The CBE Scroll

Suppressing the Gospel-leadership of Women: The SBC Kicking Against God’s Will?

By Mimi Haddad

Just recently more than 100 bookstores controlled by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) removed the recent issue of Gospel Today—a magazine that highlighted the gospel-work of women. Have you ever wondered if the SBC might be “kicking against the goads” in their tireless efforts to censor the obvious fact that God, throughout history, has and continues to gift, call, and bless the gospel-service of women? Removing copies of Gospel Today, as it celebrates women leading the world to Jesus, is like trying to suppress the early apostles! It is a futile effort because it opposes the will of God.
Removing Gospel Today from 100 bookstores no more suppresses God’s power in women than throwing Peter in jail stopped the growth of the early church. Though the SBC works to restrain the gospel-work of female pastors, missionaries, professors, and those who support them, yet God’s favor rests upon women, and evidence of this keeps popping everywhere! It is hard to ignore the parallels between SBC efforts to rein in women, and the story of the apostles in Acts 5.
As the apostles performed many “signs and wonders” (Acts 5:12), “more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number” (5:14). God’s favor and power was impossible to ignore. Thus, because of their jealousy, the religious leaders arrested the apostles (5:18). But the angels released them from prison, putting them back on the streets to preach. Finally, the religious leaders asked Peter why he had disobeyed them by preaching the gospel. Peter said, “We must obey God rather than men” (5:29)! Peter’s words enraged the Sanhedrin, who wanted to put him to death. But Gamaliel, a Pharisee honored for his wisdom and learning, offered this important warning:
Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God (Acts 5:35-39).
As Gamaliel predicted, Peter and the other believers continued to preach, and their neighbors and communities came to faith in Christ. Infuriated by their efforts, Saul of Tarsus, a formidable opponent, devoted his talent to punish and silence believers—both men and women. But even Saul had to face the truth. Knocked off his horse, and blinded by a bright light, Saul heard a voice amid these astonishing events asking him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads” (Acts 26:14).
Women have been called to gospel-leadership since the empty tomb and their God-given abilities have and will draw many to Christ. This is a historic reality. In fact, in the largest expanse of Christian faith in all of history, women outnumbered men on mission-fields two to one. Their prominence is hard to ignore and impossible to suppress because their power is not of human origins, but is from God!

It has come to our attention that there is to be a debate on the Trinity between two staunch proponents of hierarchy, namely Wayne Grudem and Bruce Ware and two theologians of apparent egalitarian persuasion, Tom McCall and Keith Yandell. The following announcement was made by the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

The Carl F.H. Henry Center for Theological understanding of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is excited to announce that on October 9th, 2008 at 6.30 pm, it will host a Trinity Debate at the TEDS Chapel featuring Drs. Bruce Ware (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) and Wayne Grudem (Phoenix Seminary) versus Drs. Tom McCall (TEDS) and Keith Yandell (University of Wisconsin-Madison) on the question: “Do relations of authority and submission exist eternally among the Persons of the Godhead?”

This is a very significant event which happens to be scheduled just one month prior to the annual gathering of the Evangelical Theological Society and may very well provide impetus for a challenge to be presented to the ETS on their collective standing on the matter. Kevin Giles, our man on the ground in this ever widening debate says of those who will oppose the proposition “Tom McCall has his doctorate from Calvin and has published on the Trinity and Keith Yandell is a very competent and well published philosopher in his 60’s.”

This debate is of tremendous significance to egalitarians, as a further comment by Kevin Giles reveals, as quoted from his more recent work, Jesus and the Father, page 42. The chapter is titled, “Contemporary Evangelicals and the Doctrine of the Trinity.”  

“Virtually every evangelical theologian who has written in support of the eternal subordination of the Son in function and authority is committed to the permanent subordination of women in the church and home. Because the subordination of women and the subordination of the Son are inextricably united in the minds of those with whom I am debating, getting them to consider honestly and openly what they are saying on the Trinity is almost impossible. Too much for them is at stake. Some of them have said to me quite openly, “We will never give way on the Trinity, because this would be the first step in giving way on our case for the subordination of women.” Professor Wayne Grudem is firmly of this opinion. He says the “most decisive factor” in the case for the permanent subordination of women is “a proper understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity,” by which he means understanding the Trinity as hierarchically ordered so that the Son is bound to obey the Father. Nothing is more important “in the whole universe,” he says, than maintaining “the equality of being together with authority and submission” in the relationship between the Father and Son in the immanent Trinity.” (Grudem, Evangelical Feminism, 411 and n. 12; ibid., 429.)

We invite your comments and encourage you to follow the progress and outcome of this important event.

 In my last pastorate, I was invited to hold a monthly service at an assisted living center.  Each time I led this worship gathering and preached, one faithful attendee came armed with her Bible and a frown.  She would sit near the front and, as the service closed and I walked about to greet my white haired “congregants,” she always brought me the same admonishment.  “What do you do with the verse that says, ‘Women are to keep silent?’” she would ask with a stony face and cold condemnation. 

The first few times I spoke with her, I tried to explain about the verse, Greek, punctuation, the cultural context, the whole canon of scripture, (everything in my tool kit!), but I soon found she would have none of it.  So, I simply came to expect the frown, “the slap,” and the impossibility of having her understand.  I would love her to have known that I once questioned my own pastoral call as a woman, but the Lord was faithful and wouldn’t let up on the call or the reassurance that the strange, new gifts and urges that I was experiencing were from the Spirit.

Well, I have to say that God in God’s wonderful goodness continues to show me the wealth of that canon that I had put forth as my defense.  I was reading in Proverbs recently and was reminded of the support for the egalitarian perspective in so many passages of Scripture.

Proverbs 6:20-23 says:

My son, keep your father’s command (mitzvah) and do not forsake your mother’s teaching (torah).  Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.  When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you.  For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life.

I am touched by the coupling of the father’s instruction or commands with the mother’s.  And this is no lightweight word that is used for her teaching, as we know.  The word “torah” is also used for the Mosaic or Deuteronomic law, for prophetic utterances.  Wow!  But that mom and dad are mentioned in the same sentence and then this thought reiterated again for emphasis by saying “the commands are a lamp” (father’s contribution) and the “teaching is a light,” (mother’s contribution) is refreshing.  The mother is declared an appropriate teacher and her guidance of the son to be essential.  Mother and father provide something for the son’s safe and wise walk, and neither one is dispensable or less trustworthy.

One could say, “Ah, but she is teaching a child” - that’s permitted.  However, the teaching that follows, for many verses, is pretty steamy stuff about adultery so the recipient would seem to be a young man.

The reminder that there are many pieces of evidence in God’s Word that support the godly teaching of women brings fresh blessing and peace.  I remember my white-haired antagonist with gentleness, knowing that I never saw the joy of the Lord in her.  I can’t imagine the teaching and church culture she must have been subjected to in her younger days!!  Yet, this teaching still exists.  I am glad for my freedom and my call.  Thank you, my sweet Lord.

According to the Australian Oxford dictionary, the word EVIDENCE is “anything that establishes a fact or gives reason for believing something.”

While there are many evidences to show that equality among God’s children is a fact, one which comes to mind is the many descriptions given to those who follow Jesus and are his children. All these descriptions are without any hint of gender distinction and are directed to those who are referred to as ‘THE BODY OF CHRIST’ or ‘THE CHURCH’.

The references below are all from the NRSV – a gender inclusive version.

It is recorded in Matthew 5:13 that Jesus said to his followers, “YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH” and in the following verse “YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.”

In John 15: 5 Jesus describes his disciples in this way: “I am the vine and YOU ARE THE BRANCHES”.

Later in the same chapter in verse 14, Jesus has this to say: “YOU ARE MY FRIENDS if you do what I command you”

Peter’s first letter is addressed to “Those who have been CHOSEN and DESTINED by God the Father and SANCTIFIED by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be SPRINKLED with his blood.”

In chapter 2, verse 5 these same people are named, “LIVING STONES which are being built into a spiritual house – a HOLY PRIESTHOOD, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Verse 9 continues this theme with the addition of their being a “CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, GOD’S OWN PEOPLE, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

These and many other verses show the unqualified EQUALITY of all God’s children. Let us be encouraged by these truths and share them.

Not long ago we were alerted to an article written by the Rev. Dr Marie Fortune on her blog (see FaithTrust Institute) in which it was reported that a key spokesperson for complementarians stated that there were just two options for husbands whose authority was threatened.

“And husbands on their parts, because they’re sinners, now respond to that threat to their authority by either being abusive…..or more commonly to become passive, acquiescent and simply not asserting the leadership they ought to as men in their homes and churches”

Dr Fortune writes that this ‘insight’ was prefaced with the opinion that the problem begins with women who ‘rebel’ against their husbands who have been given authority over them by God; once again blaming the victim.

We could assume by these statements that here we have someone who has limited experience with domestic violence and has attempted to excuse behaviours which are obviously ungodly.

The third option of course is for husbands and wives to stand side by side as equal partners, faithful to each other and submitting to one another in love. No abuse here by either person and an opportunity to demonstrate true Christ-like qualities.