To ordain, or not to ordain... CBE to the rescue!

One of my life passions is seeing women step into their God-given vocation; to exercise the gifts and step into the calling that will be fruitful for them and a blessing to others. For some women, this calling is to parent well, or to teach, or to nurse, or to work in a variety of industries, or to engage in the creative arts, or to volunteer their services for the good of others, or a myriad of other possibilities… while for some, this involves a call to formal Christian ministry.

I’ve recently discovered that the international “Christians for Biblical Equality” conference will be held in Melbourne next year. You can find out more information about this here

I’m delighted to support this group, who provide solid evangelical explanations of the “tricky passages” that are used to block the leadership of women in conservative churches.

This “blocking” is understandable in groups that sincerely want to come under the authority of scripture, and live faithfully to God. It is strange however that this sincerity is often applied arbitrarily… female missionaries are accepted, returned female missionaries might “give a talk” (not preach) in their churches, women might lead singing, and women might be encouraged to work in chaplaincy or in parachurch groups (as if ministry outside the hallowed walls of a church building is suddenly OK.)

Literal interpretations of passages from the epistles are often applied inconsistently too. The command to “greet one another with a holy kiss” is dismissed as cultural; the command for women to “keep silent” is accepted as a universal decree from the LORD Almighty.

I’ve recently spied one interesting explanation of why the ordination of women was overturned in one Australian denomination in Queensland here:

Well, I’m glad I understand the phenomenon a little better…

Seriously though… it does sadden me that the gifts of women are blocked for reasons that (in my not particularly humble opinion) are very ill-informed. Churches impoverish themselves, disempower women who have leadership gifts, and alienate people outside the church, when they adopt such stances. Of course, sometimes women are disempowered not by formal “stances”, but by informal cultural church practices. I’d be interested in your reflections and experiences on this.