From my old blog . . . 03.09.06

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Women leaders in the church

The message board I'm associated with has been have a couple of good discussions regarding this issue. There are those who think this is / has been / should be allowed and those who do not. Both groups (like so many in debates) find support for their positions biblically. I hold to the former view (but haven't always). It seems to me that what I read in the Bible has a lot to do with the over arching story of god and creation and the relationship between the two. It seems that people rebelled and turned the world, the cosmos; i.e. god's 'very good' creation, into a tail-spin. The rest of the story is about god rescuing creation. We find that the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus started the 'new creation' that the Jews longed for but didn't look like the thought it would. Part of this new creation is the up-lifting of women. That is, Jesus called women the 'daughters of Abraham'. He had women disciples (who, like their male counter-parts were studying to become rabbis). Women, who in that culture were considered chattel and their testimony was of no value, were the first to witness the resurrected Jesus. Women were the ones who preached to the other disciples about the resurrection. There were women apostles and deacons. There were also a few women leaders throughout church history.

So why can't women be leaders today? In the Episcopal tradition (which I am a part) there is a discussion about this exact thing. In our parish, we are open to that. We just sent a lady off to school with the blessing of our church.

I'll have to pick up this thought later. I gotta go to work.

May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.

+OD

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