Women and Power in the Church: A New Testament Reflection

First, all mollifying rhetoric to the contrary notwithstanding, I regard it as a fact that the male hierarchy and women in the Church are involved in a power struggle, perhaps more serious in nature and far-reaching in consequences than any in the history of the Church. These men are struggling to maintain power over women in order to maintain exclusive power in the institution. Although some of the hierarchy may still think that their domination of women gives glory to God there is sufficient evidence to the contrary available, if they choose to consult it objectively, to make the claim to invincible ignorance increasingly open to a charge of bad faith. Women are struggling to break the male power-grip in order to assume power in their own lives as Christians and to exercise an appropriate power, with men, in the institution