Reflections of an Undeconstructed Pentecostal
In a recent conversation I was asked, “How do we move forward to settle the issue of women in ministry?” I replied, “You’ve got to call out the issue for what it is – sexism.” I continued, “If the issue is homosexuality we call it out as sin. If the issue is racism, we call it out as sin. And, if the issue is sexism we must call it out as sin.” Many of my colleagues will protest, “It’s not sexism, it’s what the Bible teaches!” So, which is it?
Continue reading “Calling out Sexism as Sin”
The question of women in ministry has been ongoing since the earliest days of the Church of God. R.M. Evans, Church of God missionary to the Bahamas, published the following article in the October 15, 1910 issue of The Evening Light and Church of God Evangel (page 3). A.J. Tomlinson editorialized that Evans’ teaching was “good for us.” (I have reproduced the text with only one correction – a misspelled word.)
Continue reading “R.M. Evans on Women in Ministry”
Paul often uses the phrase “sons of God” to refer to those who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ. Paul never uses the phrase “daughters of God” when speaking of human redemption. So, somewhat tongue in cheek, I must ask, Can women be saved? Can women be led by the Spirit? Do women receive “the Spirit of adoption as sons”? Are women full redemptive participants in the kingdom of God? In other words, Does God have daughters?
Continue reading “God has Daughters Too”
In my recent blogs, I have offered explanations as to why I believe in the full equality of women in Christian ministry. It may surprise some readers to discover that I didn’t always believe this.
Continue reading “Why I Changed My Mind about Women in Ministry”
In the previous post, I attempted to show the inconsistencies and confusion within the ministerial structure of the Church of God (CG). I now wish to show how this state of affairs impacts the debate over women in ministry.
Continue reading “Confusion in the “Ranks””
Should women serve as preachers, teachers, and bishops? Does the Scripture support women in roles of leadership equal to men?
Continue reading “Should Women serve as Bishops in the Church?”
Regarding Paul’s writings about the role of women in the church, William Mounce has written, “If it could be proven that elsewhere Paul allows women to teach… authoritatively within the context of the household of God, then it would have to be concluded that Paul is inconsistent or [has] been misunderstood.”[1] L. T. Johnson has suggested that Paul was “nervous” about the role of women in the church. He offers a very helpful discussion on the various hermeneutical options that inform interpretation. He concludes that the only viable option “is to engage the words of Paul in a dialectical process of criticism within the public discourse of the church, both academic and liturgical.”[2]
Continue reading “Adam, Eve, and Paul: Discerning the Role of Women in the Mission of God”