Women in pastoral / ordained office
Whether women may serve in the pastoral / ordained office with teaching and governing authority over the gathered congregation. Both complementarian (restricting the office to qualified men based on 1 Timothy 2:12, 1 Corinthians 14:34) and egalitarian (affirming women in all roles based on Galatians 3:28) positions exist within historic Trinitarian Christianity. "Affirms" here = the traditional complementarian view that the pastoral office is restricted; "denies" = the egalitarian view that women may serve. Look for "women pastors / elders / priests", "egalitarian", or by contrast "complementarian", "biblical manhood and womanhood" as signals.
This doctrine distinguishes traditions but is not a boundary of orthodoxy.
Who binds this
Every affiliated congregation inherits its denomination's position. Follow a chip to see the confession's language.
Key scriptures
- 1Cor 11:5 — But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
- 1Cor 14:34 — Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
- 1Pet 2:9 — But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
- 1Tim 2:12 — But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
- 1Tim 3:1 — This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
- 1Tim 3:11 — Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
- Acts 18:26 — And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
- Acts 2:17 — And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
- Gal 3:28 — There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
- John 20:17 — Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
- Luke 8:1 — And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
- Matt 28:19 — Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
- Phil 4:2 — I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
- Rom 16:1 — I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
- Titus 2:3 — The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
What the confessions say
Articles of the historic confessions that address this doctrine.
- Reformed Belgic Confession Art31 — The Officers of the Church
- Reformed Baptist 1689 London Baptist Confession 26.10 — Of the Church
- Reformed Belgic Confession Art30 — The Government of the Church
- Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion Article 23 — Of Ministering in the Congregation
- Lutheran Augsburg Confession Article 7 — Of the Church
- Roman Catholic Council of Trent (Canons) On the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist · Canon 9 — On the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist
The Church Fathers
The earliest Fathers who commented on the Scriptures above.
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