Steve, 
Have you changed your view on this?

D Warner
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Steven G. Rockhill [mailto:revrock@...] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 6:44 PM
To: pastorsforum@...
Subject: [PastorsForum] The Theological Basis for Ordaining Women to the
Office of Teaching and Ruling Elder


    The Theological Basis for Ordaining Women to the Office of Teaching
    and Ruling Elder

   1. God created - Man as male and female as both good. He created male
      and female as co partners and helpmates in dominion over the
      earth. (Genesis 1:26-31, 2:18-25)

   2. The fall with the corruption of sin destroyed God's original
      harmonious order of creation. Men "ruling over women," or having
      "dominion over them," in marriage - is the direct result of the
      curse resulting from our sin. It was NOT God's original intention.
      (Genesis 3:16)

   3. All cultures have reflected the fallen "cursed" order. A
      significant part of this fallen order has been the development of
      hierarchical systems of social ordering in which males have had
      dominion over women.

   4. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as the intrusion of the Kingdom of God
      into human history brings a radical overturning of the social
      orders and cultural expressions based on the curse of sin. (E.g.
      Slavery, Men dominating women, racial superiority. (2 Corinthians
      5:14-21, Galatians 3:28-29) There is a restoration of the original
      prefall order of male female relationships, of co-workers and
      helpmates and a moving toward the new reality of the Kingdom of
      God. (John 4:27, Acts 1:14, 2:17-18, 8:12, 9:2, 18:26 Romans
      16:1,3,6-7,12, 21, 1 Corinthians 3:9, 7:4, 11:11-12, Ephesians
      5:21-33, I Tim 3:2)

   5. There are in Scripture both in the Old and New Testaments,
      accommodations to the fallen order and to culture.
          * Paul's acceptance of the institution of slavery (Ephesians
            6:5-9).
          * Requiring special dress and decorum for women, 1 Timothy 2:9,
          * Commanding busybody deceived widows to settle down and get
            married. (I Timothy 2:8-15, 5:3-16)
          * Silencing disruptive women who are misusing the gift of
            tongues and prophesy in church. (I Corinthians 14:34-36)
          * Decision that that Gentile Christians should abstain from
            eating the meat of strangled animals and blood. (Acts 15:20-21)

    These instances represent applications of certain eternal principles
    to specific situations and can be argued that they were not intended
    to be elevated to normative principles for all times and places.


          Based on the over all witness and practice of scripture,
          accepting women who are called by God, qualified and gifted
          into ordained leadership of the Church is:

   1. Consistent with the Gospel Jesus Christ Consistent with the actual
      practice of the early church who received women in leadership
   2. Consistent with our reformed view of authority which is rooted not
      in gender but in God's call, the Word of God, holiness of life,
      and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
   3. Consistent with actual practice of the Holy Spirit led, Jesus
      Christ centered early church in which, "Each is given a
      manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the common good."
   4. May take place within the context of Christian family life in
      which wives honor their husbands and husbands love their wives as
      Christ loves the church and gave himself for her.

To accept the role of women in ministry - just as the abolition of 
slavery - emerges not from a specific command of Scripture - there is no 
such command - but from the over all thrust and truth of Scripture as it 
emerges from a rigorous application of the Reformed Principles for 
interpreting Scripture.


    Summary Conclusion

Ordaining called, qualified and gifted women into the position of Ruling 
or Teaching Elder is consistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It also represents a restoration of God's original vision of creation of 
men and women together made in His image exercising dominion in the earth.

-- 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++
Pastor Steven G. Rockhill
Lisbon Reformed Presbyterian Church
PO Box 88
Lisbon, NY  13658
315-393-9041
revrock@... 
http://lisbonrpc.port5.com
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