Original Research

In support of female leadership in the church: Grappling with the perspective of Setswana men – Shepherding as solution offered

Gopolang H. Sekano, Maake J. Masango
Verbum et Ecclesia | Vol 33, No 1 | a433 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v33i1.433 | © 2012 Gopolang H. Sekano, Maake J. Masango | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 17 September 2010 | Published: 27 March 2012

About the author(s)

Gopolang H. Sekano, University of Pretoria
Maake J. Masango, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

This article addresses the overwhelmingly negative experience and feeling of some men who serve under female leaders in the church. They claim to feel degraded and traumatised by the experience of being led by women. They also claim that their patriarchal culture and religion is defied by such actions and laws of equality that encourage female leadership. They substantiate their views by quoting 1 Corinthians 14:34−35 and 1 Timothy 2:12−14 in addition to a Setswana proverb, ‘Tsa etelelwa pele ke e namagadi di wela ka lengope’ [those who are led by a female leader fall into dongas]. In the light of this situation an intensive study regarding the need for an egalitarian concept and constructive interpretation of Bible passages, Setswana proverbs and idioms regarding the inevitability of female leadership is paramount to people who have an androcentric concept of religion and culture.

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