Gender and the Church THE BIG ONE

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.

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.

History of Women in the Church

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.

1968 – The church in Finland requests WO

1972 Potomac Conference  Josephine Benton ordained as the first woman elder

Mohaven Documents  1973 Camp Mohaven – Danville, Ohio  Content remarkably similar to the content of the recent Theology of Ordination Study Committee (TOSC)

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 deaconesses

1975 Role of Women Study Group

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.”

1985 Role of Women in the Church Study Committee

1988 – 1989  1988 Commission on the Role of Women 1  1989 Commission on the Role of Women 2

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 – 1173No – 377

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 – 673No – 1481

Recent Study Process  Division Biblical Research Committees  Theology of Ordination Study Committee

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.”

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. 492

Things virtually everyone agrees on  Women are equal to men in value before God.  The husband is the head of the home.

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 angels

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Relevant Scriptures

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.