What is the right place for women?
Budde vs. Trump revives an ongoing battle
Mariann Budde and Donald Trump at National Cathedral, January 21.
I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. —Philippians 4:2
I wasn’t expecting to address women’s roles so early in my blog career, but a recent event makes the topic timely.
On January 21, at a prayer service at National Cathedral, Mariann Budde, Episcopal bishop of Washington, D.C., directly addressed President Trump, calling on him to show mercy to those who feared the results of Trump’s return to the White House.
The forthright challenge to a president sitting in the room paralleled the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast, when Mother Teresa, with pro-choice President Bill Clinton just a few feet away, stated, “I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion.”
Predictably, Budde was praised by political and theological liberals and assailed by conservatives. But some Christians went further, contending that the core problem is having women in the pulpit at all. One pastor said, “Women’s ordination is a cancer that unleashes untethered empathy in the church.” Another influencer called supporters of female preachers “agents of destruction.”
My personal opinion on women preaching was published in 1990. I still hold that position, which Gary Hoag has since articulated with stronger support from ancient evidence. But this post isn’t intended to debate that issue. My purpose is to address how to move forward on an issue on which consensus is unachievable.
Some Christians believe that 1 Timothy 2, supported by Jesus’ selection of 12 male disciples and the practice of the early church, bars women from pastoral leadership. They are not likely to be dislodged from what they consider Paul’s plain intent.
Other Christians think Jesus and Paul were functioning in specific cultural contexts and never intended to exclude women from pastoral authority forever.
As usual, decades of debate have swayed few from their entrenched position, although Rick Warren of Saddleback Church had a recent change of heart, leading to Saddleback’s expulsion from the Southern Baptist Convention.
Some denominations have sought to accommodate both views, but that’s hard. Traditionalists are uncomfortable with ordained women at denominational assemblies, and ordained women struggle to deliberate alongside people who deny the legitimacy of their calling.
Trading accusations of narrow biblical literalism or cultural accommodation isn’t very helpful. What does seem helpful is to recognize that this is a secondary matter not central to salvation, and that sometimes the existence of denominations and congregations on both sides of the fence can be a blessing. If women’s ordination is an important issue for you, find a church that shares your view. If it isn’t a crucial issue for you, help to deploy women’s gifts constructively wherever God puts you.
In 42 years of marriage, Nancy and I have spent 21 years in complementarian churches and 21 in egalitarian churches. In all of them, women were valued and we were blessed by their ministry. In our experience, ensuring that women are respected and equipped to serve God has been more productive than arguing over whether women can be called “Rev.” and wear a robe.
Your comments are welcome!