Part 1 - A Biblical Basis for Affirming Women in Ministry

Abstract

"My first thought on coming to prepare this paper was, 'what right do I have to pass judgement on whether women can minister in Christ's church?' I am a white, (aspiring) middle-class male, and as such have not faced the frustration of having my own ministry rejected through reasons I can do nothing about. However, what I believe I can do is to provide a biblical basis for my own opinion on this controversial subject. I am an evangelical, a Baptist minister, and wholly committed to the Bible as holy scripture. I also have a strong concern for issues of justice, righteousness, and liberation, and it seems to me that where injustice and oppression are present, there the gospel is distorted. lt has never struck me as a reasonable argument to suggest that one's gender should provide a suitable means for determining one's suitability for ministry. The Bible is quite clear on the qualities that are required for Christian ministry, 1 and provided an individual, of whatever gender, satisfies these requirements it is my belief that they are suitable to minister in the church. As a colleague of mine remarked. when I asked his opinion on whether women should be ministers: 'lt depends on the woman"