Priest worries over Sevenoaks church teaching

A SEAL priest has waded into a row over whether women should be submissive to their husbands, claiming the controversial teaching by another Sevenoaks church could fuel domestic abuse.

Anne Le Bas, of The Church of St Peter and St Paul, responded to a sermon by curate Mark Oden, of St Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks, following concerns raised by her parishioners.

Last month, Mr Oden provoked outrage when he gave a "medieval" sermon, Marriage and Women, to parishioners, which called on wives to submit to their husbands.

He also blamed the role of the modern woman for the breakdown of some marriages.

Speaking of its impact, Mrs Le Bas told the Chronicle: "It was and continues to be something people are talking about and are very concerned about."

After listening to the sermon online, Mrs Le Bas said she feared the teachings could be damaging to women in violent relationships.

She said in her March newsletter to parishioners: "It won't surprise anyone who knows me that I don't think this is a healthy pattern for 21st century marriage, and many people have expressed similar misgivings.

"As I listened to the sermon which sparked the debate on St Nicholas' website I was especially concerned about the effect this marriage might have on women, and their children, who are in abusive marriages."

Mrs Le Bas has published a leaflet representing her views on the subject.

In the publication, she said she thought the Bible should be read in context because they were written in and for cultures where marriage was thought of in completely different terms.

She added domestic violence was alarmingly common, and the teachings at St Nicholas would make it more difficult to leave abusive relationships.

Rev Angus MacLeay, who runs the church, said: "Mark and I are completely in sympathy with these comments relating to domestic violence.

"In my previous parish in Carlisle my wife and I were involved in supporting a women's refuge and we support a similar initiative under consideration by the Sevenoaks Churches Group for Social Concern.

"Not everything about marriage can be conveyed in one or two sermons, though Mark was extremely clear in speaking to husbands that domestic violence is abuse.

"The same passage which provides guidance on the marriage relationship in 1 Peter 3 continues with the call to be sympathetic and compassionate in verse 8 and we would want this message to be heard equally clearly, so that churches provide the safe havens that women need at such tragic times."

Speaking of Mrs Le Bas' concerns over taking the Bible out of context, Mr MacLeay said: "I understand this view.

"Ultimately it is an issue of seeking to handle God's word in a sensitive and faithful manner, aware that God still speaks through the Bible to 21st century society about how we should live."