Women in the Old Testament
In the book of Genesis, authors like Ejeh (2015) and Munroe (2001), have argued for the leadership roles of women in the Old Testament, when the former assert that when Genesis 1:27 reads that “God created man in his own image and likeness, in the image of God he created male and female” the text emphasizes the importance of equality between male and female. That both man and woman are created in the image and likeness of God. So, they both reflect the image and likeness of God and equally gifted with immortality. A man is not greater than a woman neither is the woman greater than man. The latter also responds that the woman was created by God to be a helper, not a slave. Being a helper can be a guide and a teacher, therefore although the male is always the responsible head in God’s design, he is not the “boss”. He is not the owner of the woman.
On the contrary however, Fredrickson (2014) counters that for many centuries, the interpretation of Eve actions led to the perception of women as weak, emotional, easily deceived and easily enticed, and that the woman’s supposed inclination to disobedience led God to place women under the control of men who were by interpretation strong, reasonable, rational and fitted to rule. Women place thus became the private or domestic sphere, while men’s place was the public world of welfare, business and commerce and this has shaped social customs, some even writ into law. In all these, although the aforementioned authors were able to defend the fact that women are fit into leadership roles and the other explaining why the women have been relegated to the background in terms of leadership, the argument never delved into the challenges women are facing in in leadership positions in Pentecostal churches/ministries in Makurdi. This is the gap created that this research intends to fill.