Women in Ministry: In Keeping with Tradition
The Woman's Proper Place

Irina F. Yakubova

It would seem that the period of the church's persecution is behind us. But has anything really changed in the life of society? Has there really been a Russian awakening?  Alas, far from it. Today women are undergoing a trial-by-freedom.  Will we pass it?

To begin with, conducting meetings, conferences, and seminars for women is an extremely important task. And this is in no way connected with a yearning for feminism. As a matter of fact, it's just the opposite. I am not a proponent of those movements which actively struggle for women's independence or equality of rights. I support the right for women to meet, exchange opinions, and encourage one another.  Touching on the issue of women's rights and independence, the question immediately occurs to me: "For what rights are women fighting, and towards what independence are they striving?" Without resorting to historical research, I will briefly treat the aftereffects of women's emancipation here in Russia.
 
Prerevolutionary Emancipation
Having begun with liberation from parental guardianship, and then from dependence upon men, and then taking on the established orders and laws in society, emancipated women joined in open political struggle. Recall, for example, Sofia Perovskaya [who took an active part in the assassination of Alexander II in 1881]. Then there were the years of the revolutionary movement [leading up to 1917]. How many women appeared on the arena of history! A list of their names alone would fill a whole page. And, of course, these were ladies of high society from religious families. They were succeeded by female commissars and women in leather coats [recalling several characters described in Boris Pilnyak's 1918 novel, The Naked Year], and militant atheists who were merciless with enemies and even friends with opposing views.

Soviet "Emancipation"
After Soviet power was established, the mass media began to circulate the image of woman as a builder of the new society, in which she would have the exact same rights as man. Women were praised--chairwomen of collective farms, directors of factories, athletes, scientists, members of government. Many women dreamed of becoming pilots and captains. Women strove to be the heroines they saw on television and read about in books. Among these heroines there was no place for the woman as wife or mother. If such women did appear, then critics charged the authors with portraying a backward, patriarchal home life and accused them of being bourgeois.
 
The Woman's Proper Place Under God
Moving to the present, I would be remiss if I claimed that in Christian families there was ever, or is now, much attention paid to the upbringing of girls. In the best of cases, they become acquainted with the righteous life of biblical women in Sunday school. Even our families which converted to God comparatively early are not always models worthy of imitation. And that's a pity. Based on the example given by her parents' relationship, a girl ought to begin to prepare herself early on to become a wife, a mother, and a helper to her husband and father. She ought to learn to submit her character to God, acquire common sense, patience, the ability to reason well, and take care of the family hearth. Being a good mother, a loving spouse, a faithful friend, and a charitable woman, she will be able to serve the church and society. And here I'd like to turn to the words of the Bible: "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior" (Ephesians 5:22-23).

I dare say that this admonition might be interpreted not only within the strictly familial aspect. From my point of view, women--no matter how independent, intelligent, educated, or talented they may be--are in need of divine guidance through their husbands, fathers, pastors, and spiritual leaders. Without their blessing, any action by women will not be as effective as it could be. This view does not in any way diminish the role of women.  We all know full well that the freedom given to women in Christ is incomparably greater than any other freedom.

Subordination and obedience which we display in relation to our husbands is not simply obedience for the sake of obedience, but obedience for the sake of salvation. The Lord Himself speaks to us through our husbands, fathers, and pastors. Having received their encouragement, support, and blessing, we will feel the will of God in any service. Voluntarily submitting to their will, we do not simply subordinate ourselves to the will of God, but we teach ourselves, subduing our main sin, pride, which was instilled in us by years of rule without God. Humbling ourselves, we reveal love which conquers all. 

Irina Fyodorovna Yakubova was born in 1947 in the Kemerova region of Siberia.  She graduated from the Karelsk Pedagogical Institute as an English teacher.  A Christian since childhood, she was raised in a Pentecostal family. She completed catechism in the Russian Orthodox Church of Zosima and Savvatii.  She now is in charge of the training of small group leaders in the Alliance for Social and Cultural Progress, Moscow.

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© 1998 Institute for East-West Christian Studies
ISSN 1069-5664