Church proposes seven New Testament texts be dropped from services

A document published yesterday by the Irish Catholic Church has proposed that seven New Testament texts be dropped from church services as they give "an undesirably negative impression regarding women".

The texts would be better omitted from Catholic Church services, and where quoted, "in any context, they should be suitably commented on in the light of contemporary church teaching", according to the document.

It also suggested that "the language of the Scriptures needs to be explained so that it is not implemented as being anti-woman".

The Domestic Violence document was prepared by the Irish Bishops' Commission for Justice and Peace and their Pastoral Commission. Dr Laurence Ryan, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, is president of the former commission, while Dr William Walsh, Bishop of Killaloe, is president of the latter.

In a joint foreword to the document both bishops said that on the issue of domestic violence "the church, like other sectors, has had its learning curve, and there is still a long way to go". It had also "not been without its share of responsibility [for such violence] in the past and we acknowledge this".

As an example they point out that "within marriage the mutual [their emphasis] submission of spouses was often overlooked, or equated with unilateral dominance". However, there was no ground in the teaching of the church today to justify domestic violence, they said.

In fact, a wife or husband had the right, and possibly the duty, not to stay in a seriously abusive relationship, they said.

The proposed a la carte approach to the use of Scripture in church services would mean lines from St Paul, such as ". . . wives should submit to their husbands in everything"(Ephesians), would be out.

Also out would be his "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing." (I Timothy)

So, too, "women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church." (I Corinthians)

And it would also be goodbye to "A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man." (I Corinthians)