The Bible and gender equality in church leadership in Tanzania

Since the arrival of Christianity in Africa, the Bible has been received well by Africans. It has become the canon in most spheres of life. For women, especially, the Bible was and still is the book of hope and courage. It is the source of hope and courage to whatever situations women experience. Women find the message of Jesus appealing because it provides them equal status with men and new avenues of religious service. They sense that the gospel grants both women and men the opportunity to participate fully in the community of God’s new people. Since the Bible carries the good news, it is expected to transform cultures of believers and enhance gender equality in church leadership as well as other spheres of life. Therefore, this paper uses the liberal feminist theory to discuss gender equality in leadership in Tanzania by examining biblical, cultural, social and ecclesiastical perspectives.