Over on Resonate, there has been a discussion about women in ministry. The vast majority of people who make up Resonate don’t even understand why this is controversial. Like me they have grown up with women in ministry leadership. Sadly, a lot of people think we are heretics. I know that this won’t change the minds of those that feel that women should not be in a place of leadership in the church. This comes from an old post from myweblog and features from words by Tony Campolo in his book, Speaking My Mind.
I got into big-time trouble when I declared to the 2003 gathering of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (a split-off from the Southern Baptist Convention) that those who prevented women from being ordained to the preaching ministry were perpretating an evil practice. They were heated words, and some friends and relatives thought that they were ill-advised. Looking back, I wish I could have found better ways to express what I felt, because I know that many basically good Chrisitans disagree with me about this. It may be been that anger got the best of me. But behind my words, poorly chosen as they might have been, were some valid concerns, deep convictions, and strong feelings.
A host of negative reactions were forthcoming from the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, a denomination that a few years earlier had concluded a long established practice or ordaining women. Not only did the Southern Baptists end the preaching and teaching ministries of many women who had been occupying Baptist pulpits and holding faculty positions in their theological seminaries, but they extended their opposition to woment preachers overseas. The very day I made my strong statements against those who would keep woment from the preaching ministry, I had met with some missionaries from Japan who were beside themselves because women clergy who had been faithfully pastoring churches in Japan were bing “defrocked” so to speak. A good bit of the passion for what I said stemmed from my reactions to what the Southern Baptists were doing to these missionaries.
He continues with this…
Preaching is my vocation. Part of my indentity is wrapped up with this calling. In this respect, I am trying to imitate John the Baptist, when he was asked who he was, did not answer, “I’m John, and my mother is Elizabeth.” He didn’t give his name or even his family connections. Instead, he gave his inquirershis calling, He told them, “I’m a voice crying in the wilderness.” John’s identity was wrapped up in his calling, and I am somewhat like that. Take away my preaching and you negate a good part of who I am.
I tell you all of this as a way of giving you some idea of why it is so destructive for those woment who have a sense of calling to preach to be barred from the calling, especiall for those who have spent years of training to live out that vocation. To these women, it means the destruction of who they are as persons. That’s why I call it evil when a denomination wipes out the ordination of women.
As Tony later points out, it isn’t just the Southern Baptists and the Roman Catholic Church are a few of the many denominations that bar women from ordination. As a Free Methodist, I come from a tradition that has long ordained women and there is no discussion anymore on the topic (that I know of).
The chapter goes on to talk about sexism in evangelicalism, something that many people in the emerging church have written about. The good news is that not everyone (including my tradition) are like that and there are places that don’t care what sex you are, as long as you are called by God.
Technorati Tags : Tony+Campolo, theology, sexism, church
I’d never particularly thought of it as evil…but I shall rethink this.
I have always seen it as incredibly immature and a foolish form of institutional and social suicide, a silly power play that no one wins and just more childishness from the church.
Perhaps I’m fortunate this is a none debate to me, I didn’t grow up around Christians that believed women didn’t belong in ministry.
I saw it once, and it was so ridiculous I laughed. The female missionary had academic and field experience so far above the men telling her what she couldn’t do on furlough it was patently pathetic. She didn’t fight, showed grace and went on about her Father’s business.
I forget sometimes this is a battle you and others have to fight. And I hadn’t thought through the damage it does to female professors and ministers.
Thanks.
BD
“Preaching is my vocation. Part of my indentity is wrapped up with this calling.”
Does this phrase bother anyone else? If we allow our identity to be wrapped up in our calling don’t we open the door for some very dangerous and unhealthy things? Or am I just over-reacting to this small portion of his words?
Jordon. Good post. I too am a part of a denomination that ordains women (Evangelical Covenant Church). However, being a congregational denomination the problem is not do we or don’t we ordain women. The problem is … once a woman has been ordained can she find a place to serve.
This is still an important issue, because women are “officially” ordained, but unofficially kept from serving in congregations, because of the local congregations attitudes about women in THEIR ministry.
I imagine this is true in most denominations that ordain women and have a congregational polity. It think that’s your denomination as well. Don’t forget this issue … or stop talking about it with the leadership.
I enjoyed your post as a woman in ministry and also a itinerant preacher. I have to admit my identity is not wrapped up in my calling but wrapped up in what my Father God thinks of me. Still the struggle of women in ministry is long standing and I’m sure not yet completed. Thanks so much for the support.