SolaGratia
Puritan Board Junior
Because of the PCA recent GA, I was wondering if there are any Reformed denominations who have women as ordained deaconesses?
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Are there any Reformed Denominations who held to ordaining deacons who are females?
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SolaGratia
Puritan Board Junior
Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online (merrian-webster dictionary) defines deaconesses as:
"a woman chosen to assist in the church ministry; specifically : one in a Protestant order"
I know that this dictionary and its definition does not applied to the overall church, but it does represents the American church thinking.
"a woman chosen to assist in the church ministry; specifically : one in a Protestant order"
I know that this dictionary and its definition does not applied to the overall church, but it does represents the American church thinking.
Backwoods Presbyterian
Puritanboard Amanuensis
See The ARP thread.
SolaGratia
Puritan Board Junior
"who are qualified under the standards recorded in Scripture."
Benjamin,
Does the ARP give any examples from Scripture or church history?
Thanks
Benjamin,
Does the ARP give any examples from Scripture or church history?
Thanks
Backwoods Presbyterian
Puritanboard Amanuensis
In the BCO/FOG there are no "Scripture proofs".
SolaGratia
Puritan Board Junior
Hmm!
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toddpedlar
Iron Dramatist
Pastresses, too, though they're rare.
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Pilgrim
Puritanboard Commissioner
They were quite rare if not practically nonexistent. I think there were a few female TE's but when I was looking into it about 3-4 years ago I didn't find any churches with a female pastor. Many churches and maybe even whole Presbyteries didn't have female RE's either. But with them accepting all of these churches that are fleeing the PCUSA, it's reasonable to anticipate the number increasing significantly. I know that some in the EPC are happy for the growth but are concerned for the future with regard to this issue.
Having "eldresses" is the reason why the CRC was removed from of NAPARC and why the EPC isn't a part of it.
SolaGratia
Puritan Board Junior
What about women voting? Are there any denominations which allowed women to vote?
Pilgrim
Puritanboard Commissioner
Voting meaning voting in congregational meetings? I would suspect that most in NAPARC allow it.
toddpedlar
Iron Dramatist
I think so. Household voting is very rare - if I recall correctly (which I probably don't) I think the RPCUS does - at least some I know do, I don't know if it's a denominational distinctive. I don't know of others.
Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
One of the doctrinal distinctives of the RPCUS is household voting.
I did not know that. What would you do with single women or mothers who have children but no husband? Would they not have a vote even though they would represent a household?
Mushroom
Puritan Board Doctor
I don't know the RPCUS position, but it would seem biblical that Ruling Elders oversee those households, and represent them in Church matters.
sastark
Puritan Board Graduate
Can you give Biblical support for that assertion?
Archlute
Puritan Board Senior
I don't know the RPCUS position, but it would seem biblical that Ruling Elders oversee those households, and represent them in Church matters.
I believe that there is even less scriptural support for that position than there is for ordaining a deaconess.
(Not to mention the objectionable theological, legal, and relational implications invoved.)
SolaGratia
Puritan Board Junior
Will these text count as a biblical proofs that the men in the church are supposed to take care of the widows, both within the church and economically? These verses, of course, need to be look at from their historical content in order to fully understand what was going on. Most of them take into consideration the responsibility of the spiritual leaders (which were men), like the pharisees; in which Jesus rebuked for devouring their houses, instead of providing for them.
John 19:27 (New King James Version)
27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
The charge given to John.
Mark 12:40
40 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
Pharisees should have provided instead of taking from the widows.
Acts 6:1
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
The complained was made by Hellenists men against the Hebrew men for neglecting the Hellenists widows.
1 Timothy 5:3
Honor widows who are really widows.
Charge given to Elder Timothy.
Galatians 2:9-10
9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.
Charge given to Paul and Barnabas by James, Peter, and John not to neglect the poor (the oppressed) which included widows.
John 19:27 (New King James Version)
27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
The charge given to John.
Mark 12:40
40 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
Pharisees should have provided instead of taking from the widows.
Acts 6:1
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
The complained was made by Hellenists men against the Hebrew men for neglecting the Hellenists widows.
1 Timothy 5:3
Honor widows who are really widows.
Charge given to Elder Timothy.
Galatians 2:9-10
9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.
Charge given to Paul and Barnabas by James, Peter, and John not to neglect the poor (the oppressed) which included widows.
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Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
But why do we allow women to vote? Is it because there is Biblical warrant for it, or is it a sop to Egalitarianism and Democracy? I honestly do not know. But speaking from experience, it has been a real plague in my congregation to have women voting for their husbands because they want them to have positions of power in order to boost their own status.
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