Women in Ministry

Okay, now you may surmise something of what I believe about women in ordained clergy (I believe men alone should be ministers of Word and Sacrament). But what about women in ministry in general?

Apparently, the PCA is struggling through the issue of what to do with women in the church and is considering studying the issue of women deaconesses. Without getting into the exegetical issues, its obvious that conservative Presbyterians haven't known quite what to do with women since the great split with the PCUSA occurred. But why should this be so problematic?

Women are uniquely made to minister to other women and many conservative denominations have deaconesses. In fact, the most stable and long-lived of the conservative Presbyterian denominations (and a member of NAPARC) the ARP, has long had deaconesses. In addition, the RPCES, which was received into the PCA in 1983, also had deaconesses. So, rather than necessarily being problematic, having women flesh out their gifts in an official capacity in the church seems to free men to do those things they have been called to do without having to feminize their ministry.

Comments

[Prophet]

The PCA has rejected the study committee on deaconesses - watch www.layman.org for the story.

[Garrett]

Yes, I heard, though the vote was supposedly close. It'll be interesting to see how it unfolds. BTW how does this look from someone in a female-ordaining denomination like the PCUSA (I'm assuming you're Confessing Church)?

[RevK]

I'll have to check on the history for you; but I don't believe that the ARP has "long had deaconesses." It is my understanding that a past merger of some churches into the ARP permitted those joining to keep them at each congregation's discretion.

[Chris Smith]

If Wikipedia can be trusted ;-) the RPCNA -- which is one of the older Presbyterian Denominations AND a member of NAPARC -- allows men or women to be ordained to the office of deacon:

"Along with many other conservative denominations, the RPCNA interprets the Bible as requiring all elders to be male. Unlike most related denominations, however, deacons in the RPCNA may be either male or female; deaconesses have been permitted since 1888. In the late 1930s, the Synod voted to ordain women elders, but the decision was not ratified by a sufficient number of sessions, a process required for all constitutional changes."