There have been several things rolling around in my head about women in ministry lately. I keep seeing this issue pop up and, honestly, it just seems so repetitive. Every time I think we make progress on this issue, we see the same old arguments pop up again.
Women belong in full leadership of the church. Period. Women are called. Women are capable. And quite frankly, the historic and modern church would not exist but for the work of women at almost every level. The fact that men have suppressed women from the highest levels of the church testifies to the fact that they know their days would be numbered if women were allowed to lead.
I come from a tradition that claims the full leadership of women in the church. And yet, myself and many amazing women I know, never made it to the senior levels of the church. I recently read a FB post where someone was sharing an encounter in that denomination where they were told that God didn’t really want women in senior leadership. Nevermind that the denomination has ordained women from their founding in 1908. Even in churches where it is “legal” it does not guarantee that women are supported in the ways they need to be and it does not mean congregations are adequately educated about such issues. One sermon from a district leader once a year is not sufficient support for women in ministry.
Along those lines, I recently saw this come up in my FB feed from a denomination that ordains women. In this video, male ministers in the NC Lutheran Synod read things that have been said to their female colleagues. As you will see, they are embarrassed and angered by many of the things that their female minister friends put up with. I have heard many of these kinds of stories. More than one woman I know started wearing robes to get away from the comments on her clothing. Take a few minutes to watch this and note the reactions of the male ministers.
While there are some doozies in this video, please believe me when I tell you that it can be much worse than this. Women are subjected to all kinds of insults and harassment because they are women in ministry. And often this happens on top of years of resistance and pushback to becoming a minister at all.
The other main story that I’ve seen lately is that around Rick Warren embracing the full leadership of women in the church. This one is a double edged sword. Here’s the statement he made if you’d like to read it.
I mean, I’m glad. I’m glad he finally came around after a decades long career in ministry. (Cynicism warning: And his ministry and book sales would no longer be impacted.)
But on the other hand, what took so long?! I know a woman that was on his staff and she’s amazing, gifted, and powerful. Why was the door to full leadership closed to her then, but now it’s okay? How many women like her were denied the fullness of their call because Warren just couldn’t be persuaded? How many?
He says this verse helped persuade him :
How do we know women were preaching to men on the very first day of the Church? Because Peter felt obligated to explain it (Acts 2:16-21). It was so different from the Old Testament, where only ordained men from the tribe of Levi got to be priests, that Peter explained it as the coming of the prophecy in the Book of Joel: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below.”
How many times did he preach this and ignore the daughters? How many times did he preach this and put an asterisk on the participation of the daughters*? Beyond this text alone, how many times did he read the resurrection narrative and ignore the women or marginalize their voices?
Pastor Rick, the text didn’t change. Even though many, many women (and hopefully some men) talked to you about these very things, you refused to hear for years. You refused to step outside your box and listen to their hearts and their calls. When you had the power and influence to change things, you chose not to listen and act.
I’m really glad he finally came around. But what will he do to repair the damage he’s done to generations of women? Will he continue to speak out and make amends. Will he fund women at seminaries? Will he help educate churches on the biblical value and call of women in ministry? I really hope that this mental acknowledgement of the rightful need of women in full leadership of the church is something that deserves his full attention and is something for which he will continue to advocate.
I want to believe that someday, the struggles faced by women in ministry will end. But as we see the rise of toxic masculinity in conservative church spaces (a belief that gains traction with the rise of fascism) will we see the church become more open, or will women be pushed even further to the margins.
Women make up more than half the church. Women live out their faith in many kinds of faith spaces and work to cultivate community so others feel welcome. Women teach children how to grow in their faith. And, women can and should lead the church. Without condition or male authority. Women are called to preach and prophesy. And they should be able to live out that call just like anyone else.
Who are the women ministers that have inspired you? Please share in the comments.