, Professor of Christian Theology, and Father-In-Law to Executive Director Owen Strachan—throughout eternity.

The petition can be viewed and signed at: http://chn.ge/NrF3eV

Co-founder of FreeCWC, Shirley Taylor, and Special Consultant to FreeCWC, Cindy Kunsman, are both available for comment.

Shirley Taylor can be reached by email at: bwebaptist.women AT live DOT com
Cindy Kunsman can be reached by email at: undermuchgrace AT gmail DOT com


History of FreeCWC and the Apology Demand at ABPNews/Religious Herald:

Links to FreeCWC:

Freedom for Christian Women Coalition petitions CBMW to repent of war against women

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

In 2010, the newly formed Freedom for Christian Women Coalition (FreeCWC) sent by FedEx a demand that the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) apologize for their destructive teachings against women as outlined in the Danvers Statement, a harmful document released in 1987 which has united churches across denominational  lines and has been adopted and implemented within denominations and local churches worldwide.

To date, almost four years later, CBMW’s response has been dead silence.
However, in 2010, Al Mohler, a council member of CBMW and President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary which is headquarters to CBMW—an influential seminary that aggressively supports the oppression of women through the precepts of the Danvers Statement—did attempt to censure FreeCWC through a tweet suggesting that supporters of  the Apology Demand seemed to be confused and poorly organized.

After four years with no response from CBMW, the FreeCWC has now taken their demand to Change.org in the form of a petition to Owen Strachan, Executive Director of CBMW.
With 200+ signatures, and rising, Christian men and women are uniting in demanding change within the evangelical community regarding the derogatory attitudes and teachings against women propagated through CBMW, an organization committed to the complete subjugation of women both on earth and—according to Dr. Bruce Ware, a council member of CBMW, Professor of Christian Theology, and Father-In-Law to Executive Director Owen Strachan—throughout eternity.

The petition can be viewed and signed at: http://www.change.org/petitions/owen-strachan-for-the-sake-of-all-christians-of-all-genders-we-demand-that-cbmw-apologize-publicly-for-their-misuse-of-holy-scripture-and-for-the-inestimable-harm-suffered-by-women-and-families  

Co-founder of FreeCWC, Shirley Taylor, and Special Consultant to FreeCWC, Cindy Kunsman, are both available for comment.

Shirley Taylor can be reached by email at: bwebaptist.women@live.com
Cindy Kunsman can be reached by email at: undermuchgrace@gmail.com

History of FreeCWC and the Apology Demand:
2010 http://www.abpnews.com/archives/item/5370-christians-demand-apology-for-anti-women-teaching#.Uz2dXaIfOSo
2010 http://abpnews.com/archives/item/5411-evangelical-group-still-waiting-for-apology#.U0ALpqIfOSp
2010 http://abpnews.com/archives/item/5768-video-of-womens-rights-meeting-posted-online#.U0AL4KIfOSp
2014 http://abpnews.com/ministry/organizations/item/28501-petition-asks-gender-role-group-to-repent#.U0ALcaIfOSo

Links to FreeCWC: www.FreeCWC.com

 www.facebook.com/FreeCWC  www.twitter.com/FreeCWC

Christian Communication Network Censures FreeCWC Petition

Jocelyn Andersen spoke with Gary McCullough this morning. McCullough would not disclose the reason behind the censure. Details below.

From: Dan McCullough dan@christiannewswire.com

2:46 PM (18 hours ago)

to Jocelyn Andersen, newsdesk
We have chosen not to distribute your news release "Freedom for Christian Women Coalition petitions CBMW to repent of war against women"

Dan McCullough,
Christian Communication Network
2020 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20006
202.546.0054

www.ChristianNewswire.com

Christian Communication Network just sent you a refund

















Apr 6, 2014 11:44:12 PDT
Receipt No: 2601-5764-1199-0128
Dear jocelyn e andersen,
Christian Communication Network just sent you a full refund of $140.00 USD for your purchase.
If you have any questions about this refund, please contact Christian Communication Network.
This refund will appear on your credit card statement as credit from PAYPAL *CHRISTIANCO. If you have any questions, please contact Christian Communication Network.
Merchant information
Christian Communication Network
newsdesk@christiannewswire.com
http://www.christiannewswire.com
202-546-0054
Note from merchant
We have chosen not to distribute your news release.
Original transaction details
DescriptionUnit priceQtyAmount
NewPublish
Item #: 0c82b8e7344c74745ef551c0b2f10412
$140.00 USD1$140.00 USD
Total: $140.00 USD

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Shirley says to Jump in the Line to get on board!


Today, Shirley Taylor invited everyone to join the FreeCWC in the signing of the petition.  Will you join us?  

Stop by her blog,  bWe Baptist Women for Equality, where she shares her heart for the Church and the Daughters of Zion.


We voice a demand with the petition "Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: For the sake of all Christians of all genders, we demand that CBMW apologize publicly for their misuse of Holy Scripture, and for the inestimable harm suffered by women and families." We and need your help to get it off the ground.
Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? You can sign it anonymously and your name will not appear on the list. Here's the link: http://chn.ge/Ox6CnW
We voice a demand because all previous petitions have been ignored. We cry out for justice for all those who have suffered, directly and indirectly.
At a time in our church history that the main focus should be on winning lost souls and spreading the gospel to a hurting world, we fear for the future because the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood has placed a greater priority on women’s submissive role rather than on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Additionally the Council on Biblical Manhood and Woman is endorsing the heresy that male headship will continue on into Heaven, and that males will eternally rule over their wives, and that wives and children will eternally be submissive to the husband and father in the family.
Click on the link to read what the CBMW endorses on their website and in their Spring 2006 Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.  Relationships and Roles in the New Creation. (Article by Mark David Walton, Senior Pastor, Glenwood Baptist Church, Oak Ridge, Tennessee).
It is with that thought in mind that we make this petition.
Note: The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood’s office is located on the campus of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Supporters include Southern Baptist Convention leaders like Southern Seminary President Albert Mohler and Russell Moore, head of the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.