“Submit” to Husbands, Priest Tells UK Women

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“Wives are to submit to their husbands in everything in recognition of the fact that husbands are head of the family,” rector MacLeay said. (Google) CAIRO – A Church of England priest has urged women to “submit” to their husbands, raising the ire of women as keeping with “dark ages”, reported the Guardian on Saturday, February 13. “Wives are to submit to their husbands in everything in recognition of the fact that husbands are head of the family as Christ is head of the church,” reads a leaflet issued by rector Angus MacLeay. “This is the way God has ordered their relationships with each other and Christian marriage cannot function well without it.” MacLeay, a member of the General Synod, also urged women to keep “silent” when asked questions that could be answered by their husbands. “It would seem that women should remain silent … if questions could legitimately be answered by their husbands.” The comments were backed by MacLeay’s curate, who blamed the behavior of “modern” women for the high divorce rate in Britain. The Status of Woman in Islam Islamic Guidance on Treating Wives “We know marriage is not working. We only need to look at figures – one in four children have divorced parents,” curate Mark Oden told worshippers on Sunday congregation. “Wives, submit to your own husbands.” Anger The comments drew ire of women parishioners, who described them as keeping with “dark ages”. “How can they talk that way in the 21st century?” a female parishioner said. “No wonder the Church is losing touch if this is the kind of gobbledegook they want us to believe it.” The parishioner vowed to shun the Church until it reconsiders its position. “I will not be going back to that church and will have to seriously consider my faith if this is the nonsense they are spouting now.” The Church of England preachers were also accused of having a “medieval” mentality. "What kind of medieval sermon is that? We are not in the 15th Century?” said another woman parishioner. “I have already cancelled my direct debit to the church.” But the Church of England preachers rejected the accusations. “I am passionate about helping people to have healthy marriages,” said Oden, a married father of three. “I did not set out to unnecessarily offend people, but I stand by what God has said in his word, the Bible.” MacLeay, the Church Vicar, also defended his position. “There are times when the Bible challenges modern society,” he said. “It recognizes that women are fully equal to men, but it also recognizes that in certain areas of life they may have different roles.”