While the largest crowds gathered for a lineup of speakers at the Pastors' Conference on Sunday and Monday, an annual pre-convention lineup of preaching and music, many wives of pastors and other women took the opportunity to meet for their own morning-long series of speakers, worship sessions and small-group discussions.

One of the keynote speakers was Mary Kassian, a professor of women's studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, who spoke on various ideals for women she gleaned from Titus 2, one of the seminal texts used by advocates of a view that men and women are created equal while serving different roles, with men in authority in homes and churches.

The Southern Baptist Convention amended its articles of faith in 1998 to urge that "a wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband." And that position found nothing but agreement here at the conference, in contrast to the teachings of many other churches and secular groups that male authority is demeaning and potentially abusive of women.

Kassian said she had to unlearn ideals of feminism she said were embedded in her education when growing up in Canada and still permeate the entertainment industry through depictions of "butt-kicking females who knew how to demand their rights, take control and put men in their place."

Teach Sound Doctrine

2:1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound <1> doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9 Slaves <2> are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Titus 2:1-10

One reason that men abuse their wives is because women rebel against their husband's God-given authority, a Southern Baptist scholar said in a Texas church recently.

Bruce Ware, professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, said women desire to have their own way instead of submitting to their husbands because of sin.

"And husbands on their parts, because they're sinners, now respond to that threat to their authority either by being abusive, which is of course one of the ways men can respond when their authority is challenged--or, more commonly, to become passive, acquiescent, and simply not asserting the leadership they ought to as men in their homes and in churches," Ware said from the pulpit of Denton Bible Church in Denton, Texas.

Ware said God created men and women equally in God's image but for different roles.

Those priorities may include rising early to feed the family, being available anytime to satisfy a husband's desires (barring a few "ungodly" or "homosexual" acts), seeking his approval regarding work, appearance, and leisure, and accepting that he has the "burden" of final say in arguments. After a wife has respectfully appealed her spouse's decision—a privilege she should not abuse—she must accept his final answer as "God's will for her at that time," Peace advises. The godly wife must also suppress selfish desires (for romance, a career, an equitable marriage), practice addressing her spouse in soothing tones, and maintain a private log of bitter thoughts to guide her repentance. "If you disobey your husband," Peace admonishes in The Excellent Wife, "you are indirectly shaking your fist at God."

.."The biggest coup of all, bring a team of radical right wing idealogues to the White House under the cover of Compassionate Conservatism.

Democrats and moderate Republicans have woken up and found themselves in an America ruled by people pushing forward intolerant, discriminatory policies....anti-woman, anti-gay, and anti-civil liberties, all in the name of God. The truth is we allowed this to happen by mostly remaining silent about the things that give meaning to people's lives."