Theological
and Biblical Reflection on
Women
in Ministry
A
study paper prepared by
the
Unified Committee on Theology
and
Social Concerns of
the
Cumberland Presbyterian Churches
Adopted for study and commended to the churches and presbyteries
of the CPC by the 171st General Assembly
June 2001
Introduction
The following study paper was prepared by Rev. Renee Curtiss, a member of the Unified Committee on Theology and Social Concerns of the Cumberland Presbyterian Churches, at the request of the Committee. In planning its agenda, the Committee had decided that we needed to provide this biblical and theological resource for the Cumberland Presbyterian Churches to assist their members in understanding the two churches’ position of support for ordaining women to the work of the gospel ministry. The paper was edited by the Unified Committee, and forwarded to the General Assemblies of the CPC and CPCA meeting in June of 2001.
The 171st meeting of the CPC General Assembly approved this study paper for use throughout the church. In so doing, the Assembly passed the following recommendation :
That presbyterial Boards of Missions and local
congregations be strongly encouraged to study this issue [women in ministry] in
light of the
The GA committee that studied this issue went
on to state “that building relationships between women in ministry and congregations
is the key to change regarding this issue. We … suggest that interim pastors
help in this education and relationship-building process. In addition, where
possible,
presbyterial Boards of Missions are encouraged to appoint female moderators of sessions. Regardless of gender, the appointed moderator should help in the education process and encourage the church to consider female applicants for pastors and staff positions; and finally, to encourage congregations to consider inviting women in ministry to fill the pulpit for revivals, vacations, times of illness, and special occasions.”
We send out this study paper with the prayer that the Holy Spirit will continue to help us as a church welcome the gifts and ministries of those whom God has called to the gospel ministry, women and men alike.
Theological and
Biblical Reflection
on Women in
Ministry
A study paper
prepared for the
Unified
Committee on Theology and Social Concerns
by Renee A.
Curtiss
Although the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church has been ordaining women to the office of Word
and Sacrament since 1889, the practice is still one that is disputed and hotly
debated at the grass roots level. The 1984 Constitution and Confession of
Faith, clearly support the ordination of women to the offices of pastor,
elder and deacon. As a denomination, we are proud to have been the first
Presbyterian body to ordain a woman. The ordination of Louisa M. Woosley in
1889 was however, marked by an enormous theological debate within the
denomination.
Our internal statistics, as well as the personal experiences of most clergywomen, indicate that the issue is far from settled, even in the year 2001. For this reason, the Unified Committee on Theology and Social Concerns, offers this paper as a resource for studying and evaluating the issue of women in ministry and leadership within the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
As with any topic within the church, it is absolutely essential that a thorough and sound theological and biblical foundation be the bedrock upon which all praxis is derived. Therefore we will begin our study here.
It seems appropriate and logical then, to
begin at the beginning.
Genesis
Then God said,
‘Let us make humankind (Hebrew: Adam)
in our image
according to our likeness; and let them
have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the
birds of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the
wild animals of
the earth and over every creeping
thing that creeps
upon the earth.’ So God created
humankind in God’s
image, in the image of God,
God created them,
male and female God created them.
[. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
God saw everything
that God had made and indeed, it
was very good.
This creation story is the first of two and is often
overlooked or even forgotten in light of the Adam and Eve story. Let us take a
closer look at these two creation accounts. It will be helpful to note the
Hebrew at some points which will be bracketed and italicized. Genesis
So God created
humankind [adam: human being,
no sexual
connotation] in God’s image, in the image
of God he created
them; male [zakar] and female
[neqebah]
he created them;
or in another rendering: “male and female
created he them and called their name ‘Adam’” – humankind.” Human nature, not
masculinity, is “in the image of God,” and this human nature consists of
maleness and femaleness. There is no suggestion of inferiority or superiority
of any kind.
Another perspective of the image here is reflected on by Grenz, who says that ultimately what it means to reflect God’s image is to be in relationship or community. Our God is a God of community as any doctrine of the Trinity will clearly indicate. Throughout all eternity, God is community, the fellowship of the Three Persons who constitute the triune God. Grenz states:
As the first
creation narrative declares, when God
created humankind,
God built into creatures—created
male and
female—the unity-in-diversity and mutuality
that characterize the eternal divine reality.
Consequently,
neither the male as such nor the
isolated human is
the image of God. Instead humans-in-
relation or humans
in community ultimately
reflect the imago
Dei. Such human fellowship
encompasses
diversity and illustrates mutuality (p.171).
So we deduce, God establishes a covenant
relationship with all of humanity, not just the male portion.
Let us now turn our concentration to the second creation account, which has historically been interpreted by many in such a way as to justify the subjugation and subordination of women to men and therefore used as a basis for denying women the ability to serve in leadership positions within the church.
The second chapter
of Genesis records: “In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the
heavens, then the Lord God formed man [adam] from the dust of the
ground.” When creation of the physical world—plants and animals—is completed,
there is still something to be desired “but for the man there was not found a
helper as his partner” (Gen. 2:20b), one who will be with him. The term “help”
or “helper,” [ezer] is found twenty-one times in the Old Testament,
twice in this chapter. From the other nineteen uses, sixteen times the help
is God; the other three speak of relative equals. Never does the word connote
subordination. When the text speaks of God as our help [ezer], it is of
course acknowledging God’s strength and power for us, not God’s subordination
to us. Isn’t it ironic then, that we would want to interpret [ezer] in
the context of Genesis 2 as meaning subordinate? When God creates Eve from
Adam’s rib, God’s intent is that she will be—unlike the animals—a power (or
strength) equal to him.
The second term
“meet” (KJV), “fit” (RSV), or “partner” (NRSV) is a translation of [neged],
a preposition. Elsewhere in the Old Testament it is translated as “before,” “in
the presence of,” “in the sight of,” “over against.” The sense in this verse
has been rendered as “a mirror image of himself, in which he recognized
himself.” We may conclude that neither term [ezer or neged]
indicates subordination of one to the other. According to Grenz:
The creation of
woman ‘for man’ or as
his ‘helper’ means
that she rescues him from
his solitude—‘then
God said it is not good that
the man should be
alone’ (Gen.2:18) Rather
than being cast in
a subservient role, she
is thereby
elevated in the narrative as the
crowning
achievement of God’s saving intent
in the Garden (p.
165).
It is important to note here, that our interpretation of a text depends on where we are standing. We cannot deny the presuppositions that we bring to a text and how they impact our interpretation. It is however, our responsibility to be aware of these biases in our reflection.
To those who still insist that the woman being taken out of the man’s rib, is subordinate, the first ruler, the second ruled, we might recall that “the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground”(Gen.2:7a). The words contain a point not reproducible in English: for, in the Hebrew, ‘ground’ [adamah] is in form the feminine of ‘man’ [adam].
We see the coming into being of woman. A most profound image: God builds woman out of man’s “essential stuff.” There could be no clearer picture than this: the most intimate belonging to each other. Adam was incomplete without his counterpart; now human nature is complete. “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife” (Gen.2:24a). The “therefore” speaks of their oneness in completing each other.
The creation
accounts in chapters one and two of Genesis depict a humanity created in the
image of God. This humanity is to be in a relationship of mutuality and
equality, recognizing the divine image in one another and their need for
interdependence and mutual support. The Confession of Faith in section
1.11 summarizes it this way:
Among all forms of
life, only human beings are
created in God’s
own image. In the sight of God,
male and female are created equal and complementary.
To reflect the
divine image is to worship, love, and
serve God.
If this is the proper order of creation, then why the need for this paper? We need not look far for the answer. Genesis 3 offers an explanation for the disruption of the original order.
Put simply, the disintegration and disruption is a result of sin and the Fall.
To the woman God
said, ‘I will greatly
increase your
pangs in childbearing;
in pain you shall
bring forth children, yet
your desire shall
be for your husband,
and he shall rule
over you.’
This is not the way God created things to be, but because of sin, it is the way God has allowed things to be. It is precisely at this point that the relationship of mutuality between male and female was corrupted, leading instead to a relationship of discrimination and subjugation of women to men.
By the grace of God, however, this is not the final
word. Christ is the Alpha and the Omega and it is he who has the last word on
any and all issues. The final say is this—Christ redeems us (all humanity) from
sin and is the restorer of the original order. We are no longer living under
the curse of sin, but under the grace of God through the atoning sacrifice of
Jesus Christ. As stated in 2 Corinthians
God invites us to work in this new kingdom order through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit chooses to work where the Spirit wishes and with whom the Spirit wishes. The spirit’s freedom of movement is noted in Joel 2:28-32 and again in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost. Acts 1:13-14 states:
When they had
entered the city, they went to
the room upstairs
where they were staying,
Peter, and John,
and James, and Andrew, Philip
and Thomas,
Bartholomew and Matthew, James
son of Alphaeus,
and Simon the Zealot, and Judas
son of James.
devoting
themselves to prayer, together with
certain women
including Mary the mother
of Jesus, as well
as his brothers.
On Pentecost when all of these were filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter stood up and recited from the prophet Joel:
In the last days
it will be, God declares
that I will pour
out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and
your daughters shall
prophesy, and your
young men shall see
visions, and your
old men shall dream
dreams. Even upon
my slaves both men
and women, in
those days I will pour out
my Spirit; and
they shall prophesy.
Not only is there evidence in scripture that the Spirit works in many and various ways—but the evidence of this is before our very eyes. The Spirit is unbounded and works in and through persons without regard to their ethnicity, nationality, social-economic status, intellect, education, age, or yes¾even gender.
It is also important to note the historical Jesus’
attitude toward women. He more often than not, defied the traditions and
customs of his time. He talked to women, even to the despised ones: to the
woman of
He accepted women’s ministry to and for him. He
taught them, an unheard of thing at that time, and called them not to limit
their work to “housewifely” ministrations. “Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet
and listened to what he was saying” (Luke
Initiation into this new community replaces the
covenant sign of
Many commentators
and Christians consider that the absence of women among the Twelve speaks
against women in spiritual office. These same observers fail to note that, if
this were true, it would speak against Gentiles in spiritual office too. The
eleven Jews, aware that Judas’s place has to be taken, consider two other Jews
and cast lots for them. True, no Gentiles are among the converts yet, and women
are, but the judging of the twelve tribes was not so imminent as to exclude
waiting for the Gentiles. The point is this: If in the divine economy the
Twelve are to represent the new “priesthood” or authentic ministry of the
gospel, they fail to represent women and Gentiles alike. The barrier between
Jew and Gentile was as great as between male and female, and both barriers were
removed by Christ.
It is also worth noting that some writings attributed to Paul are often noted in denying women to the office of ministry and leadership within the church. To this opposition we render a simple argument of logic. It is time for honesty and consistency in the interpretive act. If one is compelled to a literal interpretation of the scripture, then it is imperative that this be pervasively consistent. For example in I Corinthians 14, if one deems appropriate the literal interpretation of “women are to keep silent in the
churches” then the praxis should reflect this
interpretive approach.
Therefore, there would be no female voices in choirs
or congregational singing. There would be no women praying out loud. There
would be no women teaching Sunday School or
How is it then, many have interpreted this silencing to be applicable only for positions of leadership within the church? It is time to stop proof texting for our personal advantage or status. In order to be true to the text, it is also imperative that the scripture be interpreted in light of its historical and cultural context. Paul’s letters and those attributed to Paul were addressed to particular people and churches within a particular context. These churches were grappling with concrete issues which the author was attempting to specifically address.
Before making a judgment on the issue of women in
leadership within the church, one must look at the writings of Paul which
support the concept. Paul on his missionary journeys preached to and converted
men and women, and considered men and women his fellow workers. The tentmaker
couple,
It is noteworthy to mention what the Confession of Faith states in 1.07: “In order to understand God’s word spoken in and through the scriptures, persons must have the illumination of God’s own Spirit. Moreover, they should study the writings of the Bible in their historical settings, compare scripture with scripture, listen to the witness of the church throughout the centuries, and share insights with others in the covenant community.”
Gains have certainly been made regarding women in ministry, yet, we still have a long way to go. We still express our faith in words that exclude women; we still pay clergywomen lower salaries than we pay clergymen; we often regulate women to declining churches; and we still perpetuate myths and stereotypes that assign second-class status and roles to women.
A women in ministry research project in the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in June of 1991 entitled Where We Stand makes this important note:
For many
congregations the discrimination
[against women]
comes in the form of an assumption
that men’s
competence can be trusted [ as compared
to women’s
competence]. For women, trust is
rarely granted
automatically, but must be tested
and proven, and
there is always a reserve of
uncertainty in members of the congregation.
Fule, AureliaT. Should Women Keep Silence in the
Churches?
Grenz, Stanley J. and Denise Muir Kjesbo. Women
in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry.
Melton, J. Gordon. The Churches Speak On:
Women’s Ordination.
Webb, Val. Why We’re Equal: Introducing Feminist
Theology.
Woosley, Louisa M. Shall Woman Preach? Or the
Question Answered.