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1)Really appreciate all the new follows-hopefully, I will not disappoint. This is going to be a long thread, so hang in there! I think most will find the conclusion very interesting, or at least challenging.
First of the “scripture from a middle eastern perspective” series
First of the “scripture from a middle eastern perspective” series
2) will be on Acts 9:1-2
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he
3) might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
This passage is fascinating because it is so reflective of the nature of political and religious movements in the middle east, and the wider implications of the text to anyone who is part of the culture (which is shown in scripture
This passage is fascinating because it is so reflective of the nature of political and religious movements in the middle east, and the wider implications of the text to anyone who is part of the culture (which is shown in scripture
4) itself, which I will explain). I am going to use two separate examples of political/religious movements in the middle east, one which I am personally familiar, the Iranian revolution, and juxtapose it alongside the Lebanese revolution, to illustrate the deep significance this
5) passage, and why it carries so much meaning to Middle Eastern Christians.
Ken Bailey, Presbyterian professor and theologian, was living in Lebanon at the time of the revolution, and wrote extensively of his experiences there, and how it opened his eyes to certain theological
Ken Bailey, Presbyterian professor and theologian, was living in Lebanon at the time of the revolution, and wrote extensively of his experiences there, and how it opened his eyes to certain theological
6) truths. Bailey wrote that during the peak of the revolution, most men were basically in hiding, and only left their homes with extreme caution. Revolutionary movements were fought and led by men, you see, and so they were seen as the primary threats. Women and children on the
7) other hand, could freely move about town, do their shopping, conduct their day to day activities, and would generally avoid harassment. This is a culture which did not expect women to be more than housewives, after all.
Conversely, the opposite was true during the Iranian
Conversely, the opposite was true during the Iranian
8) revolution. Women in Iran, under the Shah Reza (the former king) had experienced significant reforms and were very involved in public life. Women had been allowed to attend universities since 1937. They were given the right to vote in 1963. And by the late 70’s, constituted a
9) large part of the workforce. In general, Iran was much more progressive towards women’s rights compared to other middle eastern countries (this was prior to the revolution, and thus the establishing of the Islamic Republic of Iran). And so, when the revolution occurred, women
10) were a large influence in the movement. You must remember that the initial revolution was about deposing the monarchy, many never dreamed than an Islamic republic could have been created. In the words of my mother, Khomenei “came out of nowhere” and “grabbed power very
11) quickly.” So initially, many women were involved in the revolution and were leaders of both small cells and larger movements. For example, the People’s Mujahedeen of Iran included a woman deputy commander, Maryam Rajavi. (By the way, I want to make this explicitly clear, in
12) no way am I endorsing any of these political/ religious movements, ESPECIALLY the Mujahadeen, simply stating this is as a fact). In this way, Iran greatly differed from Lebanon. Because women were leaders, they were equally perceived as threats and were persecuted just as a
13) man would be. The Savak, the secret police in Iran, would torture and imprison many women, including many members of my family, because they recognized them as insurgents and commanders in the various revolutionary factions and movements.
So back to the biblical account,
So back to the biblical account,
14) what’s fascinating is these attitudes are EXACTLY mirrored in the Gospel/ acts narratives, which Bailey also points out (regarding the parallels to his experience in Lebanon, not in Iran). When Christ was first arrested, the landscape, particularly in ancient Rome, resembled
15) Lebanon. The apostles, all men, quickly fled and went into hiding, and denied any association with Christ. They knew they would be perceived as fellow leaders in this budding religious movement, and hence persecuted and imprisoned alongside him. In contrast, the women were
16) largely left alone. In fact, they were allowed to stay with Jesus until the moment he died. They were with him during the crucifixion, and they were the first to visit his tomb while the men continued to hide out. (Except of course, for John, who stayed with the women during
17) the crucifixion. But I think this indicates Johns age, most people agree he was the youngest, especially since he wrote his gospel so much later than the others and lived so much longer. I think he was likely an older child or a teenager at the time). However, after the
18) resurrection, when the church of Christ was established and the kingdom had begun to “break into” the world,” you’ll notice several major social changes; the small circle of the messianic movement began to expand. The apostles, once restricted to Jewish men, had begun to grow
19) to women and gentiles (I am considering Junia the female apostle explicitly mentioned, see here https://www.academia.edu/39128759/Junia_a_Female_Apostle_An_Examination_of_the_Historical_Record.) Since the restoration had begun, the former restrictions and curses of the fall are beginning to fade away. And the Romans responded in kind; whereas
20) they initially left the women alone, letting them follow and tend to Christ undisturbed (since they were not threat, after all) they now began to persecute both women and men. Saul himself requests to death both men and women belonging to the way, which makes no sense within
21) the roman cultural context unless women were equally perceived as threats, and as leaders of this budding religious movement.
A lot of this is still reflected in Iran today.
A lot of this is still reflected in Iran today.
22) Iran has a fast-growing underground house church movement, which is largely led by women. https://www.sat7uk.org/women-at-the-heart-of-church-growth-in-iran/.
23) (This is an interesting documentary about the women led church movement in iran. https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/worlds-fastest-growing-church-women-documentary-film.) For this reason, just as it was during the day of Saul, women in Iran are jailed and persecuted along with the men, as leaders, preachers, and evangelizers.
24) Here, for example, is an utterly inspiring tale of women preachers jailed in Iran, who continue to preach the gospel to the prisoners and the jailers. https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2020/02/11/Meet-the-two-women-who-spread-Christianity-to-hundreds-in-Iran-s-Evin-prison. This is also why my old Iranian Christian church had a female pastor, and this was never
25) particularly controversial. In fact, I was completely shocked to discover this was a hotly debated topic outside my “Iranian Christian bubble.” In Iran, one of the greatest aspects of Christianity is the dignity it gives women, and it is a major reason why women are so drawn
26) to the religion. There is freedom in Christ that can be found nowhere else. It has been incredibly sad for me to see, in the west, that this freedom is not available to many women in some Christian subsets.
If anyone wants further theological reading on women in the new
If anyone wants further theological reading on women in the new
27) testament from the middle eastern perspective, please see the article by Ken Bailey here. https://godswordtowomen.org/women_new_testament.pdf
28) Anyone who read through this whole thing deserves a reward. I had no idea this was going to be so long.
