Future Direction Of Women In Ministry

Introduction

The authors set forth a three fold agenda in their consideration of women in the ministry. First, they want to examine the historical context of women in the church. They answer the question have women been an integral part of the ministering community since the beginning of the church. (Stover 41)

Discussion

They delve deep into the history of the church even researching the roles of women in Judaism. Next, they examine the biblical models for women in ministry. Clearly, Grentz & Kjesbo feel that women are to take an equal role with men in ministry. Further, they spend an exhaustive amount of time developing the creation account in order to undermine the complementarian considerations for women in ministry. Finally they look at the theology behind women pursuing ordination. How do we develop the principles we believe are set forth in scripture and make them the working habits of the church? How do we develop doctrine for women and authority? (Vyhmeister 205)2.) The assumptions of complementarians are that God is male, women were placed in subordination to men by God, and finally God developed and ecclesiastical hierarchy in which men only fill leadership offices.

The assumption that God is male or more male is best disputed on page 145. Old Testament scholar Phyllis Trible wrote that there seemed to be a consensus among Old Testament scholars that God was neither male or female. This was one of the key things that made Yahweh different from his near east counterparts. (Steib 45)Unlike his peers, he did not sit with a female to fertilize earth. He gave earth its own ability to reproduce. God was not gendered.

Complementarians view the account in Genesis 2, where women is said to be created from man, as something that can be easily translated into an ecclesiastical hierarchy. However, that was not the intention of the writer of Genesis. He wanted to show that in all of creation there were no other suitable partners for man. She was the answer to his loneliness. (Doriani 20) To read anything else into the text is disingenuous. Finally, is the issue of ecclesiastical hierarchy.

Did God want man alone to lead? Page 172 says that in the image of God, God created male and female. The authors assert that the image of God is not reflected in the Christian community unless we are in egalitarian ...