Pastors With Purses? The Role of Women as Teaching Elders

05/13/2009 -

By Pastor Matthew Everhard.

Recently, the Presbytery of Florida (our regional body) was asked to study the role of women in church leadership, specifically the question of whether or not women should assume the role of teaching elder (pastor) in the local church. In our recent Presbytery meeting last weekend, we voted to sustain our current position, that is, the complementarian position (see below). In order to help our own elders (the session) study this issue, I prepared these notes in outline form of my own understanding of this complex issue.

Female Leadership in the Church
A Defense of the Complementarian Position—Outline
Pastor Matthew Everhard

I. Definitions of Orthodox Positions

•    Complementarian: Men and women are created equal in value; and yet distinct in role. God ordained that men and women would each have unique gifts and abilities; among them is the male’s leadership role in the church and home. This view holds that men alone are to hold the position in the Church of Teaching Elder.  This is the traditional position of Reformed Theology.

•    Egalitarian: Men and women are created equal in value and equal in role. God created men and women as virtual equals in all things. This position can be summarized with the motto, “Whatever a man can do, a woman can do.”  This position is non-traditional in Reformed Theology, but gaining ground.

II. Definitions of Unorthodox Positions

•    Heirarchical: Men are created superior to women in value and/or role. This position is rejected in Reformed Theology.

•    Hyper-Feminist: Women are created superior to men in value or role. This position is rejected in Reformed Theology.

III. Thesis: This brief outline will summarize the primary arguments that advance the orthodox complementarian position above. We will show that this is the understanding of biblical doctrine, the practice of the early New Testament Church, and the historical position of Reformed/Presbyterian churches.

IV. Arguments in Favor of Complementarianism:

1.    The primary hermeneutic of Reformed Theology holds that Scripture is the ultimate authority for faith and practice. For this reason, Scripture is to interpret Scripture (cf. WCF 1.9). Because there is no higher authority on which to base our understanding of difficult texts or dilemmas, these questions are to be interpreted in light of the most clear biblical passages. The most clear passages that speak to the issue of female church leadership are the following:
a.    1 Timothy 2:11-3:5:  A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. 1Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?)
b.    1 Corinthians 13:22-35.  As in all the congregations of the saints, 34women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
c.    Because these passages are explicit (women are not permitted to have teaching authority over men), the “burden of proof” lies in the court of those who would show that teaching eldership is also opened to women.

2.    Those texts in which Paul enumerates the “requirements” of eldership stand unequivocally in favor or male leadership. The Greek pronouns Paul employs when listing the qualifications of eldership are male and thus these regulations stand firmly in the complementarian camp. Those primary texts are
a.    1 Timothy 3:1-7.  Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.
b.    Titus 1:6-9. An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
i.    The argument that male pronouns in Greek can be gender inclusive is ruled out by 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6 which make it clear that the candidate being described is a man. Furthermore, gender inclusive pronouns are usually restricted to plurals and not third person singulars as above. In this case there can be no mistaking the fact that Paul is speaking exclusively of men.
ii.    We note that these texts are also prescriptive and not merely descriptive. That is, these MUST be the qualifications by which elders are discerned and selected.
iii.    If women are to be considered for the offices here described by the Apostle, Scriptural texts must be offered to demonstrate that the above are overruled. As no such overruling texts exist, male eldership must continue to be the standard for the Church.

3.    The Creation order suggests both equality in value and yet distinction in role for males and females as the complementarian position suggests.
a.    Human value is equal as both male and female are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27; 5:1-2).
b.    In marriage, they are “one flesh” underscoring their equality in value (Gen 2:24).
c.    Yet, as first created, the male (Adam) stands with the unique responsibilities of the firstborn including responsibility over the estate (Gen 2:15-20).
d.    Eve was designed as the “helper” to Adam (Gen 2:18-22). This suggests subordination without any hint of degradation. Also, 1 Corinthians 11:9-9.
e.    Adam’s leadership is ratified again in the curse pronounced after the fall (Genesis 3:16) as God states to Eve “your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

4.    The Creation order emulates the Trinity. Complete equality in personhood; and yet distinction and subordination in role is apparent in the godhead.
a.    The three persons of the Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal in majesty, perfection, holiness, excellence, eternality etc. and yet maintain distinctions in role.
b.    The Son saw no belittlement in His divine status as subordinate to the Father in role (John 14:28).
c.    Nor the Spirit in subordination to both Father and Son (John 15:27, 16:13-15).
d.    Marriage itself is compared to the godhead in Ephesians 5:22-33.
e.    Therefore those who would argue that subordination in role demands or implies differentiation in value must also quibble with the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity which maintains subordination and equality.

5.    Jesus Christ, when choosing the twelve disciples, and having prayed vigorously concerning the matter (Luke 6:12-16), chose only men. These disciples would become the Apostles, on whose shoulders the witness the “apostolic authority” of church teaching rests.
a.    Jesus, as Son of God, was not afraid to be counter-cultural in order to stand for the truth.
b.    Jesus, as Son of God, did in fact go against the culture of the day often, even when it brought persecution. Jesus stood against the culture of His day on the issues of healing on the Sabbath (Mark 1:21-17), temple vendors/exchangers (John 2:14-17), eating with sinners (Matthew 9:11), and washing before eating (Mark 7:1-23) to name a few.
c.    We note especially the way that Jesus broke cultural expectations in reference to women! Especially by
i.    Befriending them (John 4:7ff.)
ii.    Speaking publically with them (Luke 7:12ff.)
iii.    Loving them as sisters (Luke 10:38-39)
iv.    Teaching them theology (Luke 10:38-42; 23:27-31; John 20: 10-18).
v.    Commissioning them as the first witnesses to the Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10).
d.    Jesus, then, did not use “the culture of the day” to support His selection of only men. When teaching on gender matters in general, Jesus referred not to cultural mores, but to the Creation design itself (Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:7-8).
e.    The “culture of the day” argument does not bear weight for Paul’s epistles either. Both Jesus and Paul were willing to die for their convictions and would not have allowed “culture” to shape their views on such important matters.
i.    Paul, too, spoke of the creation order for gender roles rather than cultural factors. (Cf. Eph 5:31; 1 Timothy 2:14; 1 Corinthians 11:7-9).

6.    The teachings and practices of Jesus and Paul on this matter stand in accord with the Old Testament Law, having prescribed male leadership exclusively for the priesthood (Exodus 28-29; Leviticus 8-9).

7.    Male leadership in the family is explicitly compared to the manner in which Christ relates to His Church in Ephesians 5:22-33. In this passage, Paul underscores role distinction within the genders and yet upholds the dignity of both leadership and submission.
a.    Indeed, leadership implies a willingness to die for the led, just as Christ bled and died for the Church.
b.    Because of this sacrifice, the value of the subordinate is not negated but reinforced.

8.    Aside from these biblical arguments, at least two other weighty factors can be considered to support the complementarian position.
a.    Argument from nature: While men and women are clearly created equal in value, nevertheless there appears to be some roles to which  men are prone, gifted, and naturally excel above women (i.e. fighting off a home intruder), just as there are some areas to which women are prone, gifted, and excel above men (nurturing children and infants.) Church and family leadership are two such roles that men incline towards naturally.
b.    Argument from history: The historical position of most Christian leaders throughout the centuries favors almost overwhelmingly the complementarian position. Such advocated include but are not limited to Augustine, Luther, and Calvin.
i.    The complementarian position is the overwhelming majority position with Reformed/Presbyterian Churches with the exception of the most liberal mainline denominations.
ii.    The egalitarian position, as such, represents a theological novelty within the Visible Church in general and the Reformed Church specifically.

V. Conclusions. For the above reasons, we find that women may NOT assume the role of teaching elder, but MAY assume the following prerogatives within the Church:
1.     Shared corporate worship
2.     Teaching/leadership amongst other women
3.     Teaching/leadership over children and teens
4.     Staff positions
5.     Studying and learning theology
6.      Prayer
7.      Participation in the Sacraments
8.     And a multiplicity of other leadership and service roles aside from teaching men and assuming the right to the office of Teaching Elder (1 Timothy 2:12).



 

[Back to Top]   [Print]   [Share This]