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The Role of Women in the ChurchD. Massimiliano Lorenzini CONTENTS
Introduction Though not necessarily the most important issue, the role of women in the church may well be "the most controversial and sensitive issue within evangelicalism today."(1) Evangelicals are increasingly being faced with questions concerning the role of women in the church: Does the Bible permit women pastors? Can a woman teach men or exercise authority over men? For almost the entire span of church history the answer was generally and repeatedly no. The role of women in the church has historically been limited.(2) However, today there is a new movement which seeks to remove all limitations previously placed upon women. Many today are aggressively promoting the idea that women are fully equal with men without distinction and are to have access to each and every position of ministry in the church. Many others are untaught and confused on the subject, not knowing the questions much less the answers. Some hold to a rigid traditionalism that places undue restrictions on women leaving men only to have any ministry in the church. Finally, others believe the Bible presents a vision that respects the gender distinctives of men and women resulting in some limitations on women in the church but at the same time releases women to fulfill their ministries not only in the home but also in appropriate ministries within the church. The aim of this paper is to set forth the two major views on the subject, present the biblical grounds for gender distinctions, present the Scriptural limitations for the offices of elder and deacon, and present options for appropriate avenues of ministry for women in the church. Statement of Procedure The amount of published material related to the issue of the role of women in the church is overwhelming. The following lengthy but insightful quotation from Craig Blomberg says it all. Debates about the Bible's teaching on gender roles seem to continue endlessly. The literature that one must master to say anything credible grows in intimidating quantity: general works on men and women in antiquity; specific studies of the classical world, the Hellenistic period, the Old Testament and subsequent Jewish tradition, and the New Testament and constituent parts of Scripture; analyses of specific biblical texts, broader liberationist or feminist approaches, theologies of the Bible, of one Testament, or of one specific part of one Testament; commentaries; histories of Jewish and/or Christian interpretation of texts; church histories more generally; modern ecclesiastical debates; and contemporary social-scientific analysis!(3) The one caveat to be added to Blomberg's observation is that one can and should say something "credible" concerning gender roles from an honest and clear exposition of the Scriptures which are sufficient and authoritative for all matters of faith and practice. Much contemporary scholarship has unduly complicated this issue by arriving at conclusions built upon faulty presuppositions which effectively take the discussion away from the testimony of Scripture. For example, Mary Hayter argues that the rationale behind male religious leadership in the Bible is circumstantial, or as she puts it--"culturally conditioned regulation which is not binding for the modern Church."(4) So the reasoning is all done at the human level rather than the divine. Rather than enter into that discussion, this paper will concentrate on interacting with the relevant biblical texts and those authors who share the same approach.(5) Two Major Views In the gender debate, there are two main positions among evangelical Christians. One position is the complementarian view, which is the non-feminist view. It is also referred to as the traditional or heirarchical view (mainly by opponents). The other position is known as the egalitarian view. It is also called evangelical feminism, biblical feminism, or biblical equality. Complementarianism The complementarian view teaches that God created men and women as equals with distinctive gender-defined roles. The term complementarian was chosen in order to emphasize both the equality of the sexes and the complementary differences between men and women. This view teaches that God created men and women equally in His image so that they are fully equal in personhood, dignity, and worth (Gen 1:26-28). Complementarians further believe that all Christians--whether male or female--are baptized, Spirit-gifted, believer-priests and are full members of the body of Christ. They should, therefore, use their spiritual gifts to their fullest potential in ministry to others and grow into full spiritual maturity. So much for equality. What do complementarians believe about the differences between men and women? They believe that God created men and women to be different and to fulfill distinct gender roles. God designed the man to be the husband, father, provider, protector, and leader. He is to be the loving head of the home and to provide godly leadership in the church. God designed the woman to be the wife, mother, nurturer, and helper. She is to submit to the man's leadership in church and home. The correct view of the Bible's teaching on gender according to complementarians is one that holds both truths--equality and role differences. These truths are to be maintained in balanced tension as part of God's original intent prior to the fall into sin. Complementarians believe this view best represents the plain, straightforward teaching of Scripture on gender and that as such represents God's infallible truth and wise design for the good of His people and magnification of His glory. The major organization representing the complementarian view is The Council for Biblical Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW), founded in 1987. Its position paper is The Danvers Statement. CMBW publishes the Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and maintains a web site at www.cbmw.org. Some popular complementarian authors are: H. Wayne House, R. Kent Hughes, George W. Knight, John Piper, Wayne Grudem, James Hurley, John MacArthur, Mary Kassian, Charles C. Ryrie, John M. Frame, Dorothy Patterson, R. Albert Mohler, J. I. Packer, R. C. Sproul, Gleason Archer, John Walvoord, and many others. Egalitarianism Egalitarians believe that God created man and woman fully equal and that true equality demands equal ministry opportunities in the church and equal marital roles in the home. They believe that equal-yet-different, as taught by complementarians, is a contradiction in terms. Egalitarians believe that men and women share mutual submission and responsibility in both marriage and the church. Leadership and teaching in the church are to be determined by spiritual giftedness and not by gender. Egalitarians emphasize the Bible's statements concerning the equality of men and women (Gen. 1:26-28; Gal. 3:28) and believe that the Bible's statements on headship and submission have been seriously misinterpreted. They believe that simplistic, literal, traditional interpretations of the Bible misrepresents what the Bible teaches on gender. The further believe that male domination of women is the result of the entrance of sin, as recorded in Genesis 3. The major organization representing the egalitarian position is Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE) also founded in 1987. CBE defines itself as evangelical and began with women who had withdrawn from the Evangelical Women's Caucus (over disagreement with the apparent endorsement of lesbianism). CBE was formed as a national chapter of Men, Women, and God, International, an organization associated with John Stott's London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. The CBE position paper is Men, Women and Biblical Equality. CBE maintains a web site at www.cbeinternational.org. Among the egalitarians are: Stanley Grenz, Rebecca Groothius, Ruth Tucker, Craig S. Keener, Gordon Fee, Gilbert Bilezikian, Cornelius Plantiga Jr., F. F. Bruce, Anthony Campolo, D. Stuart Briscoe, Millard J. Erickson, Kenneth S. Kantzer, Richard J. Mouw, Grant R. Osborne, Philip Barton Payne, William J. Hybels, Vernon Grounds, and many others. Gender Distinctiveness from Creation Since equality is affirmed by those on both sides of the gender debate, attention will be given to the distinctives between the sexes. The creation account, recorded in Genesis 1-3, of man and woman and their subsequent fall into sin provide the foundation for all biblical thinking about gender roles. An impressive number of distinctives may be gleaned from these opening chapters. When Jesus was questioned about male-centered divorce practices, He responded by affirming the truthfulness of the Genesis record and based His gender teachings on it (Matt 19:3-8). Stephen B. Clark explained: Other New Testament writers, especially Paul, followed Jesus' lead. Most of the important passages on men-women roles in the New Testament refer back either explicitly or implicitly to the first three chapters of Genesis . . . . It is not possible to understand the New Testament teaching on men and women without understanding how it is founded on the creation of Adam and Eve and on God's purpose as revealed in the creation of the human race.(6) God Made Adam the Central Character Everything said in Genesis 2:7-25, the detailed account of the creation of man and woman, revolved around the man. The spotlight was upon him and everything else, including the woman, plays a supporting role. The man received the generic name that is used to identify the entire race: Adam, or Man (2:5; see 1:26 and 5:2). The man is the one spoken to by God and the one who received divine revelation and instruction (2:16-17). God brought the animals to the man for naming (2:19-20). The woman was made from the man, not the man from the woman (2:22). The woman was also made for the man and was brought to him, not vice versa (2:18, 22). It was the man who commented on the woman's creation as a fitting counterpart and named her (2:23). From any viewpoint, the whole narrative is centered on the man's creation and provision by God. God Created Adam First then Eve Genesis chapter two seems to have been written to communicate the idea that Adam was created first to signal that the man has the responsibility to lead in his relationship with the woman. Correspondingly, Eve had the responsibility to follow Adam's leadership. Before Eve was formed, Adam existed in the garden to care for it, he received instruction from God, and he named the animals. The creation priority of man is not without significance. The New Testament provides a divinely inspired commentary on Genesis 2. The apostle Paul wrote, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve" (1 Tim 2:12-13; italics added).(7) Thus the New Testament uses Adam's prior creation to demonstrate God's design that men are to be the leaders and teachers in the church of God. God Formed the Woman out of the Man God made the man and the woman in very different ways. God formed the man out of the dust of the earth and breathed life into him (2:7). God formed the woman out of one of Adam's ribs (2:22). The woman's derivation from man demonstrates both equality in nature and role distinctions. This is known from the New Testaments use of Genesis 2:22. Paul concluded, based on Genesis 2:22, that "the head of woman is man" (1 Cor. 11:3) and "woman is the glory of man" (1 Cor. 11:7) because "man is not from woman, but woman from man" (1 Cor. 11:8). The doctrine of headship and submission finds its source in the creation account of man and woman in Genesis 2. God Created the Woman for the Man This point is particularly politically incorrect. Genesis 2:18 reads: "And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.' " God declared that it was not good for man to be alone. Adam could not find a suitable companion among the animals (2:20), so God made him a "helper." This helper was not to be another man. God made Adam a helper comparable or suitable to him but not identical to him. The woman was made equal to Adam, yet different enough to complement him in a way nothing else can. If there are no distinctions between a man and a woman, then why wouldn't a man be a suitable partner for a man? Without identifying role distinctions between men and women, there is no real reason to oppose homosexuality. God Gave Instructions to Adam God commanded Adam not Eve to refrain from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:16-17). There is a hint of Adam's leadership in that God possibly commissioned Adam to instruct Eve about this command. Closely related is the fact that God gave Adam stewardship over the garden before the creation of Eve and he probably was responsible to explain that stewardship to Eve which included the restriction concerning the forbidden fruit. Adam Exercised His God-Given Leadership in Naming Eve Before the fall, Adam named his new companion "woman" (2:23) which is a generic name, not a personal name. After the fall, Adam named his wife "Eve" (3:20) which is a personal name. It is interesting to note that Adam's naming of God's creatures is closely related to his search for a suitable helper. It was during the naming of the animals that Adam realized there was not a suitable helper for him (2:20). It was also when he realized that the woman was a suitable helper that he named her (2:23). Adam's naming of the animals and of the woman was one of the means by which Adam exercised his rule over the creatures God had made according to God's mandate (1:26, 28). Each of the preceding details occurred before the fall into sin and thus man's headship over woman is not part of the curse of sin. Egalitarians believe the "rulership of Adam over Eve resulted from the Fall and was therefore not a part of the original created order."(8) They attribute man's "rulership" to the prediction of Genesis 3:16b: "Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." This, say the egalitarians, is an effect of the fall and does not reflect God's ideal order. The corollary to this interpretation is that redemption in Christ reverses this curse and reinstates the woman to "full equality" with the man. They reach this conclusion by either ignoring or neutralizing the creation details already outlined and by emphasizing the passages that teach essential equality (Gen 1:26-28; 2:23-24). Gender Distinctives from the Fall Both egalitarians and complementarians believe the Fall changed gender relations for the worse: egalitarians believing the Fall resulted in man's rulership and complementarians believing the Fall resulted in what is known as the battle of the sexes. However, complementarians believe that gender distinctions are also seen in the Fall and the events that immediately follow. Three of these are noted below. First, it is significant that when the serpent sought to lead the human race into sin, he targeted Eve rather than Adam (Gen 3:1). Adam was the God-ordained head of the race and Eve was his helper. Perhaps recognizing that Eve was more susceptible to deception, the serpent pursued her. The woman entertained the serpent's suggestion and, rather than consulting with her husband, she rebelled against God's command and ate of the forbidden tree. She then offered it to her husband and he ate also. Thus the first couple reversed the God-designed roles and the woman led the man into sin and the man followed his wife into sin. German theologian Werner Neuer remarked, "The fall is therefore, not only the rebellion of mankind against God, but the setting aside of the divinely appointed order of male and female."(9) It is a most profound thought that the fall of the race was occasioned by a gender role reversal. Let no one think that gender roles is a trivial issue. Second, after the Fall, God called out to Adam, not to Eve (Gen 3:9). Why is this? "Because, as the God-given head, Adam bore the primary responsibility to lead their partnership in a God-glorifying direction. This may explain why Satan addressed Eve, rather than Adam, to begin with."(10) Thomas Schreiner concurred with this view writing, "In Romans 5:12-19 Paul confirms this reading of the narrative, for the sin of the human race was traced to Adam, not to Eve. . . . Greater responsibility, however, is assigned to Adam as the leader of the first human couple."(11) Third, as part of the curse that God decreed to Eve, He said, "Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you" (Gen 3:16b). Mary A. Kassian identified this statement as an antithetical parallelism.(12) Kassian stated that "the contrast of the second part of the clause unlocks the meaning of the first part. We can conclude, therefore, from the type of Hebrew poetry used, that a woman's desire is in direct opposition to the husband's rule. The words desire and rule stand as antonyms to one another."(13) Another clue to the meaning of this verse is Genesis 4:7b which reads, "And its [sin's] desire is for you, but you should rule over it." The words desire and rule in Hebrew are identical in both verses. "Thus, the curse on the woman is that she would desire to conquer/devour/have her husband in the same way sin desired to have Cain. At the same time, the husband would attempt to rule/have dominion/ reign over his wife in the same way Cain was to rule over sin."(14) So it is seen that the distinctions between men and women exist as part of God's original design from creation. The Fall has certainly complicated matters, but distinctions continue nonetheless. The teaching from Genesis is truly foundational to understanding the biblical view of man and woman which is that of male headship and female subordination. What follows is a brief overview of the New Testament teachings concerning the role of women in the church. The Key NT Passages in the Gender Debate A discussion of the New Testament teachings on the role of men and women in the family is beyond the scope of this paper. However, along with the Genesis teachings, they are foundational to the role of women in the church. The key New Testament passages that address the roles of husbands and wives are: 1 Peter 3:1-7; Ephesians 5:21-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Corinthians 7:1-40; Titus 2:3-5; and 1 Timothy 3:4-5, 12. All of these passages affirm male headship and female subordination in the home. The role of women in the church is to reflect the role of women in the home. It should be noted that there are several key words in the gender debate: help/helper (Hebrew, ezer); be submissive (Greek, hypostasso); head (Greek, kephale); exercise authority (Greek, authenteo). Lack of space does not allow for a discussion of these key words. Suffice it to say that the traditional understanding of these words has been maintained by complementarians despite attempts by egalitarians to redefine them.(15) Several passages in the New Testament specifically address the role of women in the church. These passages include: 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 1 Corinthians 14:33b-40; and 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. These passages will be discussed briefly. First, however, the teaching of Galatians 3:28 must be addressed. The text reads: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Egalitarians take Galatians 3:28 to be the magna carta for equality in the gender debate and interpret all other passages of Scripture in light of their interpretation of it. The fact that complementarians say that this passage exists in a context which deals specifically with the question of salvation does not bother egalitarians at all. They (egalitarians) believe that this verse is the clearest statement of Paul's own understanding of the role of women. "Egalitarians, therefore, assert that equality of soteriological position in Christ must receive an appropriate outworking in the practice of the church (and in society as well)."(16) However, complementarians insist that this verse teaches equal access to salvation for all who believe and that how men and women relate to each other after salvation is not the issue here.(17) The same Paul who wrote "there is neither male nor female" also wrote "the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church" (Eph 5:23). 1 Timothy 2:11-15 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control (1 Tim 2:11-15). First Timothy 2:11-15 is the main battleground in the debate of the role of women in the church. Egalitarians claim that in writing the Pastoral Epistles, Paul did "not intend to establish a blueprint for church structure, but to deal with the circumstances that the church (and especially Paul's associate Timothy) faced in Ephesus. His advice concerning women was not triggered by questions arising in our day, but by the conduct in worship assemblies of the first-century church."(18) And thus goes the egalitarian neutralizing of Scriptures that limit the role of women in the church. Egalitarians maintain that Paul's teaching here was generated in response to problems with certain women in the church.(19) They speculate that there may have been some who were attempting to gain improper authority over men in the worship assembly. Perhaps some were teaching heresy. Or the Ephesian women may have been doctrinally naive, and thus more susceptible to false teaching. However, this speculation ignores two facts. One, Paul never mentioned any problems with women in the church that he was writing to correct. Two, Paul clearly stated that his epistle was written to teach principles of conduct that are universally binding:(20) "I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim 3:15). Paul's teaching on the church is "not temporary, cultural principles that apply only to the city of Ephesus. They are timeless, universally binding principles for all churches for all times."(21) Paul's instruction is consistent with what he earlier wrote to the Ephesians when he instructed the wives to submit to their husbands (Eph 5:22-33). He now tells the Ephesian church to direct the women to "learn in silence with all submission." Verse 11 and 12 are thought to be an inverted parallelism. "What is stated positively in verse 11, is restated and amplified negatively in verse 12. Quiet learning is paralleled by the command not to teach, and the attitude of submission is paralleled by the command not to exercise authority."(22) James Hurley observed, "Verse 11 calls for quiet and submissive learning. Verse 12 forbids teaching or exercising authority over men. The two are visibly parallel. Quiet learning inversely parallels (verbal) teaching and full submission inversely parallels exercising authority."(23) Paul is clearly teaching negatively that women should not be authoritative teachers in the church while at the same time saying positively that women should learn Christian doctrine. It should be noted that Paul is not absolutely forbidding women from teaching (Acts 18:26; Titus 2:3-4; 2 Tim 1:5, 3:14-15). His prohibition is against women exercising authority over men by publicly teaching them in the church assembly. Also, note that Paul's letter contains more teaching on church leaders than any other New Testament letter and women are told not to take authority over men. In the next chapter, Paul covers the qualifications for elders and assumes a male subject (1 Tim 3:1-7). Thus 1 Timothy 2 11-15 alone should settle the question of women pastors. Paul supported his teaching on women in the church with previous revelation: "For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression" (2:13-14). Paul went back to the original design in creation for his support rather than appeal to cultural issues or some problem of female false teachers. Paul's prohibition is then to be seen as permanent and universally binding. Some egalitarians attempt to explain the restriction on women teachers to be based on a lack of education or doctrinal knowledge among women in Ephesus.(24) Gilbert Bilezikian believes that Paul's rationale that Adam was formed first and Eve was deceived is to be understood as Eve's being a late-comer and not having access to the same divine revelation that Adam had. Therefore the problem was merely one of a lack of information and that if the women in Ephesus simply wait until they learn more then they would be able to be teachers in the church. Tom Schreiner covered the many different ways egalitarians have tried to explain the prohibition against women teachers naming it rampant speculation and concluded that "egalitarians have not yet provided a plausible explanation for Paul's argument from creation in 1 Timothy 2:13."(25) He said they often complain about how unclear and hard to understand the passage is. However, he believes that "the verse seems difficult because it runs counter to our own cultural intuitions. But the Scriptures exist to challenge our worldview and to correct our way of looking at the world."(26) Other NT Teaching Paul also addressed the role of women in the church in 1 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 14:33b-38, Paul prohibits women from speaking in the church and appeals to the Old Testament law as the basis. Since Paul had referred to Genesis 2 earlier in the same letter (11:8-9), he clearly has this in mind here as well. Paul began his instructions by saying that it was the practice in all the churches (v. 33b). The Corinthian believers were not to act independently of "all" the other churches on this doctrine. Along the same vein, Paul rhetorically asked the Corinthians in verse 36, "Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached?" His point is that they had no right to act independently of Paul's teaching and the practice of all the other churches in allowing women to speak in the church meetings. His final appeal is to his own unique apostolic authority (vv. 37-38): "If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandment of the Lord." This is the highest claim to authority that could be made. In 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Paul goes into great detail concerning the relationship between men and women as it relates to their conduct in the church. The text reads: Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. For is a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God. Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering. But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God (1 Cor 11:2-16). First Corinthians 11 presents male headship as a permanent, God-ordained arrangement. According to Paul, this is not a temporary accommodation to first-century Greco-Roman culture. Paul mentioned three headship-subordination relationships: Christ/man, man/woman, God/Christ. Christ's head is God and men are to follow His example of godly headship and submission (Eph 5:23-33; 1 Pet 3:7). When it comes to the man/woman relationship it is interesting to note that the woman is the only one not called a head. Man, Christ, and God are each all called a head. Alexander Strauch noted, "The woman is not inferior to the man because she submits herself to him any more than Christ is inferior to God the Father because He submits Himself to the Father."(27) Jesus Christ is "fully and eternally equal with God the Father in essence, power, glory, and worth, yet He is distinct in role and mission."(28) He is functionally subordinate to God the Father (John 14:28; Phil 2:6-11; 1 Cor 11:3; 15:28). If Jesus Christ our Lord can submit to His head, so every man and woman can gladly submit to their respective heads. Under God everyone has a head. The exact custom of the head covering is uncertain,(29) but the principle behind the custom is clear. Thomas Schreiner stated it this way: "Women should pray and prophesy in a manner that makes it clear that they submit to male leadership."(30) Paul based his teaching on the timeless facts of the order in creation (vv. 7-9). Alexander Strauch summarized well the woman's role as taught in these verses: "God created woman to directly reflect the man's headship authority by recognizing it, revealing it, submitting to it, receiving it, and supporting his leadership."(31) While man is the head of the woman, verses 11-12 also teach the interdependence of man and woman. The man needs the woman as much as she needs him: "Headship and submission must always be taught in connection with the equality and interdependence of the sexes."(32) The Office of Deacon By now it should be clear that women are not permitted to serve in the office of elder according to the Scriptures. But what
about other areas of service? Regarding the office of deacon, there is no consensus among complementarians. The relevant
passage is 1 Timothy 3:8-13 which clearly establishes men in the office of deacon. Verse 12 states that a deacon is to be the
"husband of one wife." However, verse 11 mentions gynaikas which can mean women or wives depending on the context.
"Thus, gynaikas are either (1) women who are deacons, (2) women who assist deacons, or (3) wives who assist their deacon
husbands."(33) Among those who favor women deacons are John Benton,(34) Ann Bowman,(35) H. Wayne House, (36) James
Hurley,(37) John MacArthur,(38) Werner Neuer,(39) and Charles Swindoll.(40) It should be noted that not all of these authors see this as a
clear-cut issue. Some acknowledge the passage is ambiguous and having to pick a position they opted for the women
deacons view.
Others limit the office of deacon to men and believe that the best interpretation of the women mentioned in 1
Timothy 3:11 is that they are the wives of the deacons. Among those who take this view are Alexander Strauch,(41) Charles
Ryrie,(42) George W. Knight,(43) Dan Doriani,(44) Daniel B. Wallace,(45) and
Mal Couch.(46)
Unfortunately, there are only two verses in the New Testament which shed any light on the issue of women deacons (Rom 16:1; 1 Tim 3:11). The Greek word diakone has a very wide range of usage. It is used to describe women who served Christ and the seven chosen by the church in Jerusalem to serve tables (Acts 6:2). It is used to describe others who served or were served by others (Acts 20:24; Eph 3:7; 1 Cor 16:15; Col 4:17; 1 Tim 4:6; 2 Tim 4:5; 1 Cor 3:5; Col 1:7). The word includes the work of Christ (Gal 2:17) and of governments (Rom 13:4). Charles Ryrie noted, "It is the most general term used for all kinds of ministry, and in this sense there is of course a male and female diaconate in the New Testament."(49) The question is, however, whether or not there ever came to be an office of women deacons or deaconesses. Though it is not certain that the seven men who were appointed to serve the widows in Jerusalem (Acts 6:2) were considered official deacons, it does appear that by the time Paul wrote to the Philippians there was in that church an order of deacons distinguished from the elders (Phil 1:1). But even at this time diakonos continued to be used in the general sense of serving in an unofficial capacity (Col 1:7). So the general word for ministry in the first century was "deaconing" while at the same time an official body of "deacons" was established. Phoebe is noted by Paul in Romans 16:1 as a diakonon of the church at Cenchrea. The question is therefore whether diakonos is used in the general, unofficial sense of ministering or that of the official established diaconate. Phoebe is also described in verse 2 as "a helper of many and myself also." Some authors speculate that Phoebe was a wealthy and influential patroness of the ministry at Cenchrea. However she helped, she is here singled out as a servant of the church. Strauch noted, "In all probability, Paul is commending her for extraordinary service by means of the beautiful description, 'servant of the church.' Paul and Luke customarily describe others by their work or faithfulness, not by official titles. If Paul is calling Phoebe a 'deacon of the church,' it would be a unique exception to his usual practice."(50) Ryrie argued from a linguistic argument and a chronological argument that Phoebe did not hold any official office in the church. Much is made by egalitarians of the phrase prostatis polln in verse 2 ("a helper of many"). The meaning of proistmi in the New Testament ranges from simple presiding to definite ruling, thus carrying the idea of having authority. In the most non-technical sense, the word implies active and important functions. The question is, How technical is its meaning in regard to Phoebe? Did Phoebe rule the church as a presiding officer? Ryrie thought not for two reasons. First, although prostats does imply official ruling, there is not a single instance of a woman holding such an office (unless Phoebe is the single exception). Second, although honorary titles of the synagogue were conferred on women for outstanding service (usually charity), these titles had no official significance.(51) It is clear that women are not permitted to hold the office of an elder and the fact that Phoebe is called by a title which is linked to the eldership in other places and is here linked to a supposed diaconate reinforces the argument that both titles, helper and deacon, are used in the unofficial sense. Ryrie's chronological argument is simply that by the time of the writing of the epistle to the Romans there is no indication that the official diaconate had been established at Corinth of which Cenchrea was the eastern port.(52) The second relevant passage to women deacons is 1 Timothy 3:11 where a more fully developed ecclesiastical organization is found. There are several problems in understanding gynaikas as women deacons or deaconesses.(53) First, it is curious that the general term gynaikas (women) is employed and not the specific tas diakonous (deaconesses) which would have excluded all uncertainty as to its meaning. It is true that by New Testament times there was no Koine Greek word for deaconess. The first recorded instance of such a word in Greek is diakonissa and it appears in the First Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325). However, the Greek noun diakonos is a second declension noun and can be either masculine or feminine. This form is used in Romans 16:1 in reference to Phoebe. The question is, then, if Paul is describing women deacons, why does he use the ambiguous and general word gynaikas, and not diakonoi with the feminine article--tas diakonous ("women deacons")? A second problem confronting the view of women deacons is the placement of verse 11 in the middle of a paragraph on the qualifications of male deacons. It would appear more orderly to place verse 11 at the end of verse 12 after the description of male deacons. It is also noteworthy that the word "deacons" in verse 12 alerts the reader that Paul is resuming his subject of the qualifications of deacons. This makes it appear that verse 11 is someone other than women deacons. A third problem is that those who accept the office of women deacons must reconcile the idea of women officials in the church with Paul's prohibition against women taking authority over men in the church. In the New Testament, deacons hold an official position of authority in close connection with the elders. All Christians are to provide private, individual help to others. But deacons guide and direct the church's ministry of benevolence. They are the official managers of the church's mercy ministries. The idea of women deacons, then, conflicts with the entire context, especially 1 Timothy 2:12, which states, "And I do not permit a woman to . . . have authority over a man . . . ." Both Ryrie and Strauch understand the reference to gynaikas to be wives who help their deacon husbands for the previous and other reasons not listed here. But suffice it to say that this interpretation best allows all the pieces of the textual puzzle to fit together and best allows the Christian church practice to reflect the Christian belief that God designed men and women to be equal in some ways and different in other ways. One may have other questions related to this discussion such as why the wives of deacons are mentioned and not those of the elders. The reader is encouraged to see Ryrie and Strauch for further explanation since addressing every issue and question is beyond the scope of this paper. Permissible Areas of Service for Women in the Church The reader is encouraged to see the article by Wayne Grudem entitled "But what should women do in the church?" published in CMBW News for help in this area.(54) Grudem offered three lists of areas of service: areas of governing authority, areas of Bible teaching, and areas of public visibility or recognition. Under each of these three categories, he listed in descending order of authority, responsibility, and visibility, specific areas of service. He then offered his suggestion as to the line of restriction for which the areas should be only for qualified men and those areas that he believes may be open to both qualified men and women. Rather than reproduce Grudem's lengthy lists and explanations let it suffice to mention Grudem's governing principles on this issue. Grudem developed a scale which has prohibited ministries by Scripture on the left and approved ministries by Scripture on the right. Between the two, one must make a mature judgment based on the wisdom God gives and knowledge of the situation. For example, Grudem placed governing and Bible teaching authority over the assembled congregation on the prohibited side (left) and less formal Bible instruction, teaching women, and teaching children on the approved side (right). In between the two fall other kinds of governing and teaching activities. "And it is at this point that individuals and churches must prayerfully consider just where they will 'draw the line' in saying what activities are encouraged and what activities are prohibited for women in their local churches."(55) Conclusion In Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, John Piper and Wayne Grudem end the book by describing their reasons for hope in the gender debate. They believe there is hope that this controversy will move toward resolution among evangelicals. They see at least three reasons for this hope. First, "There is hope because we stand together on the authority of God's Word, the Bible."(56) Though it may feel that the debate has reached an impasse, they are confident that research is giving new light on the issue and the Word of God can and will pierce through all the confusion. Some are beginning to acknowledge that the weight of evidence is moving away from the egalitarian position.(57) Second, "There is hope because of the ministry of the Holy Spirit."(58) The Holy Spirit's ministry includes teaching and guiding believers into all truth (Jn 16:13). Piper and Grudem confess that "those who possess the Spirit eventually welcome the things of God."(59) They suggest that people will either "feel" the rightness of the complementarian position or they will not. One cannot convince another if the Spirit is not bearing witness of this truth. Third, they have hope because "the things that unite those of us on both sides of this issue are inexpressibly magnificent and infinitely valuable."(60) They then rehearse the foundational truths of the faith that unite believers in both camps into Christian fellowship. They have hope that Christ is building His church and will continue to do so until every people group is reached with the Gospel and the church is planted among them all. 1. Thomas Schreiner, "Women in Ministry," in Two Views on Women in Ministry, edited by James R. Beck and Craig L. Blomberg (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001), 177. 2. See Daniel Doriani, "A History of the Interpretation of 1 Timothy 2," in Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of 1 Timothy 2:9-15, eds. Andreas J. Köstenberger, Thomas R. Schreiner, and H. Scott Baldwin (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 1995), 213-67. 3. Craig L. Blomberg, "Neither Hierarchicalist Nor Egalitarian: Gender Roles in Paul," in Two Views on Women in Ministry, 329. 4. Mary Hayter, The New Eve in Christ: The Use and Abuse of the Bible in the Debate about Women in the Church (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987), 75. 5. Those interested in "listening in" on the aforementioned discussion are directed to John Piper and Wayne Grudem, eds., Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1991); Andreas J. Köstenberger, Thomas R. Schreiner, and H. Scott Baldwin, eds., Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of 1 Timothy 2:9-15 (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 1995); and James R. Beck and Craig L. Blomberg, eds., Two Views on Women in Ministry (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001). 6. Stephen B. Clark, Man and Woman in Christ: An Examination of the Roles of Men and Women in Light of Scripture and the Social Sciences (Ann Arbor: Servant, 1980), 5; quoted in Alexander Strauch, Men and Women, Equal yet Different: A Brief Study of the Biblical Passages on Gender (Littleton, Colo.: Lewis and Roth Publishers, 1999), 16. 7. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. 8. Christians for Biblical Equality, "Statement on Men, Women and Biblical Equality," July 1989, http://www.cbeinternational.org/state.htm (9 Sept. 2001). 9. Werner Neuer, Man and Woman in Christian Perspective, trans. Gordon J. Wenham (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1991), 75. 10. Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr., "Male-Female Equality and Male Headship: Genesis 1-3," in Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism, eds. John Piper and Wayne Grudem (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1991), 108. 11. Thomas R. Schreiner, "Women in Ministry," in Two Views on Women in Ministry, eds. James R. Beck and Craig L. Blomberg (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001), 209. 12. Mary A. Kassian, Women, Creation and the Fall (Westchester, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1990), 26. 13. Ibid. 14. Ibid., 27. 15. See Wayne Grudem, "The Meaning of Kephal ('Head'): A Response to Recent Studies," in Recovering Biblical
Manhood and Womanhood, 425-468; Wayne Grudem, "The meaning source 'does not exist,' " CBMW News, 2:5
(December 1997): 1, 7; Wayne Grudem, "Does kephal ('head') Mean 'Source' or 'Authority Over' in Greek Literature? A
Survey of 2,336 Examples," in The Role Relationships of Men and Women: New Testament Teaching, ed. George W.
Knight, III (Philipsburg, N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1985), 49-80; H. Scott Baldwin, "A Difficult
Word: aujqentevw in 1 Timothy 2:12," in Women in the Church, 65-80; for hypostass see James B. Hurly, Man and
Woman in Biblical Perspective (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 142-44, 146; for ezer see
Ortlund, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, 480 n. 20.
16. Stanley J. Grenz with Denise Muir Kjesbo, Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry (Downers
Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1995), 101.
17. For a comprehensive treatment of Galatians 3:28 from a complementarian perspective, see Richard Hove, Equality in
Christ? Galatians 3:28 and the Gender Dispute (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1999).
18. Grenz, Women in the Church, 125.
19. Ibid., 126.
20. See Samuele Bacchiocchi, Women in the Church: A Biblical Study on the Role of Women in the Church (Barrien
Springs, Mich.: Biblical Perspectives, 1987), 145-48.
21. Strauch, Equal Yet Different, 74.
22. Bacchiocchi, Women in the Church, 149.
23. Hurley, Man and Woman, 201.
24. Gilbert Bilezikian, Beyond Sex Roles: What the Bible Says About a Woman's Place in Church and Family, 2d. ed.
(Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1985), 178-82.
25. Schreiner, Two Views on Women in Ministry, 224.
26. Ibid.
27. Strauch, Equal Yet Different, 87.
28. Ibid.
29. Schreiner, Two Views on Women in Ministry, 227.
30. Thomas Schreiner, "Head Coverings, Prophecies, and the Trinity," in Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood,
138.
31. Strauch, Equal Yet Different, 90-91.
32. Ibid., 91.
33. Alexander Strauch, The New Testament Deacon: The Church's Minister of Mercy (Littleton, Colo.: Lewis and Roth
Publishers, 1992), 114.
34. John Benton, Gender Questions: Biblical Manhood and Womanhood in the Contemporary World (Auburn, Mass.:
Evangelical Press, 2000).
35. Ann L. Bowman, "Women in Ministry," in Two Views on Women in Ministry, 284.
36. H. Wayne House, The Role of Women in Ministry Today (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 1995).
37. Hurley, Man and Woman in Biblical Perspective.
38. John F. MacArthur, Jr., The Master's Plan for the Church (Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press, 1991).
39. Werner Neuer, Man and Woman in Christian Perspective, trans. Gordon Wenham (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books,
1991).
40. Charles R. Swindoll, Excellence in Ministry: A Study of 1 Timothy (Anaheim, Calif.: Insight for Living, 1996).
41. Strauch, The New Testament Deacon.
42. Charles Caldwell Ryrie, The Role of Women in the Church (Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press, 1970).
43. George W. Knight, III, The Role Relationship of Men and Women: New Testament Teaching (Phillipsburg, N.J:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1985), 36.
44. Dan Doriani, Women and Ministry: What the Bible Teaches (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2003), 182.
45. Daniel B. Wallace, "May Women Be Deacons? A Prelude to Dialogue," http://www.bible.org/soapbox/womendea.htm,
(9 Sept. 2001).
46. Mal Couch, ed. A Biblical Theology of the Church (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1999), 217.
47. Brian M. Schwertley, "A Historical and Biblical Examination of Women Deacons," http://reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/deacon.htm,
(8 Sept. 2001).
48. Ibid.
49. Ryrie, Role of Women, 86.
50. Strauch, New Testament Deacon, 177 n. 3.
51. Ryrie, Role of Women, 88.
52. Ibid., 89.
53. See Strauch, New Testament Deacon, 116-120 for further explanation.
54. Wayne Grudem, "But what should women do in the church?" CBMW News, 1:2 (November 1995): 1, 3-7.
55. Ibid., 5.
56. John Piper and Wayne Grudem, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, 418.
57. Craig L. Blomberg, "Neither Heirarchicalist Nor Egalitarian: Gender Roles in Paul," in Two Views on Women in
Ministry, 371.
58. John Piper and Wayne Grudem, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, 418.
59. Ibid., 419.
60. Ibid., 420.
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