What a thoughtful letter, Susy! I read every word. It's funny...I began similarly, with noticing the gifts and desires in my own heart for ministry during the 1970s to 1990s and prepared as much as I could through Bible college courses. But, when, in the early 1990s I moved to another state, I found myself in similar situations and felt I'd been put in a time machine and dropped at least twenty years into the past. I had to find other ways to use my gifts, and ended up becoming a psychotherapist, but it has been weird, knowing Jesus gifted me for service and being "locked out," due to cultural issues. I'm so glad you wrote this, ended up going to seminary, and allowing God to use you and he sees fit. Your writing voice is so calming to me and I have loved watching you flourish.
“Other ways to use our gifts” — that’s been my motto! May God continue to bless and use you in the space you are in, Linda. I’m so glad we met at Mount Hermon those years ago.
Wow! Thank you for sharing this letter. What a lot of thought, research and scripture you have put into it and it is very much appreciated. I am well acquainted with most of the scripture passages except for Joel, and the passages about Junia and anxious to look into them, but I have promised to report on the podcast I watched last night in which three women and one man spoke. Thank you for sharing this with me, and I want to share it with at least one woman preacher.
Also, we have started a Bible Study here at Kiwanis Senior Housing. It's been hard because of three Pentecostal women, (who don't agree with each other.) I am not Pentecostal, and I am not quite willing to share my bio publicly, but I really would like to talk with you personally, Susy. God bless you for this letter. Yes, the time may be short!
Linda, I'd love to talk anytime. I'm not Pentecostal either, but that denomination has influenced me through the women in my family and through my husband's family. I will email you some info on Junia.
Excellent letter! This is still so true in many of our churches, even ones who try to encourage women in leadership, it is an uphill battle. It’s still not enough.
the letter is dated September 25, 2017, can you tell us of the response you received.
It's interesting women can prophecy (they hear directly from God, and then tell the local congregation what God has said) but cannot teach, only men (can hear directly from God, and then tell the local congregation what God has said).
Speaking truth to power is an incredibly important role. Great followers hold their leaders accountable. Great organizations captilize on human potential. This is an incredible example of leading up to improve something you loved. Lead with love.
Congratulations for the compassionate bravery you showed here. I loved this part: "I became convinced the letters of Paul were written to specific churches with portions of those letters addressing specific problems and people, and I believe we cannot turn Paul's instructions into rules for all people for all time." You have phrased singularly well what I have thought when people try to use 1 Timothy 2 as the basis for sweeping decisions about women: eisegesis all the way, rather than exegesis into the Way.
I became an evangelical in a church that had women pastors, and I can't imagine how much poorer my faith experience would have been if a teaching and preaching role had been denied, on irrelevant grounds, to such an important part of the congregation. Thanks for sharing this letter. :)
This is such a sensitive topic, for both women and men, and you handled it with truth and grace. Your use of scripture to affirm women’s role and responsibility in the Church is well-grounded. I’m curious - what was the reaction of your church leadership? Did you have pushback? Did women react negatively to your position and recommendations?
I agree, wholeheartedly and I came to this realization when I was in my 30s. I served as a missionary overseas for 10 years, but was never ordained only “commissioned”. For this reason among others, I left the Baptist denomination and joined the Episcopal. No denomination is perfect, but the Episcopal denomination recognizes that the Spirit gives gifts without regard to gender.
Thank you! A thoughtful voice speaking into a sore problem. Did you ever pitch this to CT?
No I did not. This is the first time I’ve shared it anywhere.
What a thoughtful letter, Susy! I read every word. It's funny...I began similarly, with noticing the gifts and desires in my own heart for ministry during the 1970s to 1990s and prepared as much as I could through Bible college courses. But, when, in the early 1990s I moved to another state, I found myself in similar situations and felt I'd been put in a time machine and dropped at least twenty years into the past. I had to find other ways to use my gifts, and ended up becoming a psychotherapist, but it has been weird, knowing Jesus gifted me for service and being "locked out," due to cultural issues. I'm so glad you wrote this, ended up going to seminary, and allowing God to use you and he sees fit. Your writing voice is so calming to me and I have loved watching you flourish.
“Other ways to use our gifts” — that’s been my motto! May God continue to bless and use you in the space you are in, Linda. I’m so glad we met at Mount Hermon those years ago.
Wow! Thank you for sharing this letter. What a lot of thought, research and scripture you have put into it and it is very much appreciated. I am well acquainted with most of the scripture passages except for Joel, and the passages about Junia and anxious to look into them, but I have promised to report on the podcast I watched last night in which three women and one man spoke. Thank you for sharing this with me, and I want to share it with at least one woman preacher.
Also, we have started a Bible Study here at Kiwanis Senior Housing. It's been hard because of three Pentecostal women, (who don't agree with each other.) I am not Pentecostal, and I am not quite willing to share my bio publicly, but I really would like to talk with you personally, Susy. God bless you for this letter. Yes, the time may be short!
Linda, I'd love to talk anytime. I'm not Pentecostal either, but that denomination has influenced me through the women in my family and through my husband's family. I will email you some info on Junia.
Excellent letter! This is still so true in many of our churches, even ones who try to encourage women in leadership, it is an uphill battle. It’s still not enough.
Thank you, Kathleen! So glad to know you.
the letter is dated September 25, 2017, can you tell us of the response you received.
It's interesting women can prophecy (they hear directly from God, and then tell the local congregation what God has said) but cannot teach, only men (can hear directly from God, and then tell the local congregation what God has said).
The evidence shows that women did indeed teach in the early Church. You can read of the pastors’ response here on Scot McKnight's Substack, called Scot's Newsletter: https://open.substack.com/pub/scotmcknight/p/when-its-time-to-confront-sexism?r=1vieo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
thanks
You were quite courageous in reading this letter! I’m proud to know you, Susy.
Thank you Jody! You came before me in this place of ministry.
Speaking truth to power is an incredibly important role. Great followers hold their leaders accountable. Great organizations captilize on human potential. This is an incredible example of leading up to improve something you loved. Lead with love.
Congratulations for the compassionate bravery you showed here. I loved this part: "I became convinced the letters of Paul were written to specific churches with portions of those letters addressing specific problems and people, and I believe we cannot turn Paul's instructions into rules for all people for all time." You have phrased singularly well what I have thought when people try to use 1 Timothy 2 as the basis for sweeping decisions about women: eisegesis all the way, rather than exegesis into the Way.
I became an evangelical in a church that had women pastors, and I can't imagine how much poorer my faith experience would have been if a teaching and preaching role had been denied, on irrelevant grounds, to such an important part of the congregation. Thanks for sharing this letter. :)
This is such a sensitive topic, for both women and men, and you handled it with truth and grace. Your use of scripture to affirm women’s role and responsibility in the Church is well-grounded. I’m curious - what was the reaction of your church leadership? Did you have pushback? Did women react negatively to your position and recommendations?
I agree, wholeheartedly and I came to this realization when I was in my 30s. I served as a missionary overseas for 10 years, but was never ordained only “commissioned”. For this reason among others, I left the Baptist denomination and joined the Episcopal. No denomination is perfect, but the Episcopal denomination recognizes that the Spirit gives gifts without regard to gender.