Women’s role in ministry is a highly debatable topic. Due to the culturally constructed gender roles of western society, expositors have found when distinguishing the possible offices that women may hold in the church there are many factors to consider. Variables range from new developments in feminist theology to major New Testament passages some believe forbid women from serving in the ministry. Yet, the most significant aspect is the tension between the interpretation of the New Testament documents by some contemporary Christian groups, and the original first-century C.E. meaning of those documents as it pertains to women in the ministry. Careful Examination of these documents proves women are equal to men in the ministry.
Feminist theology backed the contemporary women’s liberation movement which aimed to obtain and assert women’s rights. The quasi-radical feminist ideologies managed to entwine the two very separate issues of marital gender roles and the admissibility of women to church leadership positions. In doing so, they unintentionally undermined the distinct gender roles created by God as part of the natural order.
‘Complementarianism’ was developed as a reactionary movement to feminist theology. Complementarians introduced, into Trinitarian theology, the idea of an eternal subordination of the son to the father, which is used to justify the ecclesiastical and marital subjection of women to men. It essentially reflects the biblical teaching on marital gender roles. On the other hand, ‘egalitarianism’ is an alternative position which claims that the bible presents all church, governing, and teaching positions as open to women and men alike. However, it doesn’t identify differing roles for women and men in marriage based on gender alone. Basically, it reflects the biblical teaching on church polity. From a hermeneutical perspective, the key to gender roles in the church lies between these two points of view rather than exclusively within either one.
So, the best way to approach the exegetical question of deciphering the possible offices women may hold in the church, is to avoid the extremes of the complementarians and egalitarians, resulting in a stance that affirms the strengths of both idealogies while ommiting their weaknesses. A stance that recognizes women as equal to men in both marriage and religion.
The major New Testament passages which some Christian movements believe prohibit women from serving in the ministry are: 1 Corinthians 14:33-38, and 1 Timothy 2:8-15. These articles appeal to Complementarians because they appear to advocate women’s subordination to men. However, an inspection of these texts proves that they, in no way, support the notion that women should be excluded from the pastorate, eldership, or any other ecclesiastical office.
In 1 Corinthians Paul addresses excerpts of writing from Corinthian men. He quoted their ideals or beliefs, and then disagreed and refuted them. Moreover, the Corinthian men stated that women should remain silent in the churches, for it is the law and outspoken women would be considered disgraceful.“Paul summarily exposed the absurdity of this allegation with our key sentiment, a two part rhetorical question whose form required a negative answer for each part. Did the word of god originate with you men, or to you men only has it come? Obviously the Word of God neither originated with men nor has come only to men; hence it is ridiculous and contrary to the character of the gospel, to act as though the word belonged properly to men by disallowing women from discoursing about it or asking questions about it in church.”(MacGregor, 237)
Not attempting to inhibit women’s rights, Paul criticized the Corinthian men for denying women the freedom to speak in assemblies. To impose such limits would be to say that the word of god belonged solely to the men and derivatively to their spouses. Paul’s opinion was that women should pray and inquire at church. He attempted to express his view through these writings, yet they have been, by in large, effectively falsely translated to deny women their ecclesiastical rights.
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