Two clergymen in Kent are preaching not only the old chestnut that  women should be silent in church and submit to their hubands “because the Bible says so”, but even that divorce is the woman’s fault! (And where does it say that in the Bible, I ask? yep – nowhere at all)  The more junior of the two clergymen has apparently said in his sermon that the rise in the divorce rate is due to the behaviour of women. (Never to mens behaviour? Or to economics, or education, or a culture that – thank God – no longer believes that a woman is the property of her father or her husband?)

The lines of argument being rehearsed in this Kent Church have proved so offensive that women are leaving the Parish church (good decision) and cancelling their financial support. Offensive, yes, but also risible for their total lack of logic. What are single women to do in Church? (With no husband to submit to, and no husband to speak on her behalf, is she to be returned to being a chattel among her father’s property?) And even more illogical – as Mouse has found out – the leaflet accompanying this line of teaching was written by a woman!! This part isn’t offensive, it’s just laugh-out-loud stupid. Get the rest of the skinny from Church Mouse: Woman teaches men that they should not be taught by a woman.