“Angeke ngishunyayelwe ngumfati” and the Stained-Glass Ceiling: Challenging Patriarchal Exclusion of Women in Eswatini’s Churches

Introduction

In many Christian communities across Eswatini, the SiSwati phrase “angeke ngishunyayelwe ngumfati,” I will not be taught or preached to by a woman, is still heard in pews, meeting halls, and in churches. For some men, this expression reflects a deeply ingrained belief that women should not occupy roles of spiritual authority over men, since they feel she does not fit or qualify for such due to gender marginalization in Swazi men. While often presented as a cultural or biblical imperative, this stance manifests a patriarchal logic rather than an unavoidable theological truth.

Patriarchy and the Church in Eswatini

Across many church denominations in Eswatini and the wider Southern African context, women remain unrepresented in senior leadership roles in churches, which is a phenomenon scholars describe as a “stained-glass ceiling”, which are structural barriers that limit women’s advancement in church hierarchies despite their gifts and calling. Most religious institutions use biblical narratives to support their patriarchal exclusion of women. Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 read thus: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church” (KJV). This verse is interpreted in a way that gives men power to silence the voices of women in the church, which the context of the verse does not imply what they literally mean in the context of the verse.

Using a feminist approach to read such scriptures can lead to an understanding of the responsibilities the church and society have in inspiring women to take a lead and serve God like all men. This is supported by Resane (2024), who rightly observed that patriarchal readings rooted in cultural norms have contributed to the marginalization of women by selectively interpreting Paul’s writings to justify limited participation and leadership roles for women in worship. In some of Paul’s letters, women pray and prophesy publicly, for example, (RSV, 1 Corinthians 11:5) “But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth…” and with Pauline narratives that recognize women in active ministry roles like Phoebe, who was a deacon as narrated in Romans 16:1.

One of the strongest and widely cited Pauline passages that is used as a justification for restricting women from teaching, preaching, and occupying church leadership roles is 1 (KJV, Timothy 2:11-12) “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” This verse is misinterpreted because the context in which it was referring does not apply to the local context, and some scholars may even argue the originality of the meaning of the text. The same author of the Epistles in 1 Timothy 3:2 states that an overseer must be a husband of one wife, which, according to Korsah (2021), is a text that has been used to either ordain or avoid the ordination of women as church clergy. This shows how deeply the Bible has been used as a tool of women's oppression even in the church.

Globally, women lead nearly one-third of congregations in some Christian traditions, yet their presence fades at higher clerical ranks such as bishop or senior pastor (Holzinger, 2015). This shows that the challenge of undermining women even in the spheres of the church is also a global phenomenon, not just locally inclined. Such a statement shows the work that needs to be done by societies insofar as removing socially constructed barriers that limit women's growth. Some feminists have gone as far as opting for the total rejection of the Bible altogether, while some have the view that it needs to be interpreted by focusing on those texts that portray women positively instead of focusing on the negatives (Osiek, 1997).

A landmark example from Eswatini illustrates this dynamic. Pastor Zanele Shongwe, a senior leader within her denomination and the wife of a founder of one of the big charismatic churches in Eswatini, shared that resistance to her leadership often came not only from men but at times even from women influenced by gender bias rather than capability. Nevertheless, she stated: “I have accepted that some people will be for me and some not quite there … But I am grateful for those who support me with their prayers. Everyone is God’s child, those who say hurtful things to me and those who encourage me.” (Eswatini Observer, as cited in FlipHTML5, 2025). This is evidence that the society itself has accepted this gender sickness of undermining women as if they are lacking something to take church leadership roles. A clear fact is that most women have risen to the occasion when it comes to self-empowerment; they are highly educated and poses very good leadership skills than some male leaders.

Pastor Zanele’s testimony underscores how patriarchal exclusion affects both women leaders and the congregations they serve, not because of a lack of calling, but because of entrenched cultural and institutional norms. Social Constructionism Theory clearly articulates that norms and “truths” are socially constructed through interaction, tradition, and repetition; they are not fixed or natural. This is very true in this case because the patriarchal society has greatly encroached on the church to influence unacceptable gender imbalances to be accepted as normal by even the same women they oppress.

Voices from Local Church Leaders and Ministries

While resistance persists in some quarters, other leaders and ministries within Eswatini are pushing back against exclusionary norms. Women in Eswatini Baptist churches have organized training groups and ministries that equip women for discipleship and service, demonstrating commitment to spiritual growth beyond rigid gender roles (Smith, 2022). Leaders engaged in church forums throughout Eswatini emphasize that women must be encouraged to take on leadership roles and that reshaping perceptions about gender and authority is critical for both church health and community development (Eswatini Church Forum, 2026). Broader gender advocacy within Eswatini, including within faith-based forums, has highlighted how some male clergy misinterpret scriptures to confine women to subordinate roles, urging reinterpretation grounded in equality and mutual respect (Gender Links, 2015). These voices represent a shift in narrative that challenges the assumption behind “angeke ngishunyayelwe ngumfati” as a fixed religious truth and instead highlights a theology of partnership and shared ministry. Such efforts are supported by African Feminist Theology, whose scholarly works clearly advocate that religious texts and practices must be examined for gender bias and reinterpreted to affirm women’s full humanity and calling.

Theological and Social Considerations

Scholarship in African feminist theology has long critiqued patriarchal interpretations of scripture and church practice. African theologian Mercy Amba Oduyoye, a Ghanaian scholar, argues that churches must confront and move beyond structures that contribute to gender inequality, affirming that men and women are equal before God and that women’s roles in the church should not be restricted by cultural patriarchy (Oduyoye, 1934). This must not be seen as an action of doing mercy for women but as a responsibility that the church and society at large must castigate for complete change, so that we can live in a fair environment that treats both genders with equal respect and dignity that they deserve.

Similarly, research on gender and church leadership in Southern Africa has shown that structural gender biases are not a doctrinal necessity; they often shape gendered leadership dynamics. In some cases, women’s leadership is channeled into auxiliary groups such as women’s leagues rather than formal governance roles, maintaining the status quo of male governance (Chisale, 2020). In such cases, it is seen as belittling their abilities to occupy leadership positions. In addition, Musa Wenkosi Dube, a Botswana-based feminist scholar, argues that biblical interpretation should confront patriarchy and colonial influences simultaneously. Feminist postcolonial readings can transform how scripture is used in power structures like church leadership. (Dube & Wafula, 2017).

Sonene Nyawo from Eswatini, who has greatly contributed as an Eswatini feminist scholar, foregrounds in her research how religio-cultural constructions influence gendered identities and access to power in church and society, particularly in patriarchal contexts like Eswatini. She explores topics including women’s leadership, reproductive rights, gender-based violence, and sustainable development through a feminist lens, advocating for theological frameworks that challenge restrictive norms (Nyawo, 2020). Her key contributions are that gender norms in religion intersect with family, law, and society to shape women’s lived realities. Also, feminist theological inquiry is essential in reimagining church leadership and social justice (Nyawo, 2020). This is very encouraging to see highly educated and liberated women like her contributing such deep insights to academic work, which shapes how local hierarchies inside and outside of the church think about women and their roles outside of the kitchen.

The Broader African Perspective

Despite these common challenges faced by women in the church, some are thriving in such conditions of exclusion and patriarchal objectification. One example is that of Bishop Margaret Wanjira of Jesus Is Alive Ministries in Kenya, who has thrived in ministry for some time, though she confessed that she had been subjected to insults due to her status (Mwaura, 2005). She is an unmarried single mother who, according to patriarchal measurements, doesn’t qualify to preach and, let alone, lead a church. It is encouraging to note that some great women are swimming against the tides of marginalization, which (Mwaura, 2005) calls ministerial freedom; they preach, heal, and prophesy in churches (Nyawo, 2020). The work that is being done by feminists can’t go unnoticed in enlightening women to rise from the dustbin of patriarchal neglect to be fully aware of what they can do and to unleash their full potential in them, as far as church leadership roles are concerned.

Another key example of a woman who is making waves in church leadership spheres is that of Bishop Purity Nomthandazo Malinga, who is a South African theologian and church leader who became the first female Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA). Her historic election in 2019 marked a breakthrough in the denomination’s more than two-century history, symbolizing progress for women in religious leadership (Kumalo, 2020). Her journey to becoming a Presiding Bishop of the biggest mainline denomination in Southern Africa is applauded from a perspective that her nomination breaks the 212-year-old glass ceiling that limited women’s rise into leadership in the MCSA (Kumalo, 2020), this highlights a great breakthrough not for the MCSA church alone but raising hopes of women to the entire church bodies in the African continent and beyond.

The Cost of Exclusion

The exclusion of women from preaching and leadership is not without consequence. Under-utilization of Gifts is one of the cost that comes with the exclusion of women. Women comprise the majority of church membership in many Eswatini congregations, yet their representation in ordained or senior roles remains disproportionately low, which is a disconnection between participation and authority. Another effect of exclusion is modeling inequity, when young girls never see women preach or lead, the church inadvertently teaches that spiritual calling is gendered, which has negative consequences for societal norms. Discouraging discernment is also one of the costs that come with the exclusion of women because talented women who might pursue theological education or ministry leadership can be deterred when local norms suggest their preaching will not be accepted. It is why scholars like Claassens (2024) have challenged the disempowerment notions of womanhood as embedded in African cultures. It is very important to empower women to lead in churches, as they are part of the human race, lacking anything to qualify them for any leadership or preaching roles in the church.

Toward Inclusive Church Practice

To move beyond the restrictive interpretation encapsulated by “angeke ngishunyayelwe ngumfati,” churches in Eswatini might consider the following. Intentional training and mentorship for women in ministry and theology, recognizing their callings as equal partners in gospel proclamation. (Claassens, 2024) rightly suggest that the use of reinterpretation of the Book of Ruth to give a voice to the real-life experiences of ordinary women who are struggling to survive exclusion in the church. The use of dialogues on gender, scripture, and ecclesiology that distinguish cultural norms from biblical teaching can also help to remove the terror in the Bible (Thiede & Stiebert, 2025), which is full of objectification of women, let alone their abuse and exploitation by men, like in the story of Tamar, who was raped by Amnon. Lastly, institutional reforms that remove structural barriers to women’s advancement in leadership need to be done to have an inclusive church that doesn’t undermine women, but that sees them as imago dei which means the image of God.

Conclusion

“Angeke ngishunyayelwe ngumfati” reflects a cultural sentiment deeply embedded in some Eswatini church contexts, but it should not be mistaken for unchallenged biblical truth. By amplifying the voices of women leaders like Pastor Zanele, engaging with theological frameworks that affirm equal calling, and empirically confronting the barriers women face, the church in Eswatini can practice a more faithful and inclusive model of discipleship and leadership. With feminist voices being amplified, the works of Eswatini feminists like Sonene Nyawo give hope for a more inclusive church that does not undermine the efforts and abilities of women. 

References

Chisale, S. S. (2020). “Deliver us from patriarchy”: A gendered perspective of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa and implications for pastoral care. Verbum et Ecclesia, 41(1).

Claassens, L. J. M. (2024). Reinterpreting the Book of Ruth: African women’s survival and theological agency.

Dube, M. W., & Wafula, R. S. (2017). Postcoloniality, translation, and the Bible in Africa. Pickwick Publications.

Eswatini Church Forum. (2026). Mission and vision. https://eswatinichurchforum.org/

Gender Links. (2015, July 9). Swaziland: Addressing patriarchy in Swaziland. https://www.genderlinks.org.za/knowledge-hub/news/swaziland-addressing-patriarchy-in-swaziland-2015-07-09/

Haji, N. (2025, February 24). Title of article about Pastor Zanele. Eswatini Observer.

Holzinger, I. (2015). Women’s leadership in Christian congregations and denominations: Data summary on women leaders.

Korsah, K. (2021). Women, ordination, and biblical interpretation in contemporary African Christianity.

Kumalo, S. (2020). From Cabazi to Bruma: Purity Malinga’s rise to presiding bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae, 46(1).

Mwaura, P. N. (2005). Gender and power in African Christianity: African instituted churches and Pentecostal churches. In O. Kalu (Ed.), African Christianity: An African story. University of Pretoria.

Nyawo, S. (2020). Women’s leadership and participation in recent Christian formations in Swaziland: Reshaping the patriarchal agenda?

Oduyoye, M. A. (1995). Daughters of Anowa: African women and patriarchy. Orbis Books.

Osiek, C. (1997). The feminist and the Bible: Hermeneutical approaches.

Resane, K. T. (2024). Patriarchal readings of Paul and the marginalization of women in African churches.

Smith, L. D. (2022). Eswatini Baptist women fostering groups and discipleship.

Thiede, B., & Stiebert, J. (2025). Gender violence and biblical terror texts: Rereading narratives of abuse in scripture.