January 2022 – Living Faith

Most complementarians agree that 1 Timothy 2 is the critical passage underpinning their position restricting what women can do in church. It is one of the most contested passages in the Bible with limited agreement on what it means even among those with similar views on gender roles. I think there is a way through the confusion to a most likely meaning of the passage and it’s application today. The passage poses many questions:

is the ‘teaching’ of any kind at all, or only of a particular kind? If the latter, which? Is ecclesial authority-taking over men also forbidden, or only a particular type of authority, or is a woman in fact forbidden only a particular kind of authoritative ecclesial teaching? Is teaching (and authority-taking) over men in every sphere of life forbidden? Does the author intend the instruction to be normative?^[1]
Holmes

The New Testament discussion of roles and qualifications is not well defined. Roles in the NT include apostles, prophets, teachers, leaders, preachers, pastors, overseers/elders and deacons. Some roles, like Timothy’s and Titus’ are uncertain (probably apostles?). Within the NT timeframe structures evolved with decentralisation away from Jerusalem. Many of the early NT roles (being specifically spirit chosen & empowered) are not present today – or perhaps relevant. Some positions which in some respects have endured (overseers and deacons) have changed. The NT structures included separation of teaching, leadership and administration – while allowing they could be combined. The Christadelphian arranging structures similarly lack a teaching responsibility and emphasis collective responsibility rather than individual.

Month: January 2022

1 Timothy 2:11-15 are women banned from teaching?

Men and women on church boards