Precisely.Originally posted by satz
What about when Paul sent Phebe to Rome?
Romans 16:
1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
He tells ( a polite command ) the romans to help her in whatever business she has need of them, but does not specify what they are to help her in but rather leaves it to her to inform them. Sounds to me like she had a bit of authority? Note also Paul does not tell them to assist her in what he sends her to do, he says ' in WHATSOEVER business she hath need of you'.
That passage alone is enough to satisfy my conscience regarding women's authority in the realms of employment, though prehaps not government. But it is only one example.
Now, Paul wouldn't contradict himself, so we know that her business did not extend to teaching or anything that would put her in authority in the church. But she did have authority for civil matters prehaps touching the church, whether it be movement of aid, logistics etc
Nor does it matter even if it is claimed that her authority was really from Paul. Since to say that would be to say women can have authority over men, as long as another man legitimizes that authority.
1. Such a principle of delegation is never thought in the bible when it comes to the roles of the sexes.
2. Even if one accepts this, it would still conflict with the hardline stance taken on 1 Tim 2 in this thread.
By the way, I've never heard a Pastor say "...there's no place for loose dress in the Church...." What kind of English is that?! You people in Australia talk funny.