Written by This essay was prepared by Jacintha Bowe, retired teacher and lecturer of theology and Vice President of the National Board of Catholic Women. It is part of Andante’s wider submission to Cardinal Fernández and “Group 5” of the Synod.
“Much confusion exists in the church today over women’s authority in public teaching”. This observation by Vincent Etim Eyoh and Joseph Okon Linus nicely captures the situation in Great Britain where denominations can differ, even amongst themselves, over whether Scripture allows or precludes women from the teaching ministry on the grounds of Scripture.
Whilst much of the prohibition pertains to preaching within the liturgy, until recently it may have been observed that some also considered that women should not even have authority over a man in the teaching of theology in general. If taken to its extreme, this would mean they could have no authority in the classroom or lecture hall, particularly as some of the male students are over 17 years old are deemed to be adult.
Indeed, I can recall someone saying to me when I had secured a position as Head of Department in a Catholic sixth form college, that traditionally this would have been reserved for a man. Sadly, I can’t remember the reason if any were given, but I assume that the prohibition was rooted in culture and Scripture.
Nowadays, scholars agree that the source of the confusion is over the interpretation of 1Timothy 2:11-15 in which the writer prohibits women from teaching and assuming authority over a man.
11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
Thankfully, Biblical scholars and exegetes, particularly since the rise of feminist theology, have made great strides in re-interpreting this passage. Using the tools of literary analysis, they have endeavoured to discern the authorial intent, further analysing the extent to which Paul’s words might have been influenced by the cultural context of the time.
Others have considered whether the prohibition was only levelled at women who hadn’t discerned their charism properly, suggesting, perhaps, that if a woman had effectively discerned and nurtured her teaching vocation and charism, the situation may not have arisen, and the words not written. If this was the case then we might have had a different scenario today where there would be no question about whether a woman might or might not teach or assume teaching authority over a man, whether inside or outside of the liturgy.
Significantly, however, most scholars conclude that the author of the letter, whatever the intent, refers specifically to the assembly, i.e. the liturgy, the Mass, and as such doesn’t prohibit women from preaching/ teaching outside of the assembly, in the classroom for example.
Supporting their case many of them point to the contradiction that exists between the aforementioned passage and the commission in Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus clearly states that teaching and preaching is an incumbent part of everyone’s baptismal calling which means the commission is extended to men and women equally:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Lest there are those of you reading this who are worried because they think this commission means that everyone, perforce of their baptism, must be a classroom bound theology teacher, St Paul reassures us that this is not the case as everyone has a unique gift, a charism (1Corinthians 12) and only for some will this mean teaching theology at a deeper level. I, as a now retired female theology teacher, fall into this category.
The current synodal discernment about the role of women in liturgical ministry opens a new chapter in its discussion. There exists a wonderful model of good practice which could greatly inform the deliberations: the lay apostolate of the female theology teacher. For in this role, she has authority to break open Scripture to listeners and learners of all ages, both male and female, priests and religious, in the classroom, lecture hall and at public venues beyond. She can in the words of one inspector “fan the flame of enquiry” where the only church, ecclesia, that young adults often experience is the school classroom or the lecture hall.
State legislation and protocol must be followed in the teaching of the syllabus content. The subject must be objectively taught, not catechetical, and accessible to those of different faiths or none without prejudice or bias.
The female theology teacher can nevertheless in her personhood carry and exemplify those beliefs that she professes, sometimes with powerful and uplifting results. She becomes a witness to the unintentional evangelising power that the content of the subject has- this is no homily, yet paradoxically sometimes the words act like one often planting a seed which hopefully one day will bear fruit.
Indeed over the years, I have received several thank you letters from my students and have been given books as gifts, and in many of them is written about the difference that studying theology has made in their journey of faith- I even have similar written sentiments from a former Muslim student (male), which shows just how theology, the word of God, searches for common ground.
In addition, as I am writing this, I am proud to say that currently I have two former female students studying postgraduate theology and one student who last year successfully graduated from a first-class university with a first-class degree in theology, all adding to a list of former students whose faith journey has led them to undergraduate theology. All these former students carry the “gospel in their bones”, and as one of my former students said over this Christmas period, it was in the classroom that her love for theology, the word of God, and religious philosophy was born.
Thus, the subject has the capacity to speak the word of God and inspire, and if this is the case it also has the capacity to create a sacramental encounter for those who are seeking and have “ears to hear”.
I particularly remember when I was training to be a teacher a classic naughty boy stood up and told the class to listen up as the subject matter, the meaning behind the symbolism in the book of Revelation, had really spoken to him- he was genuinely moved to explore further, and mercifully was rendered speechless in further lessons!
And so finally, returning to the quote above, which is quite contentious when read literally without appeal to the interpretive senses that the Catholic Church has advocated for use in scriptural exegesis: the literal, allegorical, moral and anagogical, I’m happy to say that throughout my career I witnessed no tension or schism caused by a female theology teacher teaching men.
Indeed, and to reinforce the point, many years ago as Head of Department, I was asked to teach undergraduate theology, which was a burgeoning subject, and in my cohort, I had a significant number of men some from different denominations but also some from the Catholic Church, who were hoping to train for lay ministry, and no one ever questioned my authority. Similarly, when I was asked to lecture on the Catholic Certificate of Religious Studies. Indeed, there are women theologians teaching in seminaries, proving the point that women can teach men and have authority.
I have been blessed indeed, and I feel privileged to have been called to this ministry. Whilst the role often doesn’t hit the spotlight, as can be seen above, it nevertheless forms a vital and pivotal element of the lay apostolate in which the female theology teacher models a ministry which lends to her the authority of Christ to speak his word, theology, and long may this ministry continue.