Answer 11.1a: While Hassey has emphasized isolated examples, the entire history of the church, and the entire history of evangelicalism in America, looks far different: The vast majority of churches, and of evangelicals in particular, clearly rejected the idea of women as pastors throughout church history. (459)Egalitarian claim 11.2: Many Denominations: Many denominations have studied this issue and approved women for ordination. This provides a pattern for others to follow. (469)
Answer 11.1b: Our authority must be what the Bible teaches, not what some Christians have done at various times in the past. (462)
Answer 11.1c: Hassey's argument would have evangelicals today reject the godly wisdom of the majorities in these movements and adopt the rejected views of the minorities instead. (462)
Answer 11.1d: Most early evangelical leaders who supported women's preaching were not egalitarians in the modern sense. (463)
Answer 11.1e: There was great diversity and freedom in early American evangelicalism, along with a strong tradition of local church autonomy that allowed for the ordination of some women in specific local churches. (463)
Answer 11.1f: The vast majority of evangelical churches and institutions did not approve of the ordination of women at any point in American history. The trend among several major denominations to approve the ordination of women only began in the 1950s, well after liberal theology had gained controlling influence in those denominations. (464)
Answer 11.1g: Early Bible institutes were founded to train lay workers, not pastors, although some women students later became pastors. (465)
Answer 11.1h: Early approval of women's preaching or women's ordination occurred more often in certain kinds of groups. (466)
Answer 11.1i: A broader perspective from the worldwide Christian church shows that egalitarianism is an unusual development primarily confined to European and American Protestantism in the last half of the twentieth century and is by no means representative of the church through history or around the world. (468)
Answer 11.2a: All theologically liberal denominations have approved women's ordination. (469)
Answer 11.2b: Several denominations and organizations that are broadly tolerant of liberalism and that have leaders who have moved toward liberalism have approved women's ordination. (470)
Answer 11.2c: Women's ordination has also been approved by other groups that are not now theologically liberal but place extraordinary value on relating effectively to the culture, or place extraordinary value on the experience of effective ministry, and consequently place less value on maintaining doctrinal accuracy. (470)
Answer 11.2d: But nearly all denominations and organizations that have refused women's ordination share some common characteristics: (1) They hold firmly to the inerrancy of the Bible; (2) they are strongly truth-based and doctrinally vigilant; and (3) in many cases their leaders have personally fought and won battles with liberalism. (471)
Egalitarian claim 11.3: Art Work: Ancient art work shows the possibility
of women bishops in the ancient church. (472)
Answer 11.3a: No expert in the study of ancient Christian art supports Kroeger's interpretation. (472)
Answer 11.3b: This idea is contrary to what we know of the role of women in the early church. (474)
Egalitarian claim 11.4: Blessing On Ministry: God has evidently blessed
the ministries of many women, including women pastors.
Who are we to oppose what God has so clearly blessed?
(474)
Answer 11.4a: Of course there will be some good results when a woman prays, trusts God, and teaches God's Word, because God's Word has power and because God in his grace often blesses us in spite of our mistakes. But that does not make the mistakes right, and God may withdraw his protection and blessing at any time. (475)
Answer 11.4b: Arguments from the experience of blessing can go both ways: For two thousand years God has evidently blessed the ministries of millions of churches that have had only men as pastors and elders. Who are we to oppose what God has so clearly blessed? (476)
Answer 11.4c: Liberal denominations that ordain women pastors have continually declined in membership and income. (477)
Answer 11.4d: Having women as pastors or elders erodes male leadership and brings increasing feminization of both the home and the church. It also erodes the authority of Scripture because people see it being disobeyed. (478)
Answer 11.4e: What is right and wrong must be determined by the Bible, not by our experiences or our evaluation of the results of certain actions. (479)
Answer 11.4f: Determining right and wrong on the basis of human experience alone is the foundation of liberalism in theology. Feminism takes us in that direction. (479)
Answer 11.4g: Basing doctrinal decisions only on testimonies of personal experience will lead to all sorts of doctrinal errors. (480)
Answer 11.4h: In this controversy, God is asking us to decide if the Bible or experience will be our standard of truth. (480)
Egalitarian claim 11.5: Calling: If a woman has a genuine call from
God for pastoral ministry, we have no right to oppose
that call. (480)
Answer 11.5a: God never calls people to disobey his Word. Our decision on this matter must be based on the objective teaching of the Bible, not on some person's subjective experience, no matter how godly or sincere that person is. (481)
Answer 11.5b: What a woman perceives as a call from God to a pastoral ministry may be a genuine call to some other full-time ministry that is approved by Scripture. (482)
Egalitarian claim 11.6: Prophetic Voices: Many prophetic voices today
are calling for a new release of women into ministry.
(482)
Answer 11.6a: Prophecies today can be wrong. (482)
Answer 11.6b: Prophecies that contradict God's Word are wrong. (482)
Egalitarian claim 11.7: Unique Time: This is a unique time in history
when the Holy Spirit is bringing about a world-wide revival.
More people are becoming Christians today than at any
time in history. Because of this unique time God is calling
men and women alike to pastoral ministry. (483)
Answer 11.7a: The Bible was given to us as a guide for every period until Christ returns. (483)
Answer 11.7b: People who have said they can disobey God's Word because of unique circumstances have not been blessed by God. (484)
Answer 11.7c: This argument is just a way of saying that we are free to disobey Scripture in unusual times. That can never be right. (484)
Egalitarian claim 11.8: Manhood And Womanhood Aren't Really
Different: Except for physical differences, everything
that is true of men is also true of women, and everything
that is true of women is also true of men. (484)
Answer 11.8a: This argument misunderstands the complementarian position. (487)
Answer 11.8b: The net result of this position is gender confusion. (488)