Women in ministry- some info...

[melnjones]

http://congregational.chog.org/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=FE1E2CBCA37146EA9860DEB964C53BB6&type=gen&mod=Core%20Pages&gid=66CF6186A0E84381916F0BB9264FBA74&AudID=7CC144D1551A467C8C5F9B9A3F3ECA55
Man that's a long link!
Here's a little section from that page, please visit it to read more...

-snip-
Question: What are some Bible passages that support a woman’s call to ministry?
Answer: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God, he created him; male and female he created them.” —Genesis 1:27, NIV (emphasis added)

“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” —Joel 2:28-29 & Acts 2:17-18 (Peter quoting Joel explaining Pentecost event; emphasis added.)

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” —Galatians 3:28, NIV (emphasis added)

These verses support that women along with men are created in the image of God, are elevated (along with Greeks and slaves) to the previous status of men in the church, as servants of God, and are empowered by the Holy Spirit to preach.

-snip-

[melnjones]

1. Just a short edit,

I want to preface, or I guess "postface" at this point, what I just said with my belief that Christians with different interpretations of the Bible MUST stay in communication, even when they disagree on heated points. It's hard, especially when the disagreement is on an issue that hits home, which the issue of women in ministry does for me. At the same time, I have to respect those who firmly and sincerely believe that women should not be ordained and not sit in judgement of them. So if you disagree with what I posted above, please know that I do respect your opinion on the matter, even if we disagree!

[Kat45]

2. I know several women who are ministers or in divinity school.

I belong to a Congregational church. Our (male) minister's wife was going to theological school when she met him; she was just ordained and got a job at a church this year. We've had several women members of our church who were ministers or in school for it. I think it's wonderful.

[Minimus]

3. My great great grandmother was a Quaker minister. At that time

some Friends Meetings were having ministers and some were traditional with any who was move to speak could.

Quakers were in the forefront of getting equal rights for womens.

[pelagius]

4. The Episcopal Church has been ordaining women...

...since 1976. Women are represented as deacons, priests, and bishops. Most other Protestant denominations got a 50-100 year head start on the Episcopal Church. But since Anglicans count themselves as one of the "apostolic" churches (along with the Catholics and Orthodox), it represented a real break with tradition.