Where do you believe women can serve in the Church?
“... A quick response would be to say anywhere except for men’s ministries.”
- I was somewhat assuming that this would be your stance. I do have one question for you. Do you believe that Women can be Husbands? I know it sounds funny but I think it is a very important issue. Here is why:
Tit 1:5 shows that Elders are to be appointed to there office. And 1 Tim 5:17 defines at least part of there job as preaching and teaching, that is not the totality, but anyone who does such things should be considered an Elder.
Tit 1:6 says that an Elder must be the Husband of one Wife. This is echoed in 1 Tim 3:2. 1 Tim 3:5 asks the Question - if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? Again, the idea being that the elder must be male.
In fact, when looking at what is said about elders, there is no feminine or neutered gender involved, it is all male. ( This is of course in the Greek).I would love someone to supply an argument detailing why women can be pastors, in response to this. Also, I would like to make a few things clear. This is not a statement on the worth of women, or even on the ability of women, but simply of the office that is to be held and the qualifications and requirements of being an Elder. Not making the cut is not a bad thing, many men, many elders today in American churches don't make the cut, this does not demean there worth in any sense.
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Man, I hate federal headship. I'm so glad I'm not obligated to answer these kind of questions anymore.
Why? This is a relatively easy issue as far as issue's go
Easy to find biblical statements about? Yes. Easy to accept or explain away? No. I find 1 Tim 2:11-14 in particular to be disturbing. Saying there are tougher issues doesn't make it any less tough. It's like saying murder isn't that bad of a sin compared to serial killing. It's still bad. (This is not to say that I'm comparing sexism to murder... or am I? I'm not sure myself. As they say, all sins are equal when taken to an extreme.)
Thankfully, it is a moot point for me since I no longer consider the Bible to be divinely inspired. Wow, it was harder than I thought for me to come out and say that so plainly.
1Ti 2:11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.
1Ti 2:12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.
1Ti 2:13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve;
1Ti 2:14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.
- It is funny that you find this disturbing, because I really don't think it is an issue at all.
I want to address this first - I have to say that to call this "sexism" is completely inaccurate terminology. This isn't sexism in the least, any more then a man not having an OB?Gyn is sexist. You seem to be coming from a presupposition that says all positions are available to all people, which is not granted in any society or religion, business ect. To the contrary there are requirements that include and exclude some people. This isn't sexist in any sense. Women are not excluded because they are women, they are excluded because the position of Elder is only open to husbands of one wife. There are many men who don't fit this either.
As to 1 Tim 2:11-14 -
What do you find to be "disturbing" here? It is a rather succinct explanation of why Men are the one's held to a higher standard of judgment(Jam 3:1).
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