Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Still more on "Women in Ministry"

Adrian Warnock has posted part 5 of his interview with Dr. Wayne Grudem on the issue of evangelical feminism. Check it out. This is a growing issue/problem in the evangelical church. Dr. Grudem feels (and I happen to agree) that evangelical feminism is a path to theological liberalism. When one looks at the mainline denominations, one of the common denominators is the recognition of female clergy. I think if you can dismiss or creatively “interpret” Scripture to affirm female clergy, it’s only a matter of time before you relax Scriptural standards in other areas. I think the issue is fundamentally one of submission to God’s authority.

There is also the issue of contentment. Are we content with God’s order for the family and the church? Or do we think we know better than God how the family and the church ought to function? The apostle Paul wrote, “Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches” (1 Corinthians 7:17). He also wrote, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11). The problem is, some church women, influenced by the worldly feminism of our culture, are no longer content to be and function as God created them. It’s the curse playing itself out in the church: Rather than finding fulfillment as “a helper fit for [or “corresponding to”] him” (Genesis 2:18), these daughters of Eve strive and fight to prove they’re “just as capable as any man.” Isn’t this what God said would occur? “Your desire shall be for [or “against”] your husband…” (Genesis 3:16). Not only is there the sin of discontentment in this push for female pastors and teachers in the church, there is the sin of covetousness.

Anyway, be sure you read Part 5 of Adrian Warnock’s interview of Dr. Wayne Grudem. If you missed the other parts, you can read them here: Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/Part 4. Also, there is this response of Dr. Grudem to a critic.

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