Is Womens Ordination related to Homosexual Ordination?
The arguments used for the ordination of women in the ELCA have also been used by advocates for ordination of non-celebate homosexual, but they are different issues. I will attempt, perhaps a feeble attempt, to differentiate the arguments in each case. Women’s ordination is obviously another whole question in and of its own merit. Let me humbly attempt to at least outline a few basic arguments I’ve heard. Without digging into a lot of verses, the general support for leadership by women (including ordination) in the church have centered on positive examples of women leaders throughout the Bible. Women in the Old Testament served as prophetesses (Miriam, Anna), even as a judge (Deborah). In the New Testament, Jesus lifted up the role of women, despite a culture that often did not. Even the first messengers of the resurrection were women. Other New Testament writers did limit the role or prohibit women from speaking (1 Corinthians 14, for example). Some make the argument that these verses
Related Questions
- Why is the issue of the ordination of women as elders or pastors of such crucial importance for the Seventh-day Adventist church at this time?
- Isn’t this issue of homosexuality just like women’s ordination and civil rights, and one day the church will just change and learn to accept it?
- Does the ECC support the ordination of women to the ministerial priesthood and why?
