Running head: WOMEN IN MISSION 1

THEH 3443: BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF MISSIONS

TERM PAPER: WOMEN IN MISSION

MOSES OGUTA OMINO

BT/006/20135

PAPER PRESENTED TO MWALIMU CHIROMA

DATE: 29TH NOVEMBRER, 2018

PAN AFRICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

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Table of contents

I. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………….3

II. Women in mission……………………………………………………………………3

III. Matters raised concerning women and mission……………………………………….3

i. Hindrance by the patriarchal tradition………………………………. ….3

ii. Women to be submissive to husbands…………………………………….3

iii. Women were among Jesus’ first apostles and Sponsors…………………4

iv. Jesus interacted with women freely………………………………………4

v. Women remained his firm followers………………………………………5

IV. Debates and opinions concerning women and mission……………………………….5

i. Egalitarians………………………………………………………………5

ii. Complementarians………………………………………………………6

V. Contexts and backgrounds of women and mission…………………………………7

i. Women helped to found and minister in the early churches………………7

ii. Women preachers………………………………………………………….7

iii. Women in ordained ministry………………………………………...……8

VI. Key biblical and Theological insights …………….…………………………………8

VII. Importance of women in mission today………………………………………………10

VIII. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………11
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Introduction

Women in mission

The involvement of women in the mission of the church today is as dynamic as it has been

throughout the history of the Church. This is manifested in the participation of women in the

ministry positions within the Christian church and in the presentation of God’s message outside

the church. It is noteworthy that many leadership roles in the mainstream churches have been

denied women through the centuries and that only men have served at the helm of the church

hierarchy either as Popes, Patriarchs or Bishops.

Nevertheless, women made, and still make very significant contributions to the mission of

the Church. In this light, most Charismatic and Pentecostal churches have pioneered to embrace

the ordination of women ministers. Moreover, some mainstream Protestant denominations are

relaxing their longstanding constraints on ordaining women to be ministers, though some, like the

Southern Baptist Convention, have tightened their constraints in reaction (Grenz & Kjesbo, 1995).

Some important matters raised about women and mission

Hindrance by the patriarchal tradition

Christianity emerged from Judaism which was impacted by the Greco-Roman culture of

the empire. This was patriarchal and empowered men with authority in the family and in the

government above women. Therefore, men were the leaders in the early church, made key

decisions, and engaged extensively in the missionary efforts, the same constraints that have

persisted in the church throughout the centuries (Kathryn J. Riss, 2012).

Silence and Submission of women to their husbands

Through his epistle to the Colossians 3:18, Paul is noted to exhort the women to be

submissive to their husbands. The same notion is echoed in his epistle to the Ephesians 5:22 and
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further to Titus 2:13 and to 1Timothy 2:15. In the same connection in 1 Timothy 2:8-15, he posits

that besides submission, the women should maintain silence in the congregations. He echoes the

same notion in the epistle to the 1 Corinthians 14:34-37 (Culver, 1989).

Thus, submission and silence complement the tradition of patriarchy. This position taken

by the early church leaders contributed much to the definition of the roles of women in Christianity

through the centuries (Culver, 1989). For this reason, since mission entails all the ministries of the

faithful, these gender issues have impacted the participation of women in the mission.

Women active in Jesus’ ministry

In contrast to the prevailing patriarchal tradition and the submission of women to men,

women were active in the ministry of Jesus. Luke affirms that from the beginning, Jewish women

disciples including, Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna, accompanied Jesus during his ministry

and supported him out of their private means (Luke 8: 1-3). Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary and

Martha of Bethany were also among the key women figures in the ministry (Witherington, 1995).

Jesus interacted with women freely and commended their faith

Furthermore, Jesus conversed with women privately and publicly as he treated them with

compassion and dignity, and openly commended their faith. On one occasion in Matthew 15: 21-

28, Jesus encountered a Canaanite woman who showed great faith and he healed her son after

commending her faith (Witherington, 1995).

Luke records how Jesus was a frequent visitor at the home of Mary and Martha where he

taught and ate meals with the women as well as the men. It was however, not customary for men

to dine at the same table with the women. Luke further documents Martha's sister, Mary, sitting at

Jesus' feet as he taught them. This was a privilege reserved only for men in Judaism (Witherington,

1995).
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Women remained his firm followers

The scriptures document that when Jesus was arrested, it was the women followers who

remained firm, even when his male disciples had run into hiding. The women followed Jesus and

attended to his needs even to the mount of his crucifixion. Interestingly, it is the women who

became the first witnesses to the resurrection, and they were the bearers of the resurrection tidings

to the male disciples. It is evident therefore, that the women played crucial roles in the ministry of

Jesus as his disciples (Tucker & Liefeld, 1987).

In the light of these revelations, this essay looks into the prevailing hierarchical disposition

of genders in the mission by reflecting on the ideals that were held by Jesus Christ himself as he

propagated God’s kingdom through his ministry. This calling and treatment of the men and women

disciples is then contrasted to the traditions in practice today (Tucker & Liefeld, 1987).

Areas of debate generated by this topic

The debate about the involvement of women in mission has degenerated into the factions

of Complementarians and the Egalitarians. These are evangelical Christians groups who either

oppose or propose for the participation of women comprehensively in the church mission.

Nevertheless, both camps cite the authority of the Bible.

The Egalitarian position

Created equality

The egalitarians basically maintain that God created man and woman equal in all respects.

Citing from the book of Genesis 1:26-27, it is apparent that God made both man and woman in

His image without distinction. Their shared mandate would be to function equally in their rule

over God’s creation (Ware, 2007).

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Disruption of God’s order

The egalitarians however, note that the apparent hierarchy in the gender relationship is a

result of the fall. Sin therefore, corrupted the order of God’s creation and relationships. This

manifested itself in the genesis of evil and the apparent hierarchy in man and woman’s relationship.

The woman thus submits to man because of her curse after the temptation and fall (Ware, 2007).

Equality regained by redemption in Christ

Ultimately, the egalitarians argue that this illegitimate hierarchy between man and woman

is nullified through Jesus Christ, therefore, there is no distinction between the gender roles in the

kingdom of God any more. Through Christ, full equality and dignity is restored. As a result of this,

it is required of both sexes to serve one another equally (Ware, 2007).

The Complementarian position

Created equality of essence and distinction of role

On the other hand, the Complementarians maintain that man and woman were created

equal in essence, human nature, dignity and value. However, they are distinct in their contrasting

roles. Man is thus responsible for the loving authority over the woman who is bound to offer a

willing and submissive assistance to the man. Given that the woman was created from the man,

humanity fulfils itself only in their mutual complementarity as the woman submissively assists the

authority of the man (Ware, 2007).

Sin’s disruption of God’s created design

In agreement with the egalitarians, sin disrupted God’s created order of the relationship

between man and woman. Therefore, their relationship became riddled by their mutual enmity,

with the woman now yearning for man’s authority. The man, on the other hand, rules over the

woman either by rightful correction or wrongful abuse (Ware, 2007).

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Contexts and backgrounds on the significance of women and mission

Women helped to found and minister in the early churches

The scriptures record of women activists in the early church. Priscilla together with Aquilla,

helped to found the Christian community at Corinth. She travelled as a missionary with her

husband and St Paul on parts of the missionary journeys. It is Priscilla and Aquilla who took

Apollos aside to teach him. This context reveals a Christian woman propagating the message of

the kingdom of God and active in teaching and founding the early churches (Grenz & Kjesbo,

1995).

Furthermore, others like Dorcas functioned as leaders in relief work, especially in aiding

the needy. Luke records in Acts 9:36-43 that she was instrumental in providing material aid to

many people, especially the poor widows in Joppa. Her ministry example may have been

instrumental in the development of church offices that focused on service. Churches later

commissioned a number of women to ministries reminiscent of Tabitha's (Grenz & Kjesbo, 1995).

Some wealthy Christian women often served an infant church as its host by providing

material support and sometimes even certain social or political benefits to the group. In this respect,

Lydia was instrumental in the establishing of the Philippian church. Luke notes in Acts 16:13-15

that that she was a successful businesswoman who offered much hospitality to the Christian

evangelists when they set foot into the city. It is she who provided a venue for the infant community

of Philippian Christians (Grenz & Kjesbo, 1995).

Women preachers

The restrictions on women preachers persisted well into the nineteenth century among most

denominations. However, some evangelical Protestant denominations permitted women preaching.

By the start of the eighteenth century in Britain, the early Methodists allowed a significant number
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of female preachers, particularly among the rural and working-class populations (Grenz & Kjesbo,

1995). It is interesting to note that once these churches became institutionalised, the role of the

women receded into the background as the men took over the leadership.

Later in nineteenth-century Britain, the Salvation Army corps was founded by Catherine

Mumford and William Booth. From the beginning, it permitted women to preach on the same

terms as men. The women disciples, who were referred to as soldiers and officers, were expected

to share their testimonies about what Christ had done for them. They served as officers in the corps

and in expanding the work of the Army to other lands through their preaching (Bell, 2012).

Women priests ordained

Although the adherence to the traditional gender restrictions on women ordination as

priests persists in Catholicism and Orthodoxy, Protestant churches are increasingly ordaining

women to the ministry to further God’s mission. The Catholic Church through Pope Francis has

ruled out on a woman ever serving as a priest in the Roman Catholic church when he suggested

that the ban would be eternal (Kirchgaessner, 2016).

The Anglican Church of Australia on the other hand, made its history on February 10, 2018

when the Anglican diocese of Perth welcomed bishop Kay Goldsworthy as its eighth archbishop,

the first woman in Australian history to hold this title (Piper, 2018). Furthermore, the General

Convention of the Episcopal church in 1976 approved the ordination of women to the priesthood

and the episcopate in the Episcopal Church (The Episcopal Church, 2018).

Key biblical and theological insights bearing on women and mission

Man and Woman are made in the image of God

A very important theological insight that bears upon the discussion of women in mission

is the Biblical recognition of both men and women as created in God’s image. It is noteworthy
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when the Bible maintains in Genesis 1:27 that God made human beings in His image and further,

male and female (Grudem, 2002). It is a great privilege for man to be found in the image of God

because no other creature in all of creation is created in the image of God. This privilege is

extended only to human beings as man and woman (Grudem, 2002).

This implies that both man and woman share the Godly image and that they must treat each

other with dignity as equals before God. It is apparent therefore, that the Bible outrightly prohibits

the gender hierarchy that ensued as a result of sin and which is pervasive in all cultures throughout

history. Whenever such notions of superiority are upheld, the biblical truth of equality in the image

of God is thus undermined (Grudem, 2002).

Man and Woman have distinct roles in the created order

The other very important theological insight is that men and women have different, distinct

roles as part of the created order. Grudem notes the affirmations of the Council on Biblical

Manhood and Womanhood in the Danvers Statement of 1987 which maintain that both Adam and

Eve were created in God’s image, equal before God as persons and yet distinct in their manhood

and womanhood (Grudem, 2002).

However, it is noted that Adam’s headship in marriage was established by God before the

Fall and Eve would function as his helper and companion and this was not a result of sin. Therefore,

these distinctions in masculine and feminine roles are God ordained as part of the created order.

For this reason, this order should resound in every human heart (Grudem, 2002).

Gender hierarchy is a result of the fall, but original order recovered in Jesus Christ

The relationship between man and woman throughout history has been a very dynamic one.

However, this relationship is marked by the male predominance in social life over the woman.
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This has engendered the notion of superiority of man over the woman which apparently

undermines God’s image in the created man and woman (Bilezikian, 2006 ).

It is noteworthy that the created order was disrupted by the Fall and the unfavourable

gender hierarchy ensued. This pervaded all cultures through history but was abolished by the

sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his redemption of man which has restores God’s original order in

gender relationships (Ware, 2007).

The importance of women in mission today

Though not comprehensively and extensively documented as the men’s participation in the

male biased reporting, the trend of women involved actively in mission emanates from the very

foundation of the church. This trend continued in the following centuries as women continued to

serve in concrete, tangible ways (McCoy, 2018).

Some Practical Suggestions

It is noteworthy that, like all other spiritual gifts, the role of ordained ministry is only one

part of the body of Christ, and it is a ministration that has been dominated by a relatively few

numbers of Christian men. The church’s mission, on the other hand, is the task of every member

of Christ’s body, and it is carried out not only during corporate worship on Sunday, but at all times

(McCoy, 2018).

As the Seventh Day Adventists maintain, countless opportunities therefore, await the

women in mission. However, it is regrettable that many church women seem unaware of their high,

holy calling and privileges in Christ Jesus, particularly with reference to missionary labours along

the various lay activity and ministerial lines (General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,

1984).
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A real need exists for educated women to help in the very crucial ministry of counselling

in this post-modern world. This is an area where many ministries are struggling under in attempts

to advise, counsel and to sympathise with those who have questions, problems and trials. Therefore,

women can engage in this ministry as messengers of mercy to help their sisters in the faith as

admonished by the Lord (General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1984).

Furthermore, the medical mission should be the thrust for the entrance of the gospel, since

it is the sound minds in sound bodies that fully appreciates God’s message. The healing should

come through the church since God is the true healer. It is advisable that larger numbers of ladies

should train as nurses, but mostly as physicians. This helps other women since the revealing of the

nudity of women to men, or men to women physicians during treatment is a horrible practice. The

physician must therefore seek to win souls to Christ (General Conference of Seventh-day

Adventists, 1984).

Summary

It is my realization that the involvement of women in the mission has led to the significant

developments in the society and the growth of the church. For this reason, I concur that the

participation of women in various ministries both within and without the church in meeting

spiritual, physical, and material needs for God’s kingdom is unquestionable in this age. They are

at the heart of the church’s mission and much efforts should be expended to redefine women status

and encourage their involvement in mission work for the expansion of God’s kingdom (McCoy,

2018).
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Bilezikian, G. ( 2006 ). Beyond Sex Roles: What the Bible Says about a Woman's Place in

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Culver, R. D. (1989). A Traditional View: Let Your Women Keep Silence. In B. Clouse, & R. G.

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