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Women In Christianity

THE DIVINE FEMININE

Riding the coattails of two widely popular and controversial media portrayals, local and national discussion about the historic role of women in the Christian faith tradition has burgeoned in recent months.
Ref. https://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C...83988%2C00.html

Christianity Women

I have often wondered what people in general think about women taking the role of 'Priestess' and / or higher clergy in many Christian denominations - what is your point of view taking into consideration that Christ never chose a woman as his Apostle?

Women In Christianity Revealed Bible The

I personally do not see a problem with women in high positions within the church. I dont think the Lord meant for only men to serve in the church, and there is no indication in the New Testament that Jesus felt women were inferior to men. I believe that at the time He chose his apostles, He chose men because choosing a woman during those times would have been frowned upon heavily.

Christianity Women

Women of course have a divine role in creation and Mary, Mother of Jesus, showed just how divine. However as far as being a leader or instructor over both men and women the only referrence I see of that in the Bible is Deborah who took over as leader when no other man was righteous to do so. Note, it seems that only when men are not 'able' to fulfill the role do women seem to be given that 'job' or 'level' of leadership as it pertains to the Bible.

Although a good observation I wonder if that would be the reason since the Lord made statements and did things that already had people frowning on him. For the most part I believe Christ had more interaction with the people that the Bible gives us. Maybe there was a teaching about Women that has been left out.

Christianity Women

In a lot of the "modern" churches, and even some well-established like Methodists, the role of women is really growing. There are a lot more women as ministers and so forth that just didn't happen 20 years ago.

In my church, women are not assigned "minister" positions, per se, but carry great responsibility that falls within the scope of "ministry." We teach, we carry leadership positions within the women's and children's organizations. We are equal in many ways with men -- we just serve in different capacities. What a lot of women -- and men, too, I guess -- don't understand is that motherhood is a huge part of our calling as leaders in the gospel; and that's something that men cannot do.

I once talked with a woman whose son attends the same school as my daughter. She mentioned that she couldn't possibly attend a church that didn't allow women leadership roles, specifically "minister" or "pastor." I'm sure there are more women who feel the same way, but I don't think they understand their roles completely.

Personally, I believe my service is important, helpful, and valued by the male leaders of my church, and I have no problem allowing them to lead and direct in their given capacities. That doesn't make me "subservient" or less than men.

Also, I agree with JB that we may have "lost" scripture pertaining to women's roles in the church.

IMO
Roz

Women In Christianity

I think Heavenly Father specifically has given different roles to men and women. To the women he has given them the most sacred of the responsibilities, to have children and raise them in righteousness. It is not that he thinks we as women are inferior and that's why we don't have the Priesthood. It is because of our HUGE and SACRED responsibility we cannot bother with other issues.
If the Lord ever decides that women should hold high positions within a Church I have no problem with that, actually there are many Churches that this is happening right now, but I do know that the first responsibility of a woman is towards her own children.

Women Christianity

I believe there is some evidence to suggest that the early Christian Church leaders, when compiling the Bible, chose to leave out much that was written by and about women leaders in the early Church. I am not suggesting that these women were leaders because the Savior chose them to be, but it does appear that the very early Church (after the crucifixion) did include many women in prominent roles. Whether or not the men who chose to remove these scriptural references were inspired to do so is a possibility up for discussion as long as it can be done within the bounds of this topic.

My Church does not allow women to hold the Priesthood...for the most part. There is one place this isn't exactly true. Women don't hold the Priesthood, but do practice it's ordinances in the Temple. Anyway, I sometimes have difficulty with this. However, I believe my Church is led by a modern day prophet who receives inspiration for how to lead the Church and if the Lord wants me, as a woman, to hold the Priesthood, he will make it known. So, I don't have a problem with Church's that do have women in Priesthood positions. In fact, I listen to much that they preach on television. Joyce Meyers is one of my favorite TV evangelists.

Edited: tenaheff on 17th Aug, 2004 - 10:25am

Women Christianity The Bible Revealed

I disagree with the reasoning that women should be in the leading leadership roles in a church (pastor/ assistant pastor). God created man to be the leaders of the household and the church. One reason to explain this was that God created man in the image of God, and from us women were made.

I also greatly disagree with the reasoning that God would leave any sort of 'truth' out of the Bible. Why would God want us to only know part of the truth rather than the whole?? I believe that the Bible is just as how it should be: Truth as it is, with no 'stories' left out.

Here are some verses that i found for this subject matter:

I Corinthians 11:3
"But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God."

I Corinthians 11:7-9
"For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. (For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.)"

I Corinthians 14:34-35
"The women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church." However, when it says 'speak' here in this verse, I believe it means to teach in greek.

Ephesians 5:22-26
"Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word."

I Timothy 3:1-3
"The saying is sure: If any one aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher, no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money."

I Timothy 3:12
"Let deacons be the husband of one wife, and let them manage their children and their households well;"


however, I do believe that if God divinely spoke out or led a woman to lead, then I'd have no problem with it because God is Life, Truth, and the Big Man upstairs.


I Corinthians 7:17
"Only, let every one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches."