Studi Apologetika Tentang Pandangan Rasul Paulus Terhadap Kepemimpinan Wanita Di Gereja

Paul’s theological view on women in church leadership is often misinterpreted if not misunderstood. It is true that at first glance, his prohibitions and policies for women sound degrading the women’s role. Yet, the application of the appropriate hermeneutical approach to his writings such as in 1 Corinths 11:2-16, 1 Corinths 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:9-14 will show that Paul is never against women leading the church. This writing hopes to expand the church’s perspective on women’s leadership so that the church can provide women with the same opportunity as for the men in building up the body of Christ. On the other hand, it hopes to empower more women to take on leadership roles in the church without hesitation. [Pandangan teologis Rasul Paulus terhadap kepemimpinan wanita di gereja seringkali diterjemahkan dengan keliru atau disalah pahami. Jika dilihat secara sekilas, larangan dan aturan yang ia berikan kepada wanita terdengar merendahkan mereka. Namun, penerapan pendekatan hermeneutika yang sesuai dengan tulisan-tulisannya seperti dalam 1 Korintus 11:2-16, 1 Korintus 14:34-35 dan 1 Timotius 2:9-14 akan menunjukkan bahwa Rasul Paulus tidak pernah menentang wanita untuk memegang jabatan kepemimpinan di gereja. Tulisan ini diharapkan dapat memperluas perspektif gereja tentang kepemimpinan wanita sehingga wanita dapat memiliki kesempatan yang sama layaknya pria dalam membangun tubuh Kristus. Di sisi lain, gereja juga diharapkan untuk dapat memberdayakan lebih banyak lagi wanita untuk mengambil peran dalam kepemimpinan gereja tanpa ragu.]

1 Corinthians 14:33b–36 in light of women and church leadership in Nigeria

1 Corinthians 14:33b–36 contains the injunction by Paul that women should not speak in the church. In Nigeria, many of the mainline denominations exclude women from church leadership, basing the doctrine on this passage. This research examines the text with a view to assessing its relevance for women’s participation in church leadership with a focus on contemporary Nigeria. An examination of the history of the Jews reveals that women had a very small role in religious leadership. However, Jesus in his woman-friendly ministry marked a change in the male-dominated social structure. Paul built upon this, having many women as co-preachers; which would contradict a literal interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:33b–36. However, the text is best understood from the perspective of the Greek term ekklesia. In its popular context, it refers to the assembly of a Greek city-state in which women were not permitted to speak. In similar Christian assemblies, they were permitted on the basis of the Christian brotherhood. Apparently, in the Corinthian church, women were abusing this privilege by disrupting church services, which warranted Paul’s order. This being the case, the crucial issue is the disorderliness being caused by the women, and not their participation. Therefore, in this text it was not the intention of Paul to establish a doctrine disallowing women from participating in church leadership. Hence, for the Nigerian context, the text does not provide a basis for excluding women from church leadership.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research involves the disciplines of New Testament theology and church history. It examines 1 Corinthians 14:33b–36 with a view to assessing its relevance for women participation in church leadership and anticipates a situation in which all the mainline churches in Nigeria would involve women in church leadership.

Theology and Practice in Evangelical Churches

This chapter examines the continuities, development, and diversity found among evangelical Christians as they explore different patterns of evangelical response to new and challenging questions relating to sexuality and gender. Evangelicals have generally accepted contraception although there has been some recent opposition. Understandings and responses to divorce and remarriage vary from prohibition to generous accommodation with general acceptance of diverse genuinely evangelical views. Issues of gender and women in church leadership have, however, caused tensions and divisions between more restrictive ‘headship’ views and more egalitarian understandings, raising issues related to biblical inspiration and authority as well as hermeneutics. In contrast to diversity in these areas, most evangelicals remain committed to a sexual ethic focused on marriage and abstinence for the unmarried, and thus opposed to any approval of homosexual partnerships. Although some evangelicals are questioning this, most see change here as unbiblical and going beyond evangelicalism.

Being Biblical? Slavery, sexuality, and the inclusive community

The use of the Bible in ethical debate has been central for the last two millennia. Current debates about sexuality, or the position of women in church leadership, are marked by both, or all, sides of the argument using Scripture. However, this has been true of many issues in the past. This is demonstrated in the debate about slavery two hundred years ago. Careful analysis of the use of Scripture in both the justification and critique of apartheid reveals how both sides quoted Scripture in its various modes, such as rules, principles, paradigms, and overall world-view. The biographical nature of the Gospels means that we must set Jesus’ rigorous ethical teaching in the context of the narrative of his deeds, including his open and welcoming acceptance of all people. It was an inclusive community of interpretation which changed the debates about slavery and apartheid, and a similar inclusive community is needed today.