Research paper women in ministry
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Liberty University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
301
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
10
Uploaded by ConstableUniversePenguin6
The Role of Women in the Church
Adam Kirk Clayton
RLGN 301: Research and Writing for Religious Disciplines
June 26, 2023
1
One of the most highly debated topics in the church today encompasses the issue of women in church leadership. Some hold the view that women are permitted to serve in any area they see fit, while others believe there are restrictions for women in regard
regarding
to
leadership
positions
in the church. These opposing views are generally referred to as egalitarian and complementarian, respectively, though there is variation within each camp. Nevertheless
, egalitarians hold to the belief that men and women are equal in value and role, whereas complementarians, though they agree to equality in value, believe that men and women are complementary to one another through their separate and distinct roles. Linda Belleville rightly states, then, that the debate revolves largely around “the nature and scope of leadership roles open to women in the church.”
1
With that,
egalitarians
Belleville, an egalitarian, argues
argue
that there are no limitations for women in the church or the home. Inherent in this position is the view that equality and role are inseparable. Complementarians, on the other hand, hold to the view that while women and men are equal in value, there is a clear biblical mandate for separate roles, both
whether
in the church and
or
at home. While proponents of both positions generally adhere to scriptural authority
on either side appeal to Scripture
in supporting their position
, there is considerable support for the belief
from Scripture that women should abstain from assuming authoritative positions within the church due to
;
this support is derived from scriptural teachings the existence of on gender roles within the created order, that
the explicit instructions from Paul and other apostles for wives are to submit to their husband's authority, and the presence of
and from
examples of
men solel
y
exclusively
male examples occupying
holding
authoritative roles in the New Testament church.
1
Zondervan, Two Views on Women in Ministry
, edited by James R. Beck, (Grand Rapids, MI: HarperCollins Christian Publishing, 2001), 21.
ProQuest Ebook Central
, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=5608020. Created from liberty on 2023-06-15 04:44:17.
2
There is a tendency by S
s
ome have a tendecy
to conflate value of personhood with equality in gender roles. Yet, while Scripture teaches that all of mankind holds equal value, it also recognizes a distinction between the inherent worth of individuals and the specific roles assigned to them. Genesis 1 details the creation of humanity and shows the equality assigned to them by the Creator. Craig Blomberg states, “After everything else he created, God fashioned
דקש תיגח
‘
adam (adam) in in his image. Twice the narrator of Genesis uses this term as a collective singular, referring to this new species— humanity (Gen. 1:26, 27a).”
2
Prior use of תיגח
דקש
‘
adam r
r
efers to all of mankind
;
,
then, in verse 27b, there is a distinction made between male and female before returning to the plural form, indicating that all of mankind is given equal value. However, equality in value does not necessitate equality in role. The biblical text gives clear indications
Scripture clearly indicates
regarding who holds th
e role of
authority both in the church and in the home yet does not relegate the value of one gender over another. 1 Timothy 2 is often misunderstood as patriarchal since verses 9-15 contain instructions for how women should conduct themselves. Often overlooked, however, is the preceding verse which gives instructions toward men for the same purpose.
3
Therefore, a contextual study of the passage seems to present the text as being instructive towards proper conduct for men and women rather than a command for oppression.
4
Furthermore, whether written directly to the pastors (as is the case with Timothy and Titus) or to the church body, the recipient of the letter would have been the leader over that local church since they held the authority and responsibility of its members. These men held responsibility not only for 2
Zondervan,
Two Views
, 128.
3
Philip H. Towner, The Letters to Timothy and Titus
(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2006). ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=4860091
.
4
Douglas Mangum and E. Tod Twist, 1 Timothy
edited by Douglas Mangum and Derek R. Brown, Lexham
Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013).
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
3
themselves and their family, but for the church body also. With that, the church leader would be held accountable
,
in some regard
,
for ensuring that the members of its church body were being given proper instruction. Additiona
lly,
the instruction given to women in 1 Timothy 2 was on equal standing with the instruction given towards the men. As Robert Wall and Richard S
teele put it, “
The attentiveness of the congregation’s influential women is cued by ‘
likewise,
’
intimating that they share equally with men in the congregation’s worship
.”
5
T
his passage, then, continues the theme of equality with distinction, as does the issue of how husbands and wives a
re
to treat one another.
Both Peter and Paul ins
truct wive
s to submit to their husbands’ authority
. With that, it
It
also
logically follows that women should not be in positions of authority in the church
.
if, as Paul
and Peter instructed, they were to submit to the authority of their husbands. Genesis 3 provides the first indication that the husband should have authority over the wife. The New Testament affirms this stance (Ephesians 5:23-33; 1 Peter 3:5-6) in stating that wives are to submit to their husbands, just as the church submits to Christ. Some scholars, however, hold the view that Galatians 3:28 teaches that men and women have attained equality in roles through the work of Jesus Christ. Brenda Colijn defends this position by arguing that gender equality, prior to the death and resurrection of Christ, was only existent at the time of creation and was subsequently lost at the Fall.
6
This is the point at which Colijn believes women were placed in a lesser equal state. However, she contends that Christ’s resurrection signified a return to gender equality. While this is thought provoking, it does not follow from the biblical text. Additionally, this view conflates gender roles with equality of personhood.
5
Robert W. Wall and Richard B. Steele, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus (Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012
), 80
.
6
Brenda B. Colijn, “A Biblical Theology of Women in Leadership,” Ashland Theological Journal 34 (2002): 67- 80.
4
Galatians 3:28 has become the prooftext for many egalit
arian scholars
and has been used to defend this conflated idea. Many egalitarian scholars also regard Galatians 3:28 as a text by which to judge all other biblical texts. Peter Schemm contends that egalitarians place this verse in
priority over all other biblical texts relating to gender roles; thus, all other passages that seem to limit women are subservient to the prior interpretation of Gal. 3:28.
7
However, this interpretation ignores the surrounding context of the passage. Verses 23-27 refer to the law that was given as a protection for God’s people, leading up to verse 28 stating that, for those who have put on Christ,
like putting on new clothes, you are all one in Christ. Therefore, this passage does not refer to gender roles and should not be used as a pretext for other biblical passages.
There are no New Testament examples given of women serving in authoritative roles in the church. Regarding the existence of women in authoritative roles in the New Testament, there does not appear to be any. However, there is some evidence that women served as deacons in the church. But first, the term “deacon” must be defined. There is some debate over how the Greek word for deacon (διάκονος) should be demarcated, however, many scholars agree that the term denotes a servant position. Eduard Schweizer defines diakonos as “a word that is entirely unbiblical and non-religious and never includes association with a particular dignity or position.”
8
He further contends that, though this term was sometimes associated with serving someone at a table, it was also used in a general sense of serving. In addition, John Collins studied the usage of diakonia by a plethora of authors between the 6
th
century BC and the 5
th
century AD and discovered that it was more commonly used to refer to someone who was a go-
7
Peter R. Schemm, Jr., “Galatians 3:28 – Prooftext or Context?” Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood 08:1 (Spring 2003) 23-30. https://cbmw.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/8-1.pdf 8
Eduard Schweizer, Church Order in the New Testament
, trans. Frank Clark (Naperville, IL: Alec R. Allenson, 1961), 174.
5
between, or mediator.
9
This understanding is not dissimilar to the idea of a waiter who goes between the table and the kitchen, serving those at the table. The role of deacon did not hold authoritative weight in the church
. By example, Paul’s greeting to the church at Philippi (Philippians 1:1) creates a distinguish
ment
between overseer
s and deacons.
A distinguishing factor for deacons as lesser than other positions in the church is in the way Paul refers to deacons, differentiating them from overseers, such as in his greeting to the church at Philippi (Philippians 1:1). Further support is discerned in the way he separates these two roles in the coming verses by the responsibilities and qualifications associated with them. As
well, it is clear that the office of deacon does not hold the responsibility of leading or teaching. Since the office of deacon is the only role in Scripture that explicitly states occupancy by women, it further supports the idea that not only were women not given roles of authority, but it also shows that they were instrumental to the local church and the Church as a whole. Many scholars have pushed back against the idea that women were not permitted to serve
in leadership roles. Oftentimes, though, their exegetical approach is severely lacking. Such is the case with Belleville in the book entitled, Discovering Biblical Equality: Biblical, Theological, Cultural, and Practical Perspectives
. Here
,
Belleville argues that women are shown as leaders throughout the Old and New Testament Scriptures
; however
, her conclusions
commit eisegesis. . Unfortunately, her methods at times tend toward eisegesis rather than exegesis. For example, Belleville states, “From early on, women were affirmed as leaders. Miriam is a good example. She is portrayed in the Exodus narratives as a leader… and is accorded a level of respect similar to that of Aaron and Moses. The congregation of Israel viewed her role as essential to its mission, refusing to move ahead on 9
John N. Collins, Diakonia: Re-interpreting the Ancient Sources
(New York: Oxford University Press, 1990), 335.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
6
one occasion until she was restored to leadership… (Num 12:15).”
10
Belleville’s defense that Miriam held a position of authority comes from her assertion that the Israelites refused to leave until she was restored. However, her reference of Numbers 12:15 does not give much insight without the proper context. For instance, why was Miriam separated from the group in the first place? According to Numbers 12:1-3, Aaron and Miriam criticized Moses for marrying a Cushite
woman. They questioned whether the Lord had spoken only to Moses or to them as well. God heard this and called the three of them to the Tabernacle where he approached them in a “pillar of cloud.” God chastises Aaron and Miriam saying Moses is the only one He trusts and will speak with clearly, not in riddles, and face to face. Why, then, He asks, were they not afraid to criticize Moses? With that. The Lord went away and, as He did, Miriam was overtaken with leprosy and sent away from the camp. Aaron sees what has happened to her and begs that they not be punished for their sins. Moses appeals to the Lord to heal Miriam and to allow her back into the camp. The Lord requires that Miriam be kept outside of the camp for seven days before she will be accepted back into the camp. This concludes verse 14, entering verse 15, where it states that the camp awaited Miriam’s return so that they could move forward. Yet it was not because of any authoritative position Miriam held that caused the camp to remain while she was exiled. Rather, it was only due to the appeal of Moses to the Lord and His grace on Miriam that she was allowed to return after a time. Therefore, there is nothing in the surrounding context of Numbers 12:15 that would suggest that Miriam held a level of importance so that camp refused to leave without her. Instead, it was the authority of Moses, given by the Lord, that grace was extended to Miriam, and she was allowed to return to camp. 10
Ronald W. Pierce, Cynthia Long Westfall, eds.
Discovering Biblical Equality: Biblical, Theological, Cultural, and Practical Perspectives
(Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2021) 61. Accessed June 7, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central.
7
Though the debates surrounding the topic of women in church leadership will continue, there seems to be a clear biblical teaching regarding the roles assigned by God to both men and women. Gender roles are not only inherent based on the created order, but they are necessary for human flourishment. Likewise, the roles of husband and wife are integral to a God-honoring marriage, regardless of human perception as it relates to supposed inequality. Furthermore, it seems clear from the text of Scripture that authoritative roles are designed specifically to be occupied by men. That is not to say that women are not allowed to serve the church in any capacity, rather that they are mandated to do so in a way that does not usurp the authority of their
husbands in the home or other men in the church. While relegating the many nuanced positions on this topic to simply egalitarian or complementarian is not favorable, it does allow for a baseline from which to understand the nuanced positions. With that, the biblical teaching appears
to align more closely with a complementarian, or soft complementarian, position.
8
Bibliography
Colijn, Brenda B. “A Biblical Theology of Women in Leadership.” Ashland Theological Journal
34 (2002) 67- 80. Collins, John N. Diakonia: Re-interpreting the Ancient Sources.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.
Mangum, Douglas, and E. Tod Twist. 1 Timothy
. Edited by Douglas Mangum and Derek R. Brown. Lexham Research Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013.
Pierce, Ronald W., and Westfall, Cynthia Long, eds.
Discovering Biblical Equality: Biblical, Theological, Cultural, and Practical Perspectives
. Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2021. Accessed June 7, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central.
Schemm, Jr., Peter R. “Galatians 3:28 — Prooftext or Context?” Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood 08:1 (Spring 2003) 23-30. https://cbmw.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/8-1.pdf
Schweizer, Eduard. Church Order in the New Testament
, trans. Frank Clark. Naperville, IL: Alec
R. Allenson, 1961.
Towner, Philip H. The Letters to Timothy and Titus
. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2006. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=4860091
.
Wall, Robert W. and Richard B. Steele.
1 and 2 Timothy and Titus
. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012.
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=4860085.
Zondervan.
Two Views on Women in Ministry
. Grand Rapids: HarperCollins Christian Publishing, 2001. Accessed June 6, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
9
Revisions
The primary focus of the revision process for me was to correct or clarify my thesis statement and the topic sentence for each paragraph. These issues were pointed out by the professor and became apparent to me as well in the revision process. The methods I used for revision were to copy and paste the thesis statement as well as each topic sentence into a new document and read it through. This was very helpful in identifying where I may have been inconsistent in my writing and where there was an illogical flow. Then, I proceeded to make corrections as necessary. I believe that I addressed all of the instructor’s comments and made corrections as necessary. He pointed out where I had created a new paragraph in an area that did not make sense or meet the criteria of the assignment. The revisions I made helped to be clearer in my arguments while also maintaining a logical flow throughout.