- Biblical support for restricting women in church leadership
- Biblical support for affirming women in church leadership
1. Biblical support for restricting women in church leadership
Women in creation
- The image of God involves both male and female – Genesis 1:27
- Man is given primary leadership responsibility in God’s arrangement of order in creation (Genesis 2:4–25):
- Adam is responsible for the environment
- Adam is responsible for obedience before God
- Adam is responsible for naming animals and the woman
- The woman as “helper” signifies one who assists
- Adam was created first, then Eve
- The distortion of God’s order after the fall is not annulled by redemption – Genesis 3:16
Women leaders in the Old Testament
- Women were restricted from the priesthood
- Women’s involvement in the prophetic ministry was temporary or the exception
Jesus and women
- Women were not part of the twelve disciples – Matthew 10:1–4; Luke 6:12–16
Women in the early church
- Women were not appointed as elders in the church – 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5
- Women’s involvement in the work of the early church was under the authority of men
Women in the New Testament letters
- Galatians 3:28
- The context of Galatians 3:28 does not address social implications
- While women and men are equal in status in Christ, functional differences in the church remain
- The analogy between women and slaves does not apply since slavery is not a God-ordained institution
- 1 Corinthians 11:2–16
- “The head of the woman is man” (headship is defined as “authority”) – 1 Corinthians 11:3
- Women prophesying in the church cannot be equated with preaching – 1 Corinthians 11:5
- The significance of a head covering represents man’s authority over the woman
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- Serving in the church without the proper “head covering” is “shameful”
- Woman was made from man and for the sake of man
- Nature requires that the distinction between the sexes be reflected in different roles in the church
- 1 Corinthians 14:34–35
- The principle behind the command for women to be silent in the church is based on:
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- An appeal to the practice of the churches
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- The principle of submission of wives to husbands
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- An appeal to the law (Genesis 3:16?)
- Ephesians 5:22–33 (Colossians 3:18–19; Titus 2:3–5)
- The husband is the head of the wife – Ephesians 5:23
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- Headship is defined as “authority” reflected through loving leadership and responsibility
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- Wives are to submit to their husbands in everything
- The husband/wife relationship is the pattern for the relationship of men/women in the church
- 1 Timothy 2:9–15
- Women are to learn in quietness and in submission – 1 Timothy 2:11
- The meaning of authentein is “to have authority” – 1 Timothy 2:12
- Women are not to teach men or have authority over men – 1 Timothy 2:12
- The appeal to man’s priority in the “order of creation” indicates this command is a permanent principle that transcends cultural practices
- Woman’s role in the fall reflects her overstepping of God’s order for male/female relationships
- “To teach” and “to have authority” are equated with pastoral leadership and eldership
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- 1 Timothy 3:1–7 assumes overseers are male
- 1 Peter 3:1–7
- Women are to submit to their husbands and husbands are to provide considerate leadership
2. Biblical support for affirming women in church leadership
Women in creation
- The image of God involves both male and female – Genesis 1:27
- Both male and female are commanded to be fruitful and have dominion over the earth – Genesis 1:28
- Woman was created as a “helper” of man to address the social dimension – Genesis 2:18
- Adam recognizes the mutuality of woman – Genesis 2:23
- The hierarchy of the husband over his wife is a result of the fall and is not prescriptive – Genesis 3:16
Women leaders in the Old Testament
- Women were prophetesses – Miriam and Hulda – Exodus 15:20; Micah 6:4; 2 Kings 22:14–20
- Deborah was a prophetess and judge – Judges 4:4–5
Jesus and women
- Women were among Jesus’ disciples – Matthew 27:55–56; Mark 15:40–41
- Mary learned as a student of Jesus – Luke 10:39
- Women proclaimed Jesus’ true identity – John 4:1–42, 11:27 (compare to Peter – Mark 8:27–30)
- Women remained as faithful witnesses of the crucifixion and resurrection – Matthew 27:55–56, 28:1–10; Mark 15:40–41; John 20:10–18
- Women were commanded to proclaim the resurrection – Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:7; John 20:17–18
Women in the early church
- Women received the Spirit at the inception of the church at Pentecost and were empowered to prophesy by the Spirit – Acts 2:4; Acts 2:17–18
- Lydia was the first convert and house church leader in Philippi – Acts 16:11–15
- Priscilla taught Apollos – Acts 18:24–26
- Four daughters of Philip were prophetesses – Acts 21:8–9
- Women were co-workers of Paul
- Euodia and Syntyche (co-workers) – Philippians 4:2–3
- Priscilla (co-worker and house church leader) – Romans 16:3–5; 1 Corinthians 16:19
- Junia was outstanding among the apostles – Romans 16:7
- Phoebe was deacon of the church at Cenchreae and patron of Paul – Romans 16:1–2 (Romans 12:8)
- Chloe and Nympha were house church leaders – 1 Corinthians 1:1; Colossians 4:15
Women in the New Testament letters
- Galatians 3:28
- In Christ there are no distinctions
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- Compare to 1 Corinthians 12:13 (gifts) and Colossians 3:11 (teaching one another – Colossians 3:16)
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- Comparison with instructions to slaves and free – with God there is no favouritism – Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25 (compare also to Acts 10:34 and Romans 2:11)
- The “new creation” in Christ becomes the model for relationships – 2 Corinthians 5:16–17
- 1 Corinthians 11:2–16
- Meaning of headship is unclear (“source”?) – 1 Corinthians 11:3 (1 Corinthians 11:12)
- Women were praying and prophesying in the church – 1 Corinthians 11:5 (1 Corinthians 14:3, 26)
- Proper dress provides authority for women to prophesy – 1 Corinthians 11:10
- Interdependence marks relationships between women and men “in the Lord” – 1 Corinthians 11:11
- 1 Corinthians 14:34–35
- Spiritual gifts are given without distinction by the Spirit – 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11
- Three groups of people (tongue speakers, prophets and women) are told to be quiet – Paul’s concern is for order in the service – 1 Corinthians 14:28, 30, 34
- Ephesians 5:21–32
- The wife’s submission is an expression of mutual submission among believers – Ephesians 5:21
- Headship is defined in Ephesians 1:22–23, 4:15–16 (nourishes and tenderly cares for the body)
- 1 Timothy 2:8–15
- The primary issue of concern in 1 Timothy is false teaching, the promotion of controversy, meaningless talk, and presumption about the ability to teach – 1 Timothy 1:3–7; 4:1–7; 6:3–5
- The call for quietness must be understood in the context of living peaceful lives – 1 Timothy 2:1
- The meaning of authentein is “to domineer” – 1 Timothy 2:12
- 1 Timothy 2:9–15 should be read in light of the situation described in 1 Timothy 5:9–15
- The restriction on women is contextual – in relation to the situation in the church in Ephesus
Doug Heidebrecht is Academic Dean at Bethany College in Hepburn, Saskatchewan.