Gender and the Church - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Gender and the Church

The Big OneSlide2

Why is it important to talk about this?

You deserve to know

There are those in danger of losing their connection to the church if this doesn’t go the way they want it to.

The way that Scripture is interpreted is involved.Slide3

Personal History

Great aunt – First SDA academy principal

Mother – First SDA academy business manager

My mother was seriously underpaid during much of her career.

I have been back and forth on this

issue.Slide4

History of Women in the ChurchSlide5

During the life of E.G. White

Many women preached. They were on the payroll. None of them were ordained.

Mrs. White was never ordained “with human hands.” Her claim was to an ordination direct from God.

In the years after her death, the formal work of women in ministry dropped

to nothing.Slide6

1968 – The church in Finland requests WOSlide7

1972 Potomac Conference

Josephine Benton ordained as the first woman elderSlide8

Mohaven Documents

1973 Camp

Mohaven

– Danville, Ohio

Content remarkably similar to the content of the recent Theology of Ordination Study Committee (TOSC)Slide9

1975 Spring Council

“That

in harmony with the spirit and intent of

paragraph

3 of

the Annual

Council 1974 action

pages

12-14) the greatest discretion and

caution be

exercised in the ordaining of women to the office of local elder,

counsel being

sought in all cases by the local conference/mission from the union

and division

committees before proceeding

.”

Also initiated the ordination of deaconessesSlide10

1975 Role of Women Study GroupSlide11

1984 Autumn Council

“To

advise each division that it is free to make provision as it may deem necessary for the election and ordination of women as local church elders

.”Slide12

1985 Role of Women in the Church Study CommitteeSlide13

1988 – 1989

1988 Commission on the Role of Women 1

1989 Commission on the Role of Women 2Slide14

1990 General Conference

July 11, 1990 at the General Conference session in Indianapolis the issue was addressed

Women as pastors would not be welcomed in most of the world.

Strong support for the worldwide meaning of ordination

No consensus regarding Scripture/EG White

“…we do not approve ordination of women to the gospel ministry.”

Yes – 1173 No – 377Slide15

1995 General Conference

July 5, 1995 Utrecht,

Netherlands

Brought at the request of the North American Division

“The General Conference vests in each division the right to authorize the ordination of individuals within its territory in harmony with established policies. In addition, where circumstances do not render it inadvisable, a division may authorize the ordination of qualified individuals without regard to gender. In divisions where the division executive committees take specific actions approving the ordination of women to the gospel ministry, women may be ordained to serve in those divisions

.”

Yes – 673 No – 1481Slide16

Recent Study Process

2012-2015 Division Biblical Research

Committees

2013-2014

Theology of Ordination Study

CommitteeSlide17

The Near Future

July 2015 – San Antonio

“After

your thorough study of the Bible, the writings of Ellen G. White, and the reports of the study commissions on ordination, and;

After your careful consideration of what is best for the Church and the fulfillment of its mission,

Is it acceptable for division executive committees, as they may deem it appropriate in their territories, to make provision for the ordination of women to the gospel ministry? Yes or No

.”Slide18

Why the GC in Session Is so Important

I have been shown that no man’s judgment should be surrendered to the judgment of any one man. But when the judgment of the General Conference, which is the highest authority that God has upon the earth, is exercised, private independence and private judgment must no be maintained, but be surrendered.

Testimonies for the Church

, Vol 3, p.

492Slide19

Things virtually everyone agrees on

Women are equal to men in value before God

.

The husband is the head of the home.Slide20

What’s not agreed upon

The

nature

of gender roles

The existence and nature of roles in the Trinity

The existence and nature of roles among angelsSlide21

Gender Biases

There are many men for WO.

There are many women against WO

.

It has more to do with Bible interpretation than anything else.

I don’t think we’ll ever know the percentages this side of heaven.Slide22

Why Is This Such a Big Deal?

The argument is rooted in how Scripture is interpreted.

Those

against WO

are typically for taking Scripture for what it says. These are the “plain meaning” folks.

The

pro WO

folks split into two groups.

Liberal reading of Scripture

High view of Scripture

It’s a big deal because it could be the issue that splits our denomination for the first time.Slide23

The Role of Culture

Pro WO: The current cultural currents are all in favor of WO. Proponents say that we are damaging our mission by dwelling in the cultural past. Many in favor of WO believe that the patriarchal society of the past was a bad thing, and that we’ve now graduated to a brighter day in society.

Some accuse the anti WO folks of being culturally regressive.

There is no doubt that to some degree the debate falls upon geographical and cultural lines. Slide24

Where I’m Headed

The liberal interpreters of Scripture will receive little time here.

These are the people who question the literal creation story, and many or all of the biblical miracles.

If you want to follow that track, you will have to do so elsewhere. It’s not going to happen here.Slide25

That leaves two points of view

Those who hold Scripture in high esteem, and conclude that WO is a good idea.

Those who hold Scripture in high esteem, and conclude that WO is a bad idea.

There is a long list of Seventh-day Adventist scholars in both camps.Slide26

Scriptural Interpretation

One side claims to take the “clear meaning” of the text.

The truth is, that both sides interpret the text quite a bit.Slide27

The trouble with ordination

There are several kinds.

Deacon

Deaconess

Local elder

Ordained minister

School teacher

Medical evangelist (doctor)

Ordination today does not precisely track with ordination in Scripture.Slide28

A Changed Meaning

Ordination to ministry has always meant global recognition.

Divisional ordination would mean regional recognition.

This is a

fundamental

change to the meaning of ordination

.

It is a significant step toward congregationalism.Slide29

Mutiny on the Bounty

One of the things that bothers me the most about the whole thing is the mutinous attitude of the NAD and certain unions, including our own.Slide30

Relevant ScripturesSlide31

Genesis 2:18-24

Then

the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him

.”

Now

out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

The

man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.

So

the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.

And

the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.

Then

the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

Therefore

a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.Slide32

1 Timothy 2:8 to

2:15

Let

a woman learn quietly with all

submissiveness.

I

do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain

quiet.

For

Adam was formed first, then

Eve;

and

Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a

transgressor.

Yet

she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.Slide33

1 Timothy 3:1-7

The

saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble

task.

Therefore

an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to

teach,

not

a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of

money.

He

must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children

submissive,

for

if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's

church?

He

must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the

devil.

Moreover

, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.Slide34

1 Corinthians 14:33-38

For

God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the

saints,

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.

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.

Or

was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has

reached?

If

anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the

Lord.

If

anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.Slide35

Galatians 3:28

There

is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.Slide36

Acts 10:34-35

So

Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no

partiality,

but

in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.Slide37

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Now

you are the body of Christ and individually members of

it.

And

God has appointed in

the church

first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of

tongues.

Are

all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work

miracles?

Do

all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all

interpret?

But

earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.