Summary of arguments for the ordination of women
The majority of the commission concluded that ‘scripture and theology permit the ordination of women in the LCA’. The reasons for the conclusion are those summarised in the Initial Report, as follows:
The relevance of the key texts
The two texts (1 Cor 14:33b-40 and I Tim 2:11-15) appealed to in opposing the ordination of women do not warrant the conclusions drawn from them. They are ambiguous and open to various interpretations. For example, in 1 Corinthians 14:34 it is not clear what kind of ‘silence’ Paul is commanding women to observe since women are praying and prophesying (1 Cor 11:5,13). Further, it is not clear to what the ‘command of the Lord’ (1 Cor 14:37) refers, eg to the silence of the women or to the necessity for good order in worship. In 1 Timothy 2 Paul is calling on women to adopt a quiet attitude which learns rather than seeks to teach. But it is unclear to whom or what they are ‘to be in subjection’ (v 11), or what it means to ‘have authority over’ a man (v 12). In both texts it is not entirely certain whether Paul is speaking of women in general or of wives in particular. Finally there is no clear indication that these commands are binding on the church outside their original context.
The mission imperative
The apostolic prohibition against women speaking in the worship assembly (1 Cor 14:33,34; 1 Tim 2:11,12) is based on a concern for the church’s mission to spread the gospel. Women questioning or debating matters in the church (1 Cor 14:35) or acting in a high handed manner would have caused offence especially to the predominantly Jewish converts and potential converts. Paul’s concern here is not for a male order of ministry but for orderliness in contrast to disorder, so as not to bring the church into disrepute (see 1 Cor 14:33,35,40)
Roles played by women in the early church
Women laboured with Paul ‘in the gospel’ (Phil 4:3); Priscilla taught Apollos (Acts 18:26); women prayed and prophesied in public worship (1 Cor 11:5,10; see also Acts 2:17); Phoebe is called ‘deacon’ and ‘patron’ of the church at Cenchreae (Rom 16:1,2). That Paul allows a woman to learn (1 Tim 2:11) is already a revolutionary step away from Jewish practice since it implies that they can then teach. It is therefore questionable whether 1 Timothy 2:12 (a woman is not to teach or have authority over a man) must be read as a principle without qualifications.
Equality of men and women in Christ
The baptismal formula of Galatians 3:28 (cf 1 Cor 12:13; Col 3:11) gives to women a position in the church not known within contemporary Judaism. The new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) confirms the equal standing of women with men before God (cf Gen 1:26-28). So, within marriage, husbands and wives are to complement one another (1 Cor 7:4) and to be subject to one another out of love (Eph 5:21). Within the church’s ministry, the ordination of women is an appropriate application of this principle of equality.
The inclusivity of the gospel
The inclusivity of the gospel should come to expression also in the public ministry of the church. This inclusivity which embraced Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female, found tangible expression in the early church (Eph 2:11-22; Philem 16). It is fittingly modelled by a public office which includes women.
The representation of Christ
The first Adam embraces the whole of sinful humanity, both men and women (Rom 5:12,15). In the person of the new Adam, Jesus Christ, God redeems and restores fallen humanity, both men and women (Rom 5:15-19; 1 Cor 15:45-49). The representation of Christ by women is made possible by their incorporation into him. All those redeemed by Christ are members of his body and are thus able to represent Christ to that body once they have been ‘rightly called’ to the public office.
A legitimate conclusion
The fact that many Lutheran churches have begun to ordain women in this century, against the tradition of the church, does not necessarily imply that the church has been in error and must repent of false teaching. It means that some Lutherans have come to learn from Scripture possibilities for the life of the church which would not have been culturally acceptable in earlier ages.
The relevance of the key texts
The two texts (1 Cor 14:33b-40 and I Tim 2:11-15) appealed to in opposing the ordination of women do not warrant the conclusions drawn from them. They are ambiguous and open to various interpretations. For example, in 1 Corinthians 14:34 it is not clear what kind of ‘silence’ Paul is commanding women to observe since women are praying and prophesying (1 Cor 11:5,13). Further, it is not clear to what the ‘command of the Lord’ (1 Cor 14:37) refers, eg to the silence of the women or to the necessity for good order in worship. In 1 Timothy 2 Paul is calling on women to adopt a quiet attitude which learns rather than seeks to teach. But it is unclear to whom or what they are ‘to be in subjection’ (v 11), or what it means to ‘have authority over’ a man (v 12). In both texts it is not entirely certain whether Paul is speaking of women in general or of wives in particular. Finally there is no clear indication that these commands are binding on the church outside their original context.
The mission imperative
The apostolic prohibition against women speaking in the worship assembly (1 Cor 14:33,34; 1 Tim 2:11,12) is based on a concern for the church’s mission to spread the gospel. Women questioning or debating matters in the church (1 Cor 14:35) or acting in a high handed manner would have caused offence especially to the predominantly Jewish converts and potential converts. Paul’s concern here is not for a male order of ministry but for orderliness in contrast to disorder, so as not to bring the church into disrepute (see 1 Cor 14:33,35,40)
Roles played by women in the early church
Women laboured with Paul ‘in the gospel’ (Phil 4:3); Priscilla taught Apollos (Acts 18:26); women prayed and prophesied in public worship (1 Cor 11:5,10; see also Acts 2:17); Phoebe is called ‘deacon’ and ‘patron’ of the church at Cenchreae (Rom 16:1,2). That Paul allows a woman to learn (1 Tim 2:11) is already a revolutionary step away from Jewish practice since it implies that they can then teach. It is therefore questionable whether 1 Timothy 2:12 (a woman is not to teach or have authority over a man) must be read as a principle without qualifications.
Equality of men and women in Christ
The baptismal formula of Galatians 3:28 (cf 1 Cor 12:13; Col 3:11) gives to women a position in the church not known within contemporary Judaism. The new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) confirms the equal standing of women with men before God (cf Gen 1:26-28). So, within marriage, husbands and wives are to complement one another (1 Cor 7:4) and to be subject to one another out of love (Eph 5:21). Within the church’s ministry, the ordination of women is an appropriate application of this principle of equality.
The inclusivity of the gospel
The inclusivity of the gospel should come to expression also in the public ministry of the church. This inclusivity which embraced Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female, found tangible expression in the early church (Eph 2:11-22; Philem 16). It is fittingly modelled by a public office which includes women.
The representation of Christ
The first Adam embraces the whole of sinful humanity, both men and women (Rom 5:12,15). In the person of the new Adam, Jesus Christ, God redeems and restores fallen humanity, both men and women (Rom 5:15-19; 1 Cor 15:45-49). The representation of Christ by women is made possible by their incorporation into him. All those redeemed by Christ are members of his body and are thus able to represent Christ to that body once they have been ‘rightly called’ to the public office.
A legitimate conclusion
The fact that many Lutheran churches have begun to ordain women in this century, against the tradition of the church, does not necessarily imply that the church has been in error and must repent of false teaching. It means that some Lutherans have come to learn from Scripture possibilities for the life of the church which would not have been culturally acceptable in earlier ages.
