Defend Baptist women,
but don't say women shouldn't become pastors
I am writing in response to the article
entitled, Baptist women no doormats for their husbands, from
Aug. 2.
Its fine to defend Baptist women and not to support a Hooters in
our county. However, after reading your article, I feel the need to defend
female pastors.
As you said, your KJV Bible tells specifically how a church should be
run, but I dont think theres any quote where God says, Women
shall not be pastors! It says things about men running the church,
but look at the historical context of the New Testament, and to whom it
was written. Women werent educated, and it would have been wrong
for such a person to lead the church. Also, the Bible was written during
a mostly patriarchal era over a thousand years ago. Everything in it wasnt
meant to be taken literally for us today.
You say you havent seen any procedural changes from God so far
well, thats what the Holy Spirit is for. The Holy Spirit is with
us, not as a good luck charm, but to help guide us, to help us discern
right from wrong, and to help us interpret the Bible the way were
meant to.
Also, it wasnt men who allowed women to become pastors;
its been Gods will. The ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America) and its predecessors didnt have any shortages or special
needs motivating them to ordain women; they did so because it was wrong
to limit God by denying anyone whom God called.
Many people have been led by the Holy Spirit to welcome women as pastors.
Many have seen a call to women in this capacity within the very rule
book you cite as opposing this, even from Jesus own words!
I am not going to cite all the passages here, but a good broad study of
the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit should reveal them.
Now the ELCA is celebrating the 30th anniversary of womens ordination
with over 18 percent of the active clergy made up of women. Of the students
studying to become pastors, almost half are women! Clearly this is Gods
will.
Tavia Sullens
Tyrone
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