Why do complementarians seem so nasty to women in ministry?
One of the frustrations that I have had regarding the subject of women in ministry is the attitude of complementarians towards women who teach the bible to men. Shouldn't the body of Christ be kind, loving and respectful to one another? Certainly we can agree to disagree on issues without becoming disagreeable. I mean, I can accept a person that has read the scriptures and has come to the conclusion that women shouldn't be teaching the bible to men. In fact I have met many women who do not believe that they should be in any kind of position where they would be teaching the bible to men in any form. If that is their belief then I am certainly not one to push them into an area where they feel that they would be displeasing God. If they want to discuss the issue with me, I am very open to discussion, but I would never try to push a woman into disobeying her conscience.
The problem I have, though, is that often these women are trying hard to judge me as being in sin when the bible says nothing about women who teach the bible to men as being in unrepentent sin. If we can agree to disagree that's fine. I don't say that they are in sin for following their belief and they can disagree with me, but can we not disagree without a charge of sin?
The Bible lists many areas of sin and each sin is attested to with at least one other witness. In which list would we put the "sin" of teaching the bible to men? Which one of the 10 commandments might this "sin" be found under? Why is this "sin" the only sin in the Bible to not have a second witness?
Months ago I spoke with a Pastor who is part complementarian. He said that he sees nothing scripturally wrong with women teaching the bible to men. He thinks that the only restriction on women is that they cannot be Pastors. However he says that he would never judge a woman who feels called of God to the Pastorate and he would never accuse her of sin. He says that this is going beyond scripture and to accuse one of sin when the bible doesn't say that is to unfairly judge our sisters in Christ. I fully agree with his statement about judgment. If the Bible says it is a sin there will always be a second witness and then we are responsible for gently restoring an erring brother or sister in Christ. However to throw grenades at each other by labeling a godly Christian woman teaching correct Christian doctrine to men and women as a "sinner" merely by her using her God-given gifts, I believe this is hurting the heart of God and hurting to the body of Christ.
The problem I have, though, is that often these women are trying hard to judge me as being in sin when the bible says nothing about women who teach the bible to men as being in unrepentent sin. If we can agree to disagree that's fine. I don't say that they are in sin for following their belief and they can disagree with me, but can we not disagree without a charge of sin?
The Bible lists many areas of sin and each sin is attested to with at least one other witness. In which list would we put the "sin" of teaching the bible to men? Which one of the 10 commandments might this "sin" be found under? Why is this "sin" the only sin in the Bible to not have a second witness?
Months ago I spoke with a Pastor who is part complementarian. He said that he sees nothing scripturally wrong with women teaching the bible to men. He thinks that the only restriction on women is that they cannot be Pastors. However he says that he would never judge a woman who feels called of God to the Pastorate and he would never accuse her of sin. He says that this is going beyond scripture and to accuse one of sin when the bible doesn't say that is to unfairly judge our sisters in Christ. I fully agree with his statement about judgment. If the Bible says it is a sin there will always be a second witness and then we are responsible for gently restoring an erring brother or sister in Christ. However to throw grenades at each other by labeling a godly Christian woman teaching correct Christian doctrine to men and women as a "sinner" merely by her using her God-given gifts, I believe this is hurting the heart of God and hurting to the body of Christ.
posted by Cheryl Schatz at 9:34 PM
5 Comments:
Hello Cheryl!
I've found you via Wade's blog. Always glad to "meet" a sister in Christ via cyberspace!
I tend to be more complementarian than egalitarian, but I do believe that things are not as necessarily black and white as some would have us believe. I certainly need to do more study on this issues as mother of a daughter!
I've always been blessed to part of fellowships where I had all manner of opportunity to serve and minister (I so appreciate the MEN and women who work in our church kitchens, but that was never for me) I've prayed in church, led both men and women in study and too many other ministries to mention. I guess what I'm trying to say is I've never actually had an experience where God was leading me to minister and I was denied because I'm a woman. I know that's not the case for everyone, but it's been my experience. I think another huge problem that we face today is that even the term complementarian means a host of different things. I know if you look at some of the Family Integrated churches - their view on what a women is allowed to do is very low, basically cooking and teaching the younger women how to cook, maintain a home, homeschool etc. This is an incorrect view of complentarianism I think. Well I'm running on and on and I just wanted to say HI! Thanks for your sweet spirit and the thoughtful dialogue you provied over at that other blog!
Mary
Hi Mary,
Welcome! Your are my first comment on this blog. The blog that I keep active is strivetoenter.com/wim I invite you over there because there are quite a number of regulars who will make you welcome and won't judge you for not being exactly like any one of us!
I was just like you several years ago. I did not have anyone telling me I could not do something because I was a woman. I also was not fully comfortable with a woman Pastor but this was mostly because of the way I was raised.
Then one day everything changed. A man that I had been discipling in apologetics told me that he would not allow his wife to teach a bible study where men were involved. I asked him why and that started a journey for me that has changed my life. My friend and his wife gave me John MacArthur's tapes on women and I couldn't believe all the restrictions that he had on women. I certainly couldn't be in an apologetics ministry with the view of JM. My friend also became very angry with me because I challenged him on why he thought I could teach ex-JW's proper doctrine but his wife wasn't allowed to teach a chapter in the bible to men. Things went from bad to worse and his anger against me turned to shunning and the break finally came when I came to understand that the reason he was treating me as he was, was because he believed that I and every other woman who taught the bible to men were sinning against God. When a person believes this, it is almost impossible for it not to cause division. How can one have fellowship with someone whom they think is sinning against God?
My two year study then produced a 4 DVD set on women in ministry and I wish it would have helped my friend and his wife but their hearts were hardened towards me and they stopped believing that I was following God.
If one sincerely believes in the complementarian viewpoint but they are not condemning women who teach the bible with authority, I don't think that I would have a problem fellowshipping with them at all.
Anyways, thanks for stopping by and I hope you come over to my other blog, because I'd loved to hear more from you.
Cheryl
I am pretty convincd that the condemnation and mean spirit goes both ways on this issue.
Dave,
Thank you for your comment. I have seen the mean spirit from egalitarians even when they are called heretics and other hateful words. I have been amazed at the calm and respectful on-line communication from these egalitarians. Perhaps you could show me where egalitarians call complementarians evil, heretics, witches, pawns of Satan or any of very bad term that I have seen on the other side and I will then consider that some egalitarians are equally mean spirited. I would hope that these egalitarians do not find my blog. By the way, my current blog is strivetoenter.com/wim You are very welcome to come over and join the discussion. You will be warmly welcomed!
Well, that one was a typo. I meant to say that I have NOT seen egalitarians show a mean spirit when they have even been called heretics, etc.
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