Women In Leadership part 1 – Introduction
[audio:WomenInLeadershipPart1.mp3|titles=Women In Leadership part 1|artists=Christian St John]
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“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
Theodore Weld, assistant to the great evangelist Charles G. Finney, said more than a century ago, “The devil of dominion over women will be one of the last that will be cast out of man.” (1) He was saying this in response to, and to counter, the interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:12 that was popular among the theologians of his day, in which they said that Paul’s restriction of women teaching and having authority over men was a once and for all command. Now over one hundred years later has anything changed? Has the church widely accepted women as teachers, preachers, and leaders in the church? Or is the church holding steadfast to the “men only” interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:12?
Based on a paper I wrote back in 2004 the purpose of this series is to look at the issue of women in leadership within the church. I will look into both sides of the argument as to whether or not women should, or could, be in a position of leadership within a church context.
I will do this by first looking at and examining the biblical text in question. I will then look at women who are, or have been, in leadership and ask the questions: Where and how do women fit into the church? How does our interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:12 dictate how we run churches, do outreach, and ultimately affect the body of Christ?
Note: In no way is this series intended to advocate feminism. I am simply trying to look at the oneness, unity, and equality in the body of Christ using the issue of women in leadership within the church as a background to this study.
1 TIMOTHY 2:12
Possibly one of the most controversial verses of Scripture in the modern church, 1 Timothy 2:12 has baffled and confused both laypeople and theologians alike as they have tried to figure out exactly what Paul meant by his writing and why he wrote it. “I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead she is to be silent.” (1 Tim. 2:12) On the surface it seems straight forward enough. Paul is forbidding women to teach and be in a place of leadership over a man. Instead she is to simply be silent. But does this mean the case is closed?
Some would believe so. Theologians who take the view that Paul was writing to all women throughout all the ages say that 1 Timothy 2:12 is Paul’s total ban on women ever having a position of leadership in the church. They state that it is the apostle’s absolute prohibition against ever putting a woman in a position of authority over a man and ultimately leadership. Douglas Moo in his book What Does It Mean Not To Teach or Have Authority in Rediscovering Biblical Manhood and Woman Hood states with regards to this, “Paul’s prohibition of women’s having authority over a man would exclude a woman from becoming an elder.” (2) Likewise, Charles Swindoll, a man of God that I greatly admire also accepts this view. He states in his book, Excellence In Ministry, “The role of authoritative delivery of the Word to men is restricted to men,” and that, “women should focus on listening instead of preaching.” (3)
However, others hold the view that this is a somewhat misleading, or wrong, interpretation of this passage of Scripture, pointing to the issue of women teaching and having authority over man as purely contextual and that this can, and has, been proven.
Next week, Monday thru Friday, I will be posting the remaining five parts of this series, so join me Monday as I continue to look at the issue of women in leadership right here on HardcoreFaith.com
Christian St John M.Div, BChM, ACS
July, 2009
Picture by Ariel da Silva Parreira
Quotes:
1. Theodore Weld as quoted by Dorothy Pape, In Search of God’s Ideal Woman (Illinios: Intervarsity Press, 1976), 206
2. Douglas Moo, What Does It Mean Not To Teach or Have Authority in Rediscovering Biblical Manhood and Woman Hood (Michigan: Zondervan, 1985), 183
3. Charles Swindoll, Excellence In Ministry (Anaheim: Insight for Living, 1996), 44
This sure is a hot button topic isn’t it? I’ll bet it was very controversial in the 1st century, too, where Paul was trying to bring together Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and masters, to worship in one place. What a train wreck it must have been sometimes!
Though it is controversial, I think it’s great that you are dealing with it. A lot of people leave the topic alone because it stirs up so much ill feeling. And yet if we don’t face into it, we might miss what God is saying to the churches.
The first time I preached at Silver Valley I felt anxious because I knew that my parents who are amazing Christians, would not approve. I wanted to honor them but I also wanted to preach. In order to go ahead and not feel I was in rebellion against God, I had to really search the Bible. What surprised me was when I came across the female scripture teacher, Priscilla. I had always known that she and her husband taught the scriptures to Apollos and helped him become a better leader. But what I hadn’t realized is that Priscilla and Aquilla showed up all over the New Testament.
They started off in Italy. Paul met them in Corinth, and they traveled with him to Syria. Paul then traveled again with the couple and dropped them off at Ephesus where I presume they helped equip the church there. He called both of them his fellow workers. They were well known amongst the churches in Asia and there was a church that met in their house.
I wonder – considering that Priscilla had such accomplished teaching gifts (Apollos was already very knowledgeable but she was more so, and was already established in that knowledge before she met Paul) was she just sitting there, silent, while the saints were meeting in her own home? I kinda doubt it.
So for me, she’s the missing link and gives me hope.
And that is why I’m posting this series… to give women hope. For too long women have been made to feel like second class citizens, not by God but by those who would call themselves his sons. I personally think the “big picture” issue is not about gender but about the heart. Anyways, I’m getting ahead of myself… tune in Monday to catch the next part in this series!
Blessings