A CLOSER LOOK AT WOMEN'S ORDINATION #02: THE SHAPE OF THE ISSUE

by Ty Gibson

Our church is facing a serious crisis that threatens to cause a painful division among us. At the upcoming General Conference Session in San Antonio, Texas, a vote will be taken on women’s ordination. It will go one of two ways:

1. A YES vote will allow each of the church’s 13 world Divisions to decide what is best regarding women’s ordination in their particular area of the world, while not requiring any Division, Union, Conference or local church to ordain women.
2. A NO vote will reject the proposal to allow each Division to decide for their territory what is best regarding women’s ordination. A NO vote will also likely be interpreted by some of its advocates as a universal rule forbidding women’s ordination throughout the Seventh-day Adventist Church, although that interpretation will be challenged and debated for years to come.

The prominent voices in favor of a NO vote are telling us that the Bible clearly forbids the ordination of women to the gospel ministry, and that allowing women to be ordained would render the Seventh-day Adventist Church unfaithful to Scripture and to God.

The prominent voices in favor of a YES vote are telling us that the Bible does not forbid the ordination of women and, therefore, the church is free to do what it deems best on the matter for the advancement of the gospel.

Both sides of the issue are endeavoring, no doubt with honesty before the Lord, to discover and follow what the Bible teaches on the matter, and both sides no doubt share responsibility for the threat of division the church is now facing.

A NO vote has the potential to split the Seventh-day Adventist Church on a denominational level, possibly leading to the separation of some Unions from the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church.

A YES vote will not likely produce a denominational split, but will likely cause some church members to feel obligated to sever ties with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, especially those who have decided that the issue is a matter of faithfulness versus unfaithfulness to God.

Does the Bible mandate male-only ordination and/or forbid the ordination of women?

To say the least, this is a very big deal for our beloved Church. It is imperative, as we endeavor to faithfully follow Scripture, that we think through our decision carefully and set our hearts to do whatever is ultimately best for the glory of God, the unity of His church, and the advancement of the gospel. I certainly do not want to add to the confusion, nor do I have any interest in advocating for one side or the other in the debate, but I do have something to say that I don’t hear being said, something I think is vital and may make all the difference in the world to sincere church members who simply want to

• be faithful to Scripture
• and at the same time maintain “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Assessing the above vote options, the most direct route to figuring out what is best for the church is to ask the basic, underlying question, Does the Bible mandate male-only ordination and/or forbid the ordination of women?

If it does, then we are dealing with a clear matter of doctrinal orthodoxy and moral imperative, in which case the ordination of women would constitute unfaithfulness to Scripture and rebellion against God. If it does not, then the church is free to do what it deems best for the spread of the gospel, and those who are elevating the issue to the level of testing truth are making divisive what Scripture does not.

Let us address ourselves, then, to the question at hand, beginning with some historical background.

Originally published: https://lightbearers.org/blog/a-closer-look-at-womens-ordination/