Moving Forward as a Unified Church
Last year Torrey Gazette ran a series of pieces on the importance of theology for women. Since then it has become evident that fragments of the Christian church have no interest in the theological contributions of women.
We have drifted from “I do not permit a woman to teach” (1 Tim. 2:12) to “I don’t want women to talk about theology.” “God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose” (1 Cor. 12:18) has turned into fragments of the Reformed church teaching which of these universal gifts have been excluded from women. This has mostly focused on dismissing the gift of teaching in women for the edification of the larger church (unless they teach the pyramid scheme of women who tell other women to shut up). This has come from isolated individuals, wayward Facebook groups, and parachurch organizations that hold no authority in the church (though some of the participants are in positions of ecclesiastical authority). Yet, they are all fighting strongly to control the narrative of women within evangelicalism.
When Paul speaks about the gifts given to the church he says:
For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit (1 Cor. 12:8)
What Has Happened to Wisdom and Knowledge?
It has long been established that men have access to these gifts of wisdom and knowledge. What has been less established is whether these gifts have been given to women for the edification of the church. And yet, Paul ties these gifts to “the same Spirit.” The entire church—male and female—“were made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Cor. 12:13).
We see these gifts played out within the narrative of Scripture. Deborah was a judge over Israel (Jdg. 4:5). Huldah was a prophetess (2 Kings 22:15). Women were the first to proclaim the heart of the gospel to the apostles (Matt. 28:1-10). Women corrected street preachers (Acts 18:26). Philip’s daughters were prophetesses (Acts 21:9). And finally, women delivered books of scripture (Rom. 16:1-2). Elevating these cases and recognizing the actual contributions of women to theology does not undermine the exclusive maleness of church leadership. Contrary to teaching that women have no role in helping the church reform to Scripture, these examples place women centrally in transmitting the heart of the Gospel and communicating the church’s tradition.
Individuals who acknowledge women only to diminish their role after they step out of their kitchen, house, or women’s bible study have no avenue for women as sources of wisdom and knowledge for the church at large. Any gifts given by the Spirit are at most only to be used over other women. This is no way to move forward as a church. Paul teaches indiscriminately to edify one another in the instruction of the word (Col. 3:16). And while these segments of our church remain members of the true church (and something denominations need to correct), the church must remain focused on her mission: the proclamation of the gospel, the sacraments, and church discipline (including the discipleship of men and women as brothers and sisters in Christ).
To this end, I heartily recommend Aimee Byrd’s Recovering From Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Despite the title’s reference to the 90’s book Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (which popularized the doctrine and language of complementarian thinking), Byrd does not argue against complementarian teaching so far as it’s Biblical. Instead, her focus is to remind the church to treat brothers and sisters in Christ the way the Lord Himself did: alike situated at the foot of our Savior.
Contra accusations that Aimee teaches female ordination or egalitarian structures, her writing encourages something biblical and orthodox: the Marys of the world should pursue the “good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). The church, like Christ, should encourage women in this pursuit of theology and discipleship. In arguing for this equality of discipleship, Aimee argues from the principals of scripture. In so doing, she has pushed back against an infuriated religious fragment that would like to reduce women to Marthas.
How Does the Church Move Forward?
This question would be dynamic depending on the denomination answering it. But I’m answering it within the Reformed Presbyterian tradition. Men alone may be officers. But theology does not belong exclusively to men. Wisdom and knowledge are gifts of the Spirit distributed at His will. And these are to be used in the church to continue reforming its heart and practices to Scripture.
Scripture has been given that all may be edified and sanctified (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Scripture has been given to all the members of the church to increase their wisdom and knowledge. Brothers and sisters in Christ are encouraged to use this wisdom and knowledge to edify one another and sanctify one another. As Paul says:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Col. 3:16)
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Eph. 5:21)
Scripture promises that God’s word will accomplish what it is intended for (Isa. 55:11) and gender does not play a role in that. God’s word is meant to edify and sanctify His whole church and not some segment of His bride. And each member is responsible to bear up one another (Gal. 6:2; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13) and correct one another (Matt. 18:15; Gal. 6:1).
These must be done within the confines of wisdom. Wisdom is a grace from the Spirit of God to those who will listen (Proverbs 1:5-7). There is nothing biological tied to this spiritual wisdom. Arguments that women are easily deceived and incapable of this wisdom ignore Paul’s example that men actively reject the wisdom of God (1 Tim. 2:14). For every “women aren’t fit because they are easily deceived” argument there is an argument that men intentionally ignore the word of God. However, believers are being restored to the image of God and taking on the mind of Christ. Arguing for man-only wisdom sounds more like “this women you gave me” than “blessed are you among women.”
Churches and sessions (!) can learn both theology and wisdom from women. Scripture is replete with commendations to edify one another and instruct one another (e.g. Eph. 5:19-21; Col. 3:16). Groups wishing to diminish the theological contributions of women have no place in Scripture. They have no place in the confessional, conservative denominations in which they dwell. Further, they have no place in the continuing reform of the church to Scripture.
Where From Here?
Where does the church go from here? We can’t pretend we are in a healthy situation. We have parachurch organizations eager for donations and not discipline. They remove contributors because they disrupt the flow by calling the church back to her task.
We have presbyteries more concerned with protecting their officers and not the orthopraxy of Scripture. Does “let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking” (Eph. 5:4) apply as equally as “I do not permit a woman to teach” (1 Tim. 2:12)? Is the entirety of Scripture applicable to women and officers of the church?
God’s church is to be ruled by His word. And His word describes not only who may edify the church but also the composition of her officers. The church needs to be more inclusive to the women who speak biblical truth while also rejecting the officers who impede the faithful path forward of the church. Until the church truly believes this it will allow sectarian leaders to fragment the church over their pearl-clutching.
