Project Description
2014/01
Should Women be Ordained?
The announcement was made on 20th September 2013: The Church of Ireland had chosen Rev Pat Storey to be Bishop of Meath and Kildare. ‘Nothing unusual in that’, you might say – except that Pat is not an abbreviation for Patrick but Patricia! Mrs Storey, rector of St Augustine’s in Londonderry, thus became the first female Anglican Bishop anywhere in the UK or Ireland. Three months earlier, Rev Dr Heather Morris, Director of Ministry at Edgehill College, was installed as the first female President of the Methodist Conference in Ireland. All this prompted a well-known religious correspondent, a member of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, to bemoan the fact that his denomination had not yet elected a female Moderator!
These appointments attracted the usual response. Some welcomed them as progressive, an attempt to move with the times – others were less sure, wondering if it was still too soon for women to accede to the highest offices. This, really, is to miss the point. The Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches have ordained women to their respective ministries for some years: why should they be denied these ‘promotions’? Logic is against the gainsayers. The real issue is, should women be ordained to ministry? Leaving aside the calls for equality and for the removal of sex discrimination, we must base our decisions on the teaching of Scripture. On this matter, as on every other, “we must surrender ourselves to the authority of Holy Scripture” (Augustine).
We begin at the beginning. Genesis 1:26-28 demonstrates that God made human beings in His own image, that He made them male and female, and that He gave them dominion over the earth and its creatures. From the first, the equality of the sexes is affirmed. However the Fall produced this Divine communication to the woman: “Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Genesis 3:16). This statement of male leadership did not mean women were to be despised or ill-treated – they were an integral part of Jewish religious life (Deuteronomy 31:12), marriage was held in high honour, and godly and successful women were celebrated in the Old Testament age. With the coming of Christ, this pattern was continued and accentuated – study the gospels to see His attitude towards women – to the point where it is clear that people of both sexes, as much as of all races and classes, are equal before Him (Galatians 3:28). But equality is not identity – there are differences.
Genesis 2 focuses not so much on the equality but on what has been called the ‘complimentarity’ of the sexes (v18-22). “Eve was not taken from the feet of Adam to be his slave, nor from his head to be his lord, but from his side to be his partner” (Peter Lombard, AD 1157). Partnership – if it is to succeed – inevitably means a division of roles and responsibilities. And it is clear that this is evident in the New Testament.
For all His elevation of women, Christ chose twelve men as His apostles, charging them with leadership roles among His followers – a choice made after prayerful consideration (Luke 6:12-13). These apostles followed the example of Christ in making provision for the material needs of the church at Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-3), and in stipulating that those elected to the eldership should not be women (1 Timothy 3:1-2), a pattern that was to continue beyond New Testament times. The qualifications for eldership are found mainly in the writings of Paul. In emphasizing the concept of male headship, Paul goes back to creation, citing its priority (1 Timothy 2:13), its pattern (1 Corinthians 11:8), and its purpose (1 Corinthians 11:9). Man had, therefore, the responsibility of leadership.
The fact that Paul substantiates his premise by appeal to the facts of creation means that we cannot dismiss his view as bound by culture or by specific situations thrown up in certain places at particular times. Paul’s assertions are rooted in Divine revelation, not human circumstance or personal opinion! And so it is on this basis that the apostle limits the roles that may be occupied by women. He prohibits the assumption of positions that will require ministries of teaching and rule (1 Timothy 2:9-14 cf 1 Corinthians 14:34-35) and, by implication, discipline too (Hebrews 13:17). Should the woman undertake these roles, in terms of any kind of ordained or institutional ministry, this will inevitably place her in a position of authority over the man. And this Paul clearly outlaws, thus closing the door on her elevation to the office of ruling or teaching elder.
One Anglican scholar argues strongly for the contribution of women in the ministry – so strongly that he performs virtual contortions in the attempt to find a way for woman’s ordination to Biblical office, perhaps as part of a team ministry, while denying her some of the key responsibilities and duties. He is finally compelled to admit that, in the light of Scripture, he is uncomfortable with her assuming the role of vicar or bishop. He is right, however, in one respect – women may, and do, contribute valuably to the life of the church. The New Testament demonstrates their importance among the followers of Christ. Women spoke for, and served, the Lord (Acts 18:26, 21:9, Romans 16:1ff), and engaged in countless other ministries (Acts 16:15, Romans 16:1-2).
Today, every fellowship I know would be poorer without the dedication and commitment of godly women. In faithfulness to the means of grace, in works of hospitality and care, in teaching children, in ministering to the needy – not to mention those who have taken up the challenge of various missionary endeavours – in all of these things, women excel. Ladies, we salute you, and we are thankful for you!
Perhaps the most telling indictment of Bishop Pat’s elevation has come from Reform Ireland, representing the conservative wing of the Church of Ireland. This development, it concludes, “has not only brought more disharmony and disorder into God’s church, but it has side-lined Christ in his own church. If God’s Word does not rule His body, the church, then Christ is a mere figure-head and not the captain of his people. By ignoring God’s equality agenda and role for man and woman and substituting it with a ‘spirit-of-the-age’ equality agenda, the Church of Ireland has in effect discriminated against those who hold to a biblical position…one more indication that the Church of Ireland is no longer listening to God’s purposes for his church.” With these sentiments, it is difficult to disagree.
Rev. Timothy Nelson
