Only One Church

I just realized that there is only one Christian church that keeps the scriptures regarding women preachers ... the Catholic church!!

Our church is in between pastors and is interviewing for this position. If we get a woman pastor, as some are wont to do, then I am going to insist that my DH take us to the Catholic church.

I don't have anything against women who minister within the church ... but I firmly draw the line at preaching ... those passages are just too clear to me.

I'm presently Southern Baptist ... and that one particular branch may not allow women preachers, but the whole Baptist structure is falling apart and Baptist churches are changing to accomodate this. Your Southern Baptist church today may very easily become a more liberal (mainstream) one tomorrow. The Catholic church is the same whether it be in the south, the north, the east or west.

I think the Catholic church is also the only church that is openly outspoken against abortion. The Baptist won't commit to it one way or the other.

Yes, which makes it very difficult to walk into a Baptist church and expect it to be the same as the last one you attended. We left a very conservative Baptist church because they kept making derogatory comments about the Catholic church and because they would not support my son when he went on a mission trip with an international organization to a "Methodist" orphan camp in Hungary.

As if the Baptist have a monopoly on the gospel.

Our present Baptist church is very supportive, but the majority there are leaning towards Mainstream and are open to interviewing women for our pastoral position.

1 Corinthians 14:34 "Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church."

2 Timothy chapter 2, verses 12-13 "And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve."

There's a lot one can read into this, but the bottom line is that women are not to be preachers, teach, or have authority over a man in the CHURCHES ... that doesn't mean that she can't sing to or worship God. This is dealing with the position of authority - which God gave to man.

I don't know of the historical teachings that have kept men in the priesthood of the Catholic church ... maybe Wols, KC or someone can share that with us.

Yes, I am totally submissive to my husband at home, he is a very godly, loving man whom I feel very blessed to have in my life. He speaks my love language and I speak his. I think the woman's role in being submissive to her husband is a godly thing to do.

The implications behind not being able to speak at all is why I wanted to see the historical view of a woman's role in the churches. Since there are several references to older women teaching the younger women in the epistles, I'm sure they were allowed to teach - just not men.

cheezit - I don't believe scripture contradicts itself ... try not to read more into it than is there ... since scripture does not contradict itself, you can see that women did have various duties of SERVICE within the church, but that does not mean they had an authoritative role over men.

That is the main point of this whole reference regarding the role of men and women in the church ... men are the head, women are the lesser, weaker vessel. That has nothing at all to do with their individual salvation. Men and women are equal in the eyes of God as far as need for salvation and the means of salvation.

Technically what you call a deaconess is not scriptural ... as deacons are scripturally called to "be the husband of one wife" ... literally that is not possible for a woman.

But that's reading more into it than we should, imho.

allieisme - I don't think the wife's submissive role to her husband really has anything to do with whether she can be a preacher. That's a whole 'nuther subject. As far as agreeing to everything he tells me to do, I'll just write our conversation this afternoon ...

Me: (after telling him about this thread): you do think I'm submissive, don't you.

DH: big grin Yes!

Me: what does "submissive" mean to you?

DH: (without any hesitation) It means you totally agree with anything I say.

Me: (laughing) Can I enlighten you on something?

DH: (laughing) Ahhh, sure?

Me: It doesn't mean I agree with you, but you do get the final say-so as the head of the house. (big grin)

DH: (big grin) Yeah! I'll go with that!!!

We have one of those blessedly wonderful relationships where we love each other madly and would do anything for each other ... seriously ... after picking my first husband and making a total mess of my life and the lives of three children I let God decide if I would remarry again after he left our family. God did decide and He did the pickin' and boy does He know what He's doing when HE joins two people together.

I Peter 3:7 "Likewise you husbands, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered."