The church in the contemporary world faces many challenges among which are conflicts among Christians. Christians, especially from different churches/denominations have varied perceptions about some issues in the society, which affect them directly. The difference in interpretation of some parts of the bible causes the varied perceptions that different churches/denominations may hold pertaining a given matter. The other major factor that has led to the increase of conflicts in the church is the dynamic nature of modern thinking. This paper elucidates two of the issues that have brought a lot of controversy in the church today.
Christians hold different positions about the appropriate expression of human sexuality. Some Christians support homosexuality while others do not. The Pentecostal churches oppose homosexuality since they believe it is contrary to the will of God. Some of the Pentecostals deny membership to people who are believed to be homosexuals. In other churches, the congregants may hold different views about the issue. For instance, within the Anglican Church there is a division of its members across the globe due to the controversy. Anglican groups in Central America, North America, New Zealand, Japan, Brazil and South Africa support homosexuality. However, most of the Anglican churches in Africa and the West Indies strongly condemn the vice within the church. For those Anglican churches that do not consider homosexuality as a sin, gays and lesbians are allowed to hold their weddings in the church officiated by a priest. Just like the Anglicans, the Baptist church is dived among groups depending on whether they consider homosexuality as a sin or not. Another church that supports homosexuality within its faith is the United Church of Christ, which has gone to the extent of allowing homosexuals to hold ministerial positions within the church.
The differences in opinion about homosexuality have caused a major conflict not only within the church confines but also within the judicial systems of many states in the world. Those who denounce homosexuality believe that God created male and female but not one sex (Rudy 76). Owing to this, they argue that homosexuality goes against the scripture and God’s intended purpose for procreation since homosexuals cannot bring forth children in their union. On the other hand, the proponents of homosexuality believe that that the same scriptures portray God as love so man should not hate them for what they believe in. They also argue that there is freedom for them to choose. Concerning procreation, they believe that God has empowered scientists to come up with ways of producing human beings-test tube babies so no need for heterosexual relationships.
Different Christians hold different positions about the role of women in the church. Some churches do not allow women to hold church positions such as being ministers or teachers. They derive this authority form 1Timothy 2:11-15 which requires all women to learn and listen in total subjection prohibiting them from having authority over men. Additionally, in 1Corinthians 13:35, the scripture says that it is improper for women to speak in church meetings. On the other hand, the Christians who advocate for women to hold leadership positions also derive their stand from the Pauline texts (Watkins 23). For instance, Paul acknowledges some of his fellow laborers such as Euodias and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2). In Romans 16, among the people who Paul mentioned, six of them were women who had played a pivotal role in the building of the Christian community. Phoebe, one of the women that Paul mentioned in this text, was not only a minister (diakonos) but also a helper (Prostatis) in the church of Cenchreae. Paul also acknowledges Prisca and Aquilla as fellow workers. In both cases, Christians fail to give the proper interpretation of Paul’s teachings about the position of women in the church despite the fact that many all of the scriptures that the different groups hold on to are from the Pauline letters to different churches.
In most societies in the contemporary society, women have gained more power especially in performing duties that were previously preserved for men. The literacy levels among women have portrayed an increasing trend besides the fact that many women have proved to be performers in different capacities (Watkins 24). Owing to this, many Christians believe that if women have performed well in leadership roles outside church settings, they would also show good performance if allowed to take leadership roles in the church. However, this accelerates the conflict as those who oppose women leadership argue that the scripture is their guide and source of authority.
In conclusion, the interpretation of the scriptures is a major source of conflicts. For instance, the inability to comprehend and interpret Pauline teachings has led to the current conflict about the role of women in the society. Additionally, the freedom of choice as well as the modern ways of thinking has contributed in the propagation of conflicts in the church. Such reasons have led to conflicts such as the differences in homosexuality and the role of women in the contemporary church as in the above discussion.
Works Cited
Rudy, Kathy. “Sex and the Church: Gender, Homosexuality and the Transformation of Christian
Ethics.” Library Journal 122.11 (1997): 72-76. Print.
Watkins, Linda. “Unequal Rights: Women Ministers Face a Host of Obstacles in Chosen
Profession.” Wall Street Journal 24. 1 (1986): 20-27. Print.
