I believe there is complete equality between men and women. And I

Jimmy Carter’s words rise with both humility and conviction: “I believe there is complete equality between men and women. And I believe those passages in the New Testament, not by Jesus, but by Paul, that say women should not adorn themselves, they should always wear hats or color their hair in church—things like that—I think they are signs of the times and should not apply to modern-day life.” Here speaks not only a man of faith but also a man of conscience, one who seeks to distinguish eternal truth from cultural custom, divine principle from human tradition.

When Carter affirms complete equality between men and women, he echoes a truth older than scripture and older than law: that all humans share the same breath of life, the same dignity, the same capacity to love, labor, and create. For centuries, women have been diminished under the shadow of selective readings of sacred texts. Yet Carter calls us to remember that Jesus himself never placed women beneath men, but lifted them—speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well, defending Mary of Bethany, appearing first after resurrection to women before any man. Thus, Carter distinguishes the voice of Christ, rooted in liberation, from the restrictions added later by others, bound by the customs of their age.

The mention of Paul’s writings is vital, for it reveals the struggle of interpretation. Paul, a towering figure of the early church, lived in a world where patriarchy was the unquestioned order. His instructions about women covering their heads, remaining silent, or not adorning themselves reflect not eternal decrees but the cultural fabric of his time. Carter, with discernment, names them as signs of the times, not commands for eternity. The ancients often faced this same challenge—how to separate the eternal flame of truth from the clay vessels that carried it. Carter urges us to read with wisdom, not with chains, so that faith may guide us toward justice rather than bind us to outdated customs.

History gives us shining examples of this principle. Consider Sojourner Truth, the former slave who, in her famous 1851 speech, asked: “Ain’t I a woman?” She confronted not only the chains of slavery but also the misinterpretations of scripture used to justify her exclusion from equality. She declared that Christ came from a woman, that God’s truth does not diminish women but honors them. Her life was a living argument for Carter’s conviction: that scripture must be read in the light of justice, not used as a weapon of suppression.

Carter’s words also remind us of the danger when religion is confused with cultural dominance. For many ages, women were told they could not speak in church, could not lead, could not study, could not even adorn themselves without sin. But these restrictions, Carter suggests, are not the eternal commands of God but the passing rules of men. The true test of faith is whether it upholds justice, love, and equality—for without these, all rituals are hollow. Just as the prophets of Israel denounced empty sacrifices, so too Carter warns us not to mistake cultural norms for divine truth.

The lesson is clear: do not confuse the eternal with the temporary, nor mistake custom for truth. Each generation must discern anew which parts of tradition are the clothing of their age and which are the eternal bones of justice. To honor women as equals is not to break faith, but to fulfill it. To deny them is to betray the very essence of divine love. The words of Paul may carry wisdom, but they must be weighed against the higher measure of Christ’s example, which consistently exalted the dignity of women.

Therefore, let us act. In our homes, honor women as equals. In our churches, schools, and governments, open doors for their leadership. In our interpretations of sacred texts, seek always the deeper truth of justice and love, not the passing customs of ages long gone. For Carter’s voice, like that of the prophets, calls us to a higher fidelity—not to tradition alone, but to the eternal law of equality.

Thus, Jimmy Carter’s words remind us that faith is not a prison, but a path. It must be walked with courage, with discernment, and with a commitment to equality between men and women. If we heed his wisdom, we will not be bound by the shadows of ancient customs, but guided by the light of truth that shines across all ages: that every human being, man or woman, is worthy of full dignity, freedom, and love.