Thus, as the Church submits to Christ, wives should also submit to their husbands in everything. This does not provide authority for the husbands to exploit their position for they are instructed to love their wives, just as Christ so loved the Church that he gave himself up for it. (Ephesians 5:23-25). There are also certain demands placed on how women should appear and act. The Bible places heavy emphasis on acting with humility and so, women are discouraged from wearing expensive jewellery or garments and rather, are instructed to dress "modestly, with decency and propriety." (1 Timothy 2:9) Furthermore, as God created Adam before Eve, and because the Bible blames Eve for bringing sin upon the world in her fall against deceit, it is said that women should not have power men. [1] Rather, the Holy Bible espouses that a woman should learn in quietness and with full obedience. (1 Timothy 2:11) Women are also expected to cover their heads while praying (1 Corinthians 11:5-6) to show reverence for God. The understandings of this passage differ regarding whether the covering is spiritual, garment, or hair. [5] Although this practice is something that was observable in all women during the time of Christ, the tradition has fallen out of practice, particularly in Western cultures. However, women in regions of Asia still hold fast to this teaching.
However, where there is an absolute difference in the roles of the two genders, is in the giving of life. Catholics stand by the doctrine that only women can give physical life by serving as a mother and, only men can give spiritual life to the faithful by serving as priests. It is the Catholic Church's longstanding belief that women should not be admitted to the priesthood because Christ did not choose any women to be among his closest twelve disciples, whom Catholics perceive to be the first Christian ministers. [9] A feminist view interprets this to mean that women are not Christlike, and are thus "second-class Christians" although the Catholic Church disputes this belief.
