Monday, July 03, 2006

Inner shift

So I recently came to the realization that God really has called me to preach, and that it's OK to want to do that, and it's OK to do that. I think I was holding on to some reservation about the women in ministry thing.

I have for a long time thought that a solid case could be made on both sides of this issue. I no longer believe that the case for restrictions/hierarchy is as solid as the case for inclusion. I think that those who say women should not preach/teach men/lead/be pastors are not looking at the whole pciture. To pull two restrictive verses out of context and make them the end answer about doctrine is to engage in poor scholarship. Isn't that how we got the whole "tongues as evidence of salvation" doctrine? And we know that is bunk. When ALL of the evidence is taken in - including all references to women, an understanding of the culture and time, and a look at just how radical Jesus and Paul were, I really don't think we can escape the fact that we are laboring under a long held tradition of patriarchy from the middle ages and earlier when we shut women out.

I think I will never again be part of a church that holds the view that women are to be kept from certain roles. Not meaning to be offensive. I have just finally landed someplace, and I don't ever want to go backwards.

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