I've just received word that the Church of God General Council (ordained bishops) once again has voted not to allow women to serve on the Church and Pastor's Council at the local level. I'm not Calvinist, but maybe it was the Providence of God that kept me from being at the Assembly this year. I don't think I could have handled another defeat like this very gracefully.
I have several comments to make:
1. If men in this church would get as worked up about the injustice of this issue as they do about the financial situation of the church maybe we would see some change.
2. I don't know how much longer we can expect to keep qualified women as members, much less ministers in this Church.
3. This is not a liberal-conservative issue, as it is often framed. There are MANY theologically conservative denominations which allow for this kind of local church leadership (Pentecostal Holiness Church, Nazarene, Foursquare Gospel, etc.)
4. This kind of injustice and prejudice and oppression is sin.
8 comments:
I thought you WERE at the assembly!
A resounding "amen" to your post!
Since prejudice is stoked by fear, isn't it interesting that many "strong" "Godly" "manly" leaders are this afraid of women?!
Wow! Wonder what they are sooooo afraid of?
I know one thing, if all the women dropped out of the COG, the denomination sure wouldn't last long. I hope they see the error and "prejudice" as you stated, of their ways. I'm sorry for your disappointment too.
I know other COG women who have made some strong statements about how this feels. We can have a woman run for president but not on the council?????? WOW.....we got some catching up to do.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Dr. Alexander as a fellow female COG member and as licensed minister I feel the same. It makes absolutely no sense that a woman can pastor a church but have no say on a council. Apparently many of our ordained bishops need to go back to school and study the word and remember Deborah and Anna and many of the other women mentioned. And not to forget that Jesus chose a woman to preach the word of his resurrection.
The thing that was so upsetting was the rushing of the discussion and vote on this agenda item. The results also came from a revote after a great number of the bishops had left thinking that their vote had counted. It was very disheartening to see the manner in which women were treated as of secondary importance once again.
Kim, I hurt because you (and many other sisters in Christ) are hurting over this issue. I want to visit your class again soon and perhaps we can discuss this issue some with you and Corky.
I'm very sorry.. and ashamed that this continues to happen. May God have mercy on us.
The wineskin is broke but the wine is sweet. Where will the wine flow?
Kim, I was very disheartened when listening to this discussion take place on the Council floor (although I am not yet at the rank to participate in the Council). Hopefully, the next time this issue comes before the Council I will be a member and able to case my vote to allow my mothers ans sisters to have a voice in the COG.
Sometimes I just do not understand our logic (our lack thereof).
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