Author: Warren Rachele

The Blue Parakeet ~ Women in Ministry 2

BPkeet Continuing this series on the issue of women in ministry, we recall that our aim is to read the entire Bible in developing our theological beliefs. We do this in order to prevent one or two passages to be taken improperly out of the context of the whole story as thought they define the permanent and complete voice of God on a subject. What often occurs in the discussion regarding a woman’s role in the church is that two Pauline passages are recited as the whole of the biblical record on women:

As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. (1 Co 14:33-35)

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. (1 Ti 2:11-12)

We will refer to these as the Women Keep Silent Passages (WKSPs)

Somehow, the cultural notion of female inferiority has become fossilized in the Church and doctrine and practice built up around it. Because of this, two passages have taken on an importance that is out of perspective with the rest of the Bible. If we carefully read the Bible in its entirety, we find a history of women’s involvement in the life of God’s people that is far broader than the the WKSPs allow. Reading the Bible as a story should lead us to ask a different question from the legalistic, what is allowed. Instead, we should look at what women actually did, leading us to a different question, What Did Women Do (WDWD)? When we ask this question as we scan the pages of our bibles, we find that women led, prophesied, taught, they were apostles, and they were spiritual mentors. They were (Blue Parakeet) exceptions to the inferiority culture. To allow the WKSPs to overwhelm the preponderance of WDWD passages is an unbiblical approach to analyzing the issue.

When reading Paul, we must remember that he is in conversation with his scriptures, the Old Testament. He is certainly aware of the importance of Miriam as one third of Israel’s early leadership trio. Moses was the Lawgiver, Aaron the priest, and Miriam the prophetess (cf: Micah 6:4). Paul also knew and revered the importance of Deborah the Judge. Here was woman called by God to lead Israel back to righteousness. She could speak for Him as a prophet, render decisions in a court of law, exercise spiritual leadership, and be a military commander. It is important to note that she was the leader of ALL of Israel, including the men. Paul would also know well the story of Josiah finding the Torah and repenting of how wicked the people of Israel had become. Who does he seek out to speak with God? Huldah the prophetess (not the only one by any stretch.) Paul knows that women have been used by God long before he began to pen his letters to Timothy and the church at Corinth. Does he now presume to overrule the choices God has made? We will look into the New Testament women in the next post.

UPDATE: Here is an interesting thread touching on the overall issue. Many of the facets of a theological discussion (tradition, single passage vs the ‘whole story’) are present among this intelligent group.

Midweek Beauty Break Favority Goodness

This may not be my best image of the year-that-is-almost-was but I still remember stumbling upon it deep in the woods. The dark green of the evergreens and chaparral made the turning leaves even brighter. I hope we all see a lot more of this kind of surprising beauty in the coming year. I suppose we just have to start looking…do you have a favorite picture from 08? Post a link for all of us to enjoy.

Hidden Dell, originally uploaded by wrachele.

Psalm 22 ~ Why Have You Forsaken Me? Part 1

It is a challenge for modern Christians to read this psalm without hearing Jesus voice the words of the opening verse. Our thoughts turn to our Lord, sacrificed on the cross and crying out in the final moments of his agony. We are filled with questions; did God forsake Him? Will He forsake us? Is God really far from our laments and our deliverance?

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. (vv 1-2)

Many of us have lamented in this fashion as our prayers appeared to hit the ceiling and fall without response. The appearance of God’s distance has left us feeling alone and vulnerable, especially to those who deny Him.

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.

All who see me mock me, they hurl insults shaking their heads:

“He trust in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him since he delights in him. (vv 6-8)

Do we allow these insults to pierce our souls or do we continue to trust in God? His will for each of us is beyond our thoughts and understanding and many times, especially in those moments when He seems far away, our faith must persevere. This is why we search the scriptures wherein we encounter others enduring in the same way we are. We see negative examples of those who do not wait on God (wandering in the desert, waiting for a child) and those who know that their only hope in is in the mercy of God (Job.) We can trust in His ways to be perfect despite current circumstances and continue to turn to him in love and faith.

Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mothers breast.

From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. (vv 9-11)

The Blue Parakeet ~ Women in Ministry 1

BPkeet

To conclude his analysis of how we read and apply the Bible to our lives, Scot McKnight closes The Blue Parakeet with a case study involving the contentious issue of women in ministry. The discussions and arguments surrounding the issue and the manner in which the church puts its beliefs into practice are an excellent subject for analyzing our process of discernment. How has our particular church or denomination come to its position on whether or not a woman can be called to the position of Senior Pastor or even another role in which she would have leadership over men? Is Paul the final word on women’s roles or is there a bigger picture when the issue is considered in light of the whole of Scripture? We must finally ask ourselves whether or not this is an application of that was then, this is now?

Throughout history, women are culturally labeled as inferior to men. Because the scriptures provide a view of a wide swath of history and because men are the authors of these books, one can get the impression that the dominant patriarchal view on the pages is a reflection of the societal opinions through time. These ideas combined become the lens through which the church reads the bible and then fossilizes the idea of the subordinate woman in church tradition. McKnight guides the discussion that follows in the remaining chapters with this key question, “Do we seek to retrieve that cultural world and those cultural expressions, or do we live the same gospel in a different way in a different day?”

In our times there are three broad views that direct how we engage this issue and, more often than not, we will find our thinking in one of these categories. It is not enough however, to identify your thoughts in a theological context. Because of their importance, a believer who intends to apply the Bible to all of the various aspects of life must do the spade work of understanding how we come to the beliefs that we hold. On the issue of female leadership it is especially important because our decisions can have a negative effect on a fellow sojourner.

The three views that we often encounter are:

Hard Patriarchy

The biblical context and it teaching are God’s original and permanent design a woman’s responsibility is to glorify God, love Him and her husband and children and others. She must submit to her husband and never seek a role that places her in leadership over him. God ordained men to be leaders. Period.

Soft Patriarchy

We are called to find a living analogy in our Western, 21st century context to the teachings of the Bible. This examination is to include gender roles. This system allows a bit more freedom in pursuing leadership outside of the home but she shall never be placed in a church leadership role over men, including the calling of Senior Pastor.

Mutuality View

This view taps into the oneness-otherness-oneness restoration theme that arrives with the Lord Jesus. The Bible story is cultural and the teachings reflect the culture. Because Jesus restores our oneness, we must rely on the Holy Spirit to guide our understanding of what God has called a woman to do and this possibility must include consideration of her calling to the Senior Pastor role.

Where do you stand?

A Child Is Born

The greatest gift has been given once and for all time in Jesus Christ. As it says in Mt 7:9-10, the Good Father knows the gifts we need and truly desire deep down in our hearts and will give us nothing else. When our greatest need was for a savior, that is exactly what he provided.

Merry Christmas

Psalm 21 ~ The King Trusts the Lord

There is an important faith concept in Psalm 21 that is easily missed, the idea of giving thanks in advance. Human nature often moves us to live in anticipation of something and then we give thanks when it is received. The logic is pure and simple; why give thanks for something not received? On the other, do we not give thanks to God in advance because our trust is weak?

For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken. (v 7)

This psalm is paired with Psalm 20 as the prayer intercedes on behalf of the king so that as the leader is successful, the king’s people will be blessed as well. It is not a historical record, rather, the expressions of trust and belief and gratitude precede the battle or other travail and they demonstrate a faith rooted in the belief that the outcome will be positive. In other words, the prayer does not follow a demonstration of God’s faithfulness, it anticipates it. As we approach the day of Christmas we would do well to search our own hearts to see if we have developed this same attitude.

Fourth Sunday in Advent – Micah and Mary

image In logical ordering of the world God created, the darkness must precede the light. We must endure the night to know the sunrise and warmth of a new day. This ordering extends to the extension of God’s mercy; our repentance leads to the light of the Lord’s mercy. Reading the words of the prophet Micah paints a vivid picture of this contrast. The Lord rebukes his children and follows it with the promises of mercy to be received by those who turn away from their sin. The greatest promise is a featured part of the Advent tradition,

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. (v 5:2)

Mary too knew the sweet longing of anticipation. Carrying the precious gift she bore closer and closer to His birth, Mary was overwhelmed at the change that was about to take place in the world. She was perhaps at a point similar to those moments just before the crown of the sun breaks the horizon, when the purples mix with the deep blue and black of the night sky and the sliver of light pushes the sphere of darkness to the west; though many weeks would still pass the day of the birth of the Lord was nearer than farther! Her heart sang,

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name. (Lk vv 1:46b-49)

The day is near for us as well, rejoice for Immanuel!

Advent Benediction ~ The Song of Mary

image Rejoice in the presence of the Lord, may His face shine upon you.

May you walk in anticipation of the promise kept,

and may you fall to your knees in humility and repentance.

 

May you join with your sister Mary and your soul glorify the Lord, your savior.

I pray that you will be known as people of mercy as the Lord works through you

and that you will give to others the same love that He has given to you.

 

May you remember to be merciful, humble, and faithful,

even when you face uncertainty as Mary did.

May you trust in Him as His ways are perfect.

Amen

Blue Parakeet 8

BPkeet

If you have been following this series on Scot McKnight’s book The Blue Parakeet or just read the book, you will have arrived at the self-analytical conclusion that you and I don’t do everything the Bible says to do. We don’t do this out of any lack of love for God or simple disobedience, rather, we have read, analyzed, and in light of the traditions that surround us, we have decided which of the hundreds of commands apply to us and which were intended for application in another era. This is the practice of discernment.

Discernment answers the question, why do I not do what the Bible teaches? Each of us within the context of our church community and tradition approaches the answer to this question in different ways. We take God’s word in the light of the Spirit and the context of our immediate community and we hear Him speak to us in our way in our day. The conclusions that we reach and the way that we apply those conclusions reflect the best way in which we understand that God wants us to live out the gospel in our moment. There are dangers associated with this that become evident in practice. Cultic or abhorrent practices can result from individual discernment that does not take into consideration the long held traditions and beliefs that have guided the Church for centuries and that result in ‘new revelations’ counter-cultural to the Church as a whole.

Discernment is a messy process. Many modern controversies demand that we return again and again to the Bible and then prayerfully seek the Spirit’s guidance in how to understand and apply the truths that we find there. The church will decide countless matters that have profound effect on the life of the community. For example, will women preach and teach on Sunday and how will gay and lesbian followers participate in the life of the body. The remaining chapters of Blue Parakeet will address on particularly contentious issue within the body, women’s place in the ministry of the church but the pattern of discernment that McKnight highlights are applicable to numerous other issues. Let’s take a look at one, glossalalia.

 image 

What facts can we begin our examination with? The early Christians spoke in tongues (Acts 2), Paul spoke in tongues quite a bit (1 Cor 14:18) and Christians throughout history  have received the gift of tongues. BUT, because the gift and practice have been limited in their scope to some smaller pockets of the body, a pattern of discernment arose that said that tongues are not for today, they were a sign gift for the first century alone. In spite of this, the Pentecostal movement of the early twentieth century, the charismatic believers and even the Vineyard churches have demonstrated a different pattern of discernment than the rest of the Church saying, ‘that was for then and it is also for now.’

Some with a narrow pattern of discernment will challenge this understanding and yet, the evidence of this practice is difficult to dispute. Is there something in our immediate context that forms our pattern of discernment such that we are unable to accept a truth that others have embraced? McKnight suggests in this example that those who grow up in a body where speaking in tongues is accepted are more likely to receive the gift while others with less experience continue to view it as foreign. Our context affects our interpretation and our discernment and because we have numerous unique traditions and practices to which we have become accustomed we should be cognizant of this fact, not only for ourselves but for understanding others as well.