One some of the Blogs I read, there has recently been a brou-ha-ha over a conference in the States which seems to have decided that the non-ordination of women is a central Christian theological essential. Apparently the belief that women may not lead men in the church is as essential as any of the theological affirmations in the Nicene Creed.
The first thing I want to do is to offer the following weblinks as an antidote:
The God’s Word to Women blog spot
The God’s Word to Women website
and
The Christians for Biblical Equality website
As a woman who is training for ministry, I'm not going to be strident about this issue. I do think I understand why people hold the view that woman may not be ordained; I think I understand it because the denomination of my childhood holds this view. I understand, also, why I do not agree with it.
If those who believe in women's ordination believe that there will someday be a 'victory' in the sense of all Christians coming to accept the idea of women as ministers, then I have to say that I don't believe that the day will ever come. All we can do is to support one another - and by 'we' I don't just mean women in ordained ministry but all people who support them.
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5 comments:
I haven't heard of the conference, but I am not surprised either. My wife, a seminarian is preaching tomorrow, which is Mother's Day in the US. She is breaching the subject of feminine imagery for God: the Mothering God. She gave me a preview and it is pretty bold but pastorally tactful. I, as a man, do think the day will come when feminine imagery for God is generally accepted (I am aware that the Holocaust is still being doubted by some). Keep on and be encouraged that there is a place in the pulpit for women.
God has dealt with me all my life. I have always known that He had work for me to do. I tried handling my own life & bungled it. Finally, when I was 43 I went to seminary. Professors there were against women in ministry but I felt I had to be there. I am now 73 & have been the pastor of a Baptist church for 15 years. When God says "Quit," I shall quit. He is boss! Who am I to argue with Him? It is like Peter who needed food to eat. God let down a net filled with all kinds of animals that had been against Hebrew law to eat. God said, "Kill and eat." Peter said that it was against the rules to eat those animals. God asked Peter "Who made the laws?"
Don't argue with God.
Thanks, Christopher and Shirley.
Christopher, the Methodist Church of Great Britain has authorised a Eucharistic prayer in our Worship Book that refers to "God our Father and Mother". Shirley, your testimony is quite similar to mine - although I don't even know if I can begin to articulate it.
I knew that I was "going astry" when I chose a different life-path as a young person and that even took me away from the church for a very long time (although not away from God). Many people simply would not accept an inner-call of God as evidence of being called, but like you, I've found that God will have God's own way in the end. And I am thankful that I enjoyed my first career and that God blessed it.
I think it's important to recognise that Jesus' divinity wasn't located in his testicles. It only invites revival of pagan god/goddess dualities.
Gotta say ROTFL to that, really!
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