Monday, September 18, 2006

Women in Church part 1

This blog deals with my attempt to show that women do have a place of authority and leadership in the Church. Below is the beginnings of a paper for Biblical Hermeneutics at Ashland Theological Seminary.

Anne Dutton (1692-1765) a Baptist writer who had a profound impact with the people of her time. She had correspondences with John Wesley and George Whitefield.






The Survey

My first general observation of 1 Timothy 2:1-15 (NRSV) seems to deal with prayer (1-3), menÂ’s attitude in worship service (8), womenÂ’s correct attire and place in worship (9-12) the reason for such rules or regulations (13-14), finally the reward (15). It seems to me that the Apostle PaulÂ’s concern is purely trying to bring order to a specific church that is very much in disorder concerning the order of worship and dealing with false doctrine or teaching. Also given that the majority of verses are directed toward women are they to blame for the trouble of this particular church? Are verses 9-12 to be taken literal for all time? Or does it just deal with that church at that time? And if it is to be taken as literal what does this do for the other Scriptures in which women seem to used by God or Jesus either directly or indirectly for their purpose? If the Bible is to be a book of liberation for the sinner, why has the church used these verses to suppress women? I hope to be able to come to some general consensus through my study not only of this chapter and verses but the Scriptures as a whole and the history of catholic (universal) church.