PAULINE CONCEPT OF WOMEN LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH AND CONTEMPORARY LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIAN CHURCHES: A CRITIQUE
CHAPTER ONE
1.0    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY.
1.1       Introduction.
The controversy over women leadership in the Church has been on since the inception of the Church till date. While some Church denominations especially among the Pentecostals, approve women leadership in their Churches. Others especially among the mission disapprove it.1When discussing about Apostle Paul’s concept of women leadership in the Church in corroboration with Rhodes “It is necessary to remember his Hebraic heritage and the pagan environment in which the Corinthians believers were living’’.2 With the situation of things among Christian women in Corinthian Church. Paul sought to clarify and remove any form of ambiguity through his Epistles in 1Corinthians 11:1-16; 14:34-36, 1Timothy 2:11-12. As a result of this, the apostle Paul has been interpreted in an astonishing variety of ways by those concerned with women’s ministry. On one hand he has been castigated as a male chauvinist and misogynist; on the other hand, he has been hailed as a herald of women’s liberation.3
Amolo asserted vividly while commenting on women in Paul’s ministry, she said that Paul has been labeled anti-Feminist because of some of his teachings in the epistles (CF 1 Timothy 2:11-12; 1Cor. 14:34).4 In 1Timothy 2: 11 -12, Paul teaches. “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit women to teach or to have anything over a man; she must be silent’’. In 1 Corinthians 14:36, the researcher also reads’’ Women should remain silent in Church. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission as the law says’’. Some critics have seen him as divided with himself, a ‘half –liberated Legalist’ who could not quite break away from his pharisaic background; other have argued that his writings display a consistent teaching, either affirmative of women orotherwise.5
Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy warned against false teacher of the law, who tricks deceive these woman because of their law knowledge,
“ however, we have women who are well educated, that do not have cult behind them, there is no reason why they cannot preach and teach, Paul was not against women praying in the Church as it is clear in 1 Corinthians 11:3-16, but he wanted to maintain decency and order in the Church’’.6
The researcher assumes that Paul and his readers understood how both of these statements could apply, but we can only hazard a guess. Perhaps Chapter 11 had reference to the meeting in the homes of Church members and chapter 14 to the larger gathering of the entire congregation.7
Also in the contemporary Nigerian Churches, the women have been denied the right to hold any leadership position in the Church. Over the last few decades, the Bible has been under vigor attacks by some feminist theologians over Genesis 2 and 3 and several other passages of the scripture. While Genesis 1:26-27 and 5:1 shows the equal creation of man and woman.8Feminist theologies argues that according to Genesis 2, even as a copy of man, the woman was not a perfect copy. Hence, there were differences because the woman according to Genesis 2 and 3 she was not one of his effort.9 Women are seen has incapable and weak for leadership, because it was the woman who was deceived by the serpent. Does this really disqualify the women from holding leadership position in the Church; did the death of Christ not bring redemption?
1.2       Statement of Problem    
Oyibo, while citing Thomas, says “the dilemma of these conflicting position of the Church lies principally in the nature of biblical evidence itself, for in truth, the New Testament seems to affirmand deny at the same time leading roles for women in the ministry of the Church.10 This problem lies majorly in the Epistle of Apostle Paul in 1 CORINTHIANS 14:33b-35 and 1 Timothy 2: 11-12. Apostle Paul gave a clear instruction that women should be silent in the Church. Off course, this has always placed the men on top of leadership as priest and Bishops even Pope, Prelate or Primate.11
However in some other passages of the New Testament, he seems to affirm a leading role for women in the ministry of the Church. While Acts 21:9 assumes the women could have the gift of prophecy, Paul merely went ahead in 1 Corinthians 11:13-16 to caution these women who would pray and prophesy in the public worship to be decent about them.12
1Timothy 2:11-14-women are subject to men in spiritual teaching situation. Verse 13, 14 gave two reasons for women’s subjection to man. Verse 13-first, man was formed before woman. Verse 14-man has the leadership role because, though both Adam and Eve sinned, the woman was deceived were man was not.13The argument that it was Eve who disobeyed God and not that she lacked leadership abilities, is considered as an injustice and prejudice by the women against them.
1.3    Clarification of Terms
In other to remove all forms obscurity and to prevent ambiguity, the researcher deems it fit to clarify vividly the key words of this work
    1.3.1    PAUL: This man who called himself “a Hebrew, born of Hebrew’’ had the Aramaic name Saul and its Latin counterpart Paul us, from which we get Paul. He was a Roman Citizen by birth (Acts 22:28). To a tribune in Jerusalem Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city’’ (Acts 21: 39). Tarsus was located in the territory known as Cilicia, which was at that time in the province of Syria.14He was born in (AD. 10 – 15), was of the tribe of Benjamin, “As to the law a Pharisee, as to zeal a persecutor of the Church, as to righteousness under the law blameless (Phil 3:5-6).’’ He studied in Jerusalem under the famous teacher Gamaliel.
1.3.2    CHURCH: The old testament employs two words to designate the Church, namely qahal(or Kahal), derived from an obsoleterootqal (or kal), meaning “to call’’; and edhah from ya’ adh,“to appoint or to meet or come together at an appointed place’’. These two words are sometimes used indiscriminately, but were not at first, strictly synonymous. The New Testament also has two words derived from the Septuagint, namely, ecclesia, from-ek and kaleo, “to call out.’’ And synagogue, from sun and ago meaning “to come or to bring together.’’ The latter is used exclusively to denote either the religious gathering of the Jews or the buildings in which they assembled for public worship, Matt. 4:23; Act 13:43; Rev 2:9; 3:9. The term ecclesia however generally designates the Church of the New Testament.15Sibani citing Palmer Robertson, define Church in terms of its relationship to the Trinitarian God. The Church is: The elect of the father; the redeemed of the son; and the renewed of the Holy Spirit.16
1.3.3    WOMEN: This term which is in it plural form, when made singular, a woman is a female human that is of the species Homo Sapiens. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent. The term woman is also sometimes used to identify a female human, regardless of age, as in phrases such as “woman rights’’.  “Woman’’ may also refer to a person’s gender identity. Woman with typical genetic development are usually capable of giving birth from puberty until menopause.17
1.3.4    Leadership: It is both a research area and a practical skill encompassing the ability of an individual or organization to “lead’’ or guide other individuals, terms or entire organization. The literature debate various viewpoints: Contrasting Eastern and western approaches to leadership, and also (with in the west) US vs European approaches. US academic environment define leadership as a process of social influence in which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.18
1.4    Aims and Objectives of the Study.
The following are the aims and objectives of the study:
1. The researcher tries to bring into light the proper meaning and purposes of the statement of Paul concerning women’s place in leadership in the Church.
2. This research tries to evince the important role of the women in the development of the Church.
3.  This research tries to examine the useful role of women in the spread of the gospel.
4. This research examines what leadership entails and to know if it is restricted to only a particular gender.
5.    The researcher tries to explore the impact of notable women leadership in the New Testament, to see how it can influence our contemporary Nigerian Churches.
6. To bring to light the tremendous role of women leadership in family, and nation building.
7. The researcher tries to establish the areas of conflict between men and women leadership in the Church.
1.5    Methodology of the Study
The researcher uses the Historical and Analytical methodologies in this research work, by making use of the primary and secondary sources to derive facts and genuine points in developing the research in other to avoid being bias. The information classified under primary sources came from publishes works, like books, journals, internet materials and so on. The information classified under secondary sources are mainly personal interview. Combining these two sources of information makes the researcher acquire credibility in developing the entire chapters of this research.
1.6    Scope of Study
This research is centered on the Corinthians, and Ephesians, as seen in the letter of Apostle Paul to the believers living in the Corinth (1 Cor. 14:34-36) and in his letter written to Timothy (1 Tim 2:11-12) concerning the believers living in Ephesus. It is likewise centered on the same issues as addressed by Apostle Paul in his letter in relations to its present occurrence in the contemporary leadership in Nigeria Churches.
1.7    Division of Work
This study is divided in five chapters: Chapter one provides the background of study which includes; introduction, statement of problems, clarification of terms, Aims and objective of the study, methodology of the study, scope of study and the division of work. Chapter two reviews the related literatures, the Church as a concept, the concept of Women. Chapter three is on Pauline concept and Historical leadership of women, under which we examined the historical overviews of women leadership in the New Testament, Historical perspective of women leadership in the Church, Pauline position on women in leadership, the impact of women leadership in the New Testament, the impact of women leadership in contemporary Nigeria Churches. The chapter four is establishing a critique of Paul’s concept of women leadership, here the researcher takes a look at the purpose of Women in Church leadership, the conflict between Men and Women leadership in the Church, the challenges associated with Women leadership in the Church, a critique of Paul’s and contemporary leadership in the Church. Chapter five critically evaluates the work, gives genuine recommendation and concludes the entire study.
ENDNOTE
1.    Abolarin,I.A. and Makanju,S.A. Challenges of Women leadership in Evangelical Church Winning All, In Journal of University Scholars in Nigeria ,p.887, 2015.
2.    Rhodes, A. B. The Might Acts of God, Marshall C. Dendy USA, p.370, 1964.
3.    Edwards, R. B. The Case for Women’s Ministry, Great Britain by the University press, Cambridge, p. 54, 1989.
4.    Amolo, H. The Role of Women in The New Testament, In Biblical Studies and Women Issue in Africa, No.1, p.145,2003.
5.    Op.Cit., p.54.
6.    Op.Cit., p.146.
7.    Op. Cit., p.370.
8.    Abogunrin, S.O. Biblical Studies And The Gender Problem, In Biblical Studies and Women Issue in Africa, No.1, p4, 2003.
9.    Ibid. p.4.
10.    Oyibo, G. The Role of Women in the Ministry of The Church, InBiblical Studies and Women Issue in Africa, No.1,  pp.198-199, 2003.
11.    Sibani, C.M. and Asukwo,E.O. Politics of Gender and Power in Nigeria: The Christian Analysis, In Jotrac Journal of Theology, Religious and Cultural studies, Vol.1, No.1, p31, 2013.s
12.    Op.Cit., p199.
13.    Pratte, D. E. Women Preachers, Pastors and Bishop, retrieved from http://www.gospelway.com/teaching/women_preachers.php, accessed November 17 2016, 1999.
14.    Op. Cit., pp.339-340.
15.    Berkhof, L. Systematic Theology, The Banner of Truth Trust 3 Murray Field Road Edinburg Eh 126 el Uk., p.555,1958.
16.    Sibani, C. M. Thekingdomof God; A Theological Appraisal, Alpha-Beta Communication Concept, pp.36-37, 2008.
17.    The free Encyclopedia: Definition of the Term Women, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/woman, accessed November 17, 2016
18.    The free Encyclopedia: The Definition of Leadership, retrieved from http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/leadership, accessed November 17, 2016.