Secret Women's Business

I’m over it! As an egalitarian, periodically on social media I am accused of not being faithful to God’s word, but compromising to culture. Here is the latest example: “Men and women are equal before God but have different roles. 1 Timothy 2:12 is clear. ‘I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.’ It is vital that we stand on God's Word, not bowing to cultural pressures.” (1) The first thing to note is that this text is anything but clear, using the rare and ambiguous word authentein . But secondly… I am yet to meet ANYONE online who doesn’t “compromise to culture” around the following passages. (2) Note these are passages that do not involve ANY ambiguous Greek words: Romans 16:16 “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” 1 Corinthians 16:20 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 2 Corinthians 13:12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 1 Thessalonians 5:26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy...

I've been involved in yet another Facebook dialogue - a respectful one - on women in ministry and eldership. The person expressed concern that having women in ministry was caving in to cultural pressure, and noted that " many churches have changed their position in such a brief period of time (relatively speaking, in the span of church history)" He also commended Grudem and Piper's theological (Complementarian) position. My response is below : I would like to reflect on your comment “it is vital that we stand on God’s word” (yes!) “not bowing to cultural pressures” (yes, but…) May I say – somewhat provocatively – that theology is always developed in the context of, in dialogue with, and in contrast to culture. The theology of God’s people (revealed in the Old Testament) was developed in the context of and in contrast to other cultures – in Egypt, Palestine, and Babylon. Jesus’ teaching was in the context of first century Roman-occupied Palestine; a...