Believe me, I have many, but I just know that I'm going to come across as completely ungracious, as I'm sure so often happens when I blog. Also, I don't even know where to start.
In a nutshell, right now, I'm quite happy with complementarian theology (no surprises there), although I do think there might be a case for women preaching under the authority of men. Yet my concessions on this only exist because of inconsistencies I've heard that are so ridiculous I think that they might as well. The other day I also had another thought - female missionaries who have taught God's Word to men and it seems as though He truly used them for that purpose as opposed to smiting them because they dared to teach the opposite sex.
Two other thoughts I'll mention (why does everything come to me in two's?).
I guess when I think of the women who I look to as godly examples, I'm looking to women who strongly adhere to comp-ism. None of the women I look to (Isobel Lin, Carmelina Read, Tara Thornley, Nicole Starling, Di Warren, Ainsley Poulos...) feel the need to teach men nor is it something that they feel the need to 'fight' for. I believe that God made men and women fundamentally different and therefore our roles in ministry will be different. Being a woman is not easy. Teaching women to be godly in this day and age has got to be an incredibly difficult task. There is so much to battle against. On top of this, women are responsible for their families, for their homes and for supporting their husbands. It takes a lot of strength, integrity and security in your God-given role to accept this and as opposed to lamenting the fact that women are apparently 'oppressed' by the church because they can't get up and preach, I'd rather do a damn good job of fulfilling the roles that I know without a shred of a doubt are mine. On top of this - there seems to be fewer and fewer men going into ministry. What's needed now is a focus on men and I think women should be encouraging them to take leadership. But this should not be at the expense of limiting women's roles or diminishing them - womens ministry is so important, there is so much for us to do and to lead in...
Why must women want to teach men? Are their other roles not as important? Are they lesser? Women have so many opportunities for ministry, that's been my experience anyway. I have my hands quite full without wanting to preach to a congregation at some stage. I get the whole 'gift-based' view, but where does that end? If you follow the thoughts through to its logical conclusion then... anyone should be able to use that argument to get up and teach.
I think that's all I feel like sharing for now.
I went to a youth leaders getaway this past weekend and was reminded from 1 Cor 12:1-11
ReplyDelete"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."
Often we choose ministry options thinking that it is better for us to use our gifts, rather than seeing that we are given gifts for the common good! This may mean that even though we are gifted in some way, we may need to fill in gaps elsewhere for the common good.
Hey Chris, your post has got me thinking. Matt Chandler made various arguments about gender over the w/end at Engage.
ReplyDeleteSome genuine questions, if I may:
1. What are some of the ways in which you understand men & women to be fundamentally different, beyond the obvious phsyical?
2. Do you think Egal. theology requires one to believe that there are no differences between men & women, that they are identical and interchangeable?
3. Where have you encountered the idea that all women must want to teach men and be pastors? (I've heard of this, but never quite figured out where it comes from)