The Question Of Women In Ministry
The Question Of Women In Ministry
The issue of women in ministry has plagued the Church for millennia. Interestingly, it's only referred to a few times in the Epistles, and then in the context of the conduct of believers in particular churches. Bible scholars and Christians of good conscience hold various opinions on the subject.
The two main Scriptures at issue are 1 Corinthians 14:31-35 and 1 Timothy 2: 11-15.
31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in Church. 1 Corinthians 14:31-35 ESV
11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. 1 Timothy 2:11-15 ESV
A surface reading of these Scriptures would, for some people, leave no doubt: 'women are not allowed to speak, teach or have any position of authority in the Church'. If it were as simple as that, we could all close our Bibles and go on to the next issue.
However, it's not that simple. Anyone with a basic understanding of church history or who has completed a 'Beginner's New Testament Survey, 1.01' would know that it's not that simple. Why isn't it that simple?
Because the interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:31-35 and 1 Timothy 2: 11-15, which says 'women are not allowed to speak, teach or have any position of authority in the Church', was not the practice of the New Testament church. Nor was it Paul's ministry practice and it was not consistent with Paul’s other teachings.
We are left, then, with the possibility that the Apostle Paul was either confused in his teaching or that there is a more nuanced understanding of these scriptures that would give more light to what Paul was saying to the Church.
It’s worth noting that the New Testament church had many cultural and geographical contexts that we don't share today. These vastly different cultural norms would have given meaning to 1st Century readers, that may not be obvious to us.
For example, the Journal of Biblical Literature (Spring 2004 pp75-84), discusses how a woman's hair was considered by the Greeks, since the time of Hippocrates, as having a similar function to genitalia. I doubt this was foremost in Paul's mind when he wrote the scriptures concerning women's head coverings, but this cultural context may have influenced Paul's instructions. It is easy to see how culturally, in the 1st Century, a lady in Church with her head uncovered may be similar in today's society to a lady dressed very provocatively and disrespectfully.
A good way of giving context to Paul's epistles is to look at how he walked out his faith. How Paul treated women in ministry, how he appreciated them and what he expected from them should inform us when we consider these difficult passages.
So, before we discuss 1 Corinthians 14:31-35 and 1 Timothy 2: 11-1, let's look at how the New Testament church, and the Apostle Paul, walked out their beliefs about women in ministry.
Dr Sandra Richter, who holds a Masters in Theology from Gorden-Cornwell, a PhD from Harvard and is a Chair of Biblical Studies at Westmont College, CA, with profound simplicity says:
"Deborah was not a mistake. Huldah was a Prophet. Junia was not a man. Romans 16 is not an anomaly. Priscilla was a preacher. And the women prophesying in 1st Corinthians 11 were exercising the most treasured and authoritative gift of their known covenant. If a woman is called and gifted, Church, it is your job to recognise that gift, develop it, and deploy it. This isn't your Kingdom, it is His.”
What Sandra Richter was highlighting is that Scripture as a whole, testifies to a different understanding of 1 Corinthians 14:31-35 and 1 Timothy 2: 11-1, than what some in today's church hold.
The Bible names four Old Testament prophetesses: Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Noadiah, and there's an unnamed prophetess in Isaiah 8:3. Female prophets in the Old Covenant brought God's Word and led the nation.
It would be a sad irony if, in the New Covenant, with the 'freedom' we have in Christ, women did not have at least the same privileges, authority and responsibility as they had under the Old Covenant.
In Acts 2:17, daughters of the New Covenant are to 'prophesy' alongside the men. There is no hint that their ministry is in any way inferior. In Acts 21:9 four unmarried girls were prophetesses. It would be novel if there were prophetesses who were not allowed to speak.
Romans chapter 16 lists nine women who were ministers and partners in Paul's ministry.
Junius was 'foremost' amongst the Apostles. That means she had a first class apostolic ministry. She had most likely been with Jesus, was sent from the Church in Jerusalem and recognised widely as an excellent minister.
Priscilla and her husband, Aquila, were Paul's 'co-workers'. They ministered and travelled with Paul. They even corrected and taught other prominent ministers, such as Apollos.
The interesting thing about Pricilla and Aquila is that whenever they are mentioned, she is mentioned first. This is significant. She was likely recognised as having the foremost gifting and calling. Aquila, her husband, probably played a supportive role in their ministry.
My sister, Carolyn, is a missionary minister and has been for many years. She has a wonderful husband, Tim, who is a successful businessman. He travels with Carolyn and runs his business on the mission field, as well as ministering on occasions. At home, he is the head of the family. At family events, we usually refer to 'Tim and Carolyn'. In ministry, people usually refer to 'Carolyn and Tim'.
Phoebe (Romans 16:1) was a partner in ministry with Paul, a deacon and a leader in the early Church.
Paul, who had never been to Rome, entrusted her with his letter to the Roman Church. But, before one embarrasses themselves by thinking, "Big deal, so they had women mail workers!" we need to understand that this was an extremely responsible position.
Most likely, Paul would have gone over the major theses of the book of Romans with Phoebe. Let that sink in for a minute. Paul sat down with Phoebe and took the time to explain the book of Romans to her. I believe there'd be a few males in the early Church and a few male pastors in today's Church who would love to be in that position.
Phoebe would likely have been given the job of reading the Epistle to all the house churches around Rome and teaching the church leaders its key doctrines. This would be why Paul commended Phoebe to the Church in Rome. The word 'commend' means to introduce someone in a way that brings them together for a purpose. A purpose that often included teaching. Paul's ministry to the Church in Rome was to be completed by the ministry of Phoebe.
Why did Paul entrust a female, Phoebe, with this privilege? Because she was a trusted and respected minister of the Gospel, a co-worker with Paul, respected by the New Testament church. Paul had no issues with women in the ministry. You could say he chose Phoebe because she was the best man for the job.
Respected British New Testament theologian and 1st Century historian Bishop N.T, Wright was asked if it was his position that "the New Testament doesn't prohibit women from teaching and leading on the local church". He replied, "No, that's not my position. My understanding from Scripture is that the New Testament encourages women to preach, teach and be in leadership."
Wright explained that all New Testament teaching should be centred on and filtered by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
N.T. Wright points out that women were the first people to preach and teach the Gospel. The angel at Jesus' tomb instructed Mary to proclaim the risen Saviour.
Most historians and New Testament scholars agree that this was a masterful piece of staging by our Lord. In a male-centric society, where a woman's role was subservient and where women were often ignored, God chose a woman to be the first Gospel preacher. It didn't have to be this way. The angel could have said, "Go and get Peter, so he can see that Jesus has risen, and then he, because he is a male, will be able to preach the Gospel". Does that sound ridiculous? You're right; it is.
According to Wright, any interpretation of Scripture regarding the role of women in ministry should be framed in the light of Paul's declaration to the Galatians; “In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, not male or female.”
“For all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free man; there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:27-29 NASB
This is the message of the cross. Male and female are both baptised into Christ. When a woman ministers in Christ, it's not a rebellious feminist who ministers; it's someone 'in Christ’, regardless of gender.
If any section of the Christian Church was to have a well-developed theology on limiting women in ministry, it would be the Roman Catholic Church. However, in 1976 the Roman Catholic Pontifical Biblical Commission, Catholicism's most revered body on Biblical theology (as contrasted to 'Church' theology), stated the scriptures do not support the Catholic Church's ban on ordaining women as priests. Instead, the commission voted 12-5 in favour of the view that Scripture does not exclude the ordination of women. And 12-5 in favour of the view that the Church could ordain women to the priesthood without going against Christ's original intentions.
T.L. Osborn was possibly the most significant healing evangelist of the modern era. He and his wife, Daisy, pioneered mass-healing crusades. In an unblemished ministry for over fifty years, T.L. and Daisy reached more in the third world than any before him and perhaps anyone since.
T.L. Osborn politely but humorously mocked the modern pentecostal view of women in ministry, and much of the pentecostal Church respectfully, if reluctantly, listened. After all, this was a man who had seen more people healed and more lives saved than most of their ministries combined.
In his book, 'If I Were a Woman', T.L. wrote;
“If I were a woman, I would embrace the good news that any redeemed woman has Christ's authority to be His witness, His co-worker, and His messenger anywhere and to anyone, privately or publicly - to the uttermost part of the earth. Every woman on earth has unlimited possibilities in God. Redemption cannot be qualified sexually any more than it can be qualified economically, racially, or socially. Any woman or any man who becomes a new creature in Christ can become His co-worker and representative on any level of private or public ministry to which she or he feels led or called or inspired by Him to serve.”
We must understand that some Scripture commands are universal in nature throughout all the Church and in all ages. 'Love one another’ is a good example. Other commands of Scripture have a range of applications that vary from time to time and from culture to culture. They are based on solid scriptural principles, with various cultural expressions.
General William Booth of the Salvation Army would not distribute communion wine to the alcoholics in the slums of London and the scriptural advice to 'great one another with a brotherly kiss' may need some caution in certain cultures and communities.
The Scripture could not include every single application in all of the world's cultures over the millennia. To find out how Scripture applies in our culture, we are to 'rightly divide' the Word of truth.
In light of all this, let's look at the passages in 1 Corinthians 14:31-35 and 1 Timothy 2: 11-15. In doing so, I don't hope to resolve all the apparent conflicts or answer every possible question. Neither am I aiming at a definitive statement on the subject.
I aim to introduce a window to possible alternate readings of these passages. That is, alternate to the male-dominated doctrines taught by some. Hopefully, it brings into light an understanding more consistent with the practices of the New Testament church and other teachings of Paul.
It would help to understand the secular situation of women in religious ministry that Paul needed to address.
Paul was writing to Timothy as the senior pastor of the Church at Ephesus. A church, by the way, which Paul founded with the excellent ministry of his co-labourer, Priscilla- a female; in case the point was missed. There was wisdom in Paul taking Priscilla (and Aquila) with him to found the Church in Ephesus because Ephesus was the home of the cult of "the great Ephesian goddess Artemis" or Diana.
Female priests dominated Diana's temple and the religious life of Ephesus. Human nature being as it is, you can imagine the controlling, manipulative nature of many of the ladies of Ephesus who chose to become priestesses of Diana.
As well as this, sexual manipulation and sin abounded in the Ephesus religious scene, again, controlled chiefly by women. Some of these women were probably saved and joined the Church!
In this cultural context, Paul wrote to Timothy. His primary objective in 1st Timothy was to guide Timothy in training other leaders, especially in correct doctrine. Paul included women in this process of 'receiving instruction'. This itself was counter-cultural. It was advancing the role of women in the Church by including them in discipleship.
When Paul says 'I do not allow women’, he uses the word 'allow' or 'permit' in a sense which may be limited by time and circumstance. Other times when the same word, 'permit' is used, it has a time and purpose limited application (ref. Eptitreo in Strongs, G2010 in 1 Cor 16:7, Acts 21:39 & 27:3). Paul could have chosen another word which would imply an enduring instruction, but he didn't. It appears that Paul’s guidance to Timothy was given for a specific purpose, to address specific error in a specific place and time.
The word Paul uses for 'authority' (I do not allow women to take, or usurp, authority over the man, vs 12, ‘authentic, Strongs G831), is more difficult to understand. It is used only once in the New Testament. When it was used in the writings of early church fathers it was to address people who had improperly usurped authority. Paul's use of this unique word is understandable in the context of the Temple culture in Ephesus, where the priestesses exerted devilish control through deception.
Dr Gary Hoag, a Christian scholar who has taught at Denver Seminary, Colorado Christian University and BIOLA University, explains that the cult of Artemis required priestesses to braid their hair as an expression of sexual lusts.
They taught, not only that men were created by women, but that if people did not worship Diana and ‘serve’ her sexual lusts, their women would die during childbirth. The temple priestesses taught by chanting their devilish creeds out load, yelling over the crowd in the Temple.
For two thousand years, legalistic minds have ignored new creation realities, Paul’s other teachings and his ministry example. Instead, they’ve used Paul’s peculiar guidance to Timothy as a universal instruction to deny half of the Church their freedom and purpose in Christ. Precisely the opposite of what the Scripture intended.
Paul’s likely intent was for the Church in Ephesus not to be deceived by the satanic doctrines of Diana. So, 1 Timothy 2:8-12 possible means something along the lines of:
“I want the men to stop arguing, instead praying anywhere and everywhere, respectfully honouring God. Ladies, don't dress seductively like Diana's priestesses. While I'm on the topic, stop interrupting Bible study and discipleship classes by chanting in church. Don't try to take control of the male teachers whom Timothy has appointed, especially when you haven't been schooled in the Gospel. You can’t just take control of church meetings like Dianna's priestesses. You need to learn the ways of Christ and you will be preserved in childbirth.”
I understand that I've taken some liberty in paraphrasing Paul's letter to Timothy. Nevertheless, I believe it is consistent with the Scripture and the culture in Ephesus and true to the passage's intent.
Similarly, Paul's instruction in 1 Corinthians 14 for women to be silent in Church, must be understood in the light of Paul's teaching on women preaching (prophesying) in Church (1 Corinthians 11:5).
The ESV Study Bible explains this passage by saying that worship services may have become out of order by people prophesying, speaking in tongues and calling out for interpretations. It may have been culturally disgraceful for a woman to speak in Church. It is appropriate that worship is orderly and respected by both men and women.
Other scholars point out that in the 1st Century church, recently saved women were unlikely to have received training in the scriptures as the men had. In Jewish custom of the time, young boys received training in the Torah, which was denied the young girls.
The word for ‘women’ in the New Testament, is the same as the word for ‘wife’. It may well be that Paul was saying that during a church service, when others were ministering the Word, was not the time for wives to quiz their husbands. They were to do that at home.
Interestingly, Paul was concerned that the women could learn and ask questions- just not in the middle of someone else's sermon. Paul was not saying that women, per see, were not to preach to a congregation, indeed he expressly permits this in 1 Corinthians 11:5.
This point alone should silence any thought that women were banned from preaching in church. 1 Corinthians 11:5 permits women to prophesy in the local Church. It would be evident to the Church in Corinth that Paul's admonition for 'women to keep silent in the Church’ was not supposed to restrict women preachers!
Whatever is the best reading of these scriptures, it is clear that despite many social pressures to the contrary, the New Testament church had numerous female ministers, deacons, leaders, Apostles and preachers. Women in ministry were valued and honoured.
All church leaders, preachers and pastors should willingly submit to various levels of authority. Regardless of gender, we are all to submit to each other.