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Women as clergy
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Passages impacting women's leadership in
the Christian Scriptures (New Testament)
Sponsored link.
Overview:
Discrimination against women in leadership positions has largely be eliminated throughout North America except for some religious denominations and the U.S. Armed Forces. The situation in Christian denominations is quite mixed:
 | Until the early years of the 20th century, few Christian faith groups allowed women to be ordained. Since then, most liberal denominations have accepted female ministers and pastors. Mainline denominations followed. |
| Very conservative denominations, like the Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Churches, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a.k.a. Mormons), most fundamentalist denominations, etc. generally still exclude all women from the clergy because of their gender, irrespective of qualifications or talents. |
| The Southern Baptist Convention made history in North America when it became the first denomination to stop ordination in the year 2000, while allowing existing female pastors to continue in their posts. |
| However, some like the Association of VIneyard Churches, Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship and some Pentecostal Denominations allow women to serve. |
The historical trend appears obvious - it may be just a matter of time before almost all denominations will remove their gender barrier, and finally match the rest of society.
Topics covered in this section:
| Quotations & Introduction |
| Quotations from: Acts, Romans, Corinthians, Galatians & Philippians |
| Quotations from: 1 Timothy to 1 Peter |
| Arguments from biblical silences; biblical forgeries |
Related essays on this web site:
The essay "Women Clergy: priests, pastors, ministers, rabbis" contains additional information on:
| Status of female ordination in various Christian denominations |
| Dates when various denominations started to ordain women |
| Female leaders mentioned in the Bible |
| Prohibition of women from positions of power by the early church |
| Other arguments for and against female ordination |
| and other topics. |
Our essay "The status of women in the Bible" for additional information on the role of women in Old Testament times, during Christ's ministry and during the early Christian church.
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Home > Christianity > Bible topics > here |
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Home > Christianity > History, beliefs, practices > Practices > here |
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or Home > "Hot topics" > here |
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or Home > Religious info. > Basic data > here |
Copyright © 1999 to 2007 by Ontario Consultants on
Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2007-JAN-10
Author: Bruce A. Robinson
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