Truthseeker

correction: that is David W. Kendall, not Dendall, in my previous blog.

Sandy,

I, too, continue to search the sites and sources for other groups who have held longer egalitarian traditions. I suggest you examine the Salvation Army site, Quakers, and Free Methodists. I have found some especially good things on the Free Methodists’ site per their beliefs on women in ministry and in marriage. Free Methodists have a good little booklet called ‘Is There Room for the She in Shepherd?’, by David W. Dendall and Karen Strand Winslow. Also a paper called ‘Women in Leadership in the Bible’ by Brock Hoyer (the Free Methodist church in Akron, Ohio, mailed me both of the former publications), and ‘We Are All One in Christ’ by Dan Sheffield (this on the Free Methodist site) from the Light and Life magazine, August 1997 ;; 24-27. Search their sites for more. I am egal, by the way. but connected to very vocal comps.

What responses have some of you to the belief that comps have shared with me that it is not about heirarchy but about separate though equal areas of responsibility, if you will? It seems to me that the man’s area, spiritually, always includes everything in a woman’s realm of reponsibility, but not vice versa per these comps. It is then pointed out that Christ was equal with God but submitted to Him while on earth, and this is supposed to pave the way for the equivalent submission teachings for women. (from Phillipians)

I am praying for you and your ministry, Cheryl. Your ministry is a much-needed beacon of light!

I would love to hear of other denominations, especially in the United States, which have sound doctrine and are egal.
Thanks!

Cheryl, I am very grateful for your work! In trying to address potential questions from my comp. friends (I am egal.), I have a question about 1 Timothy: When it says ‘I do not permit a woman to teach a man’, in our English vocab and grammar, this could easily be taken as meaning ‘any woman to teach any man’ as in a teacher saying, “I do not permit a student to leave the room without a pass”. That is easily generally synonymous with “I do not permit any student to leave the room without a pass.” I agree that it is readily evident that woman is singular, and in your dvd teaching, you confirm that is the case in the original language as well. What I wonder is what the original grammar says about the article ‘a’ in front of woman and man. Does it necessarily exclude the possibility of the meaning ‘any’ woman/man? Does the singular form of the word ‘woman’ or any other aspect of the grammar prevent the possibility of the phrase ‘a woman’ being used as a referant to more than one woman, as it could in our language?
Also, per the phrase a bit further in 1 Tim. 2:15, when it says ‘women shall be saved by the childbirth’, does the word saved definitely refer to eternal salvation as opposed to some other kind of salvation? When I looked it up in Strong’s, it had several possible flavors of the meaning ‘salvation’. I realize context has much bearing on this passage, but still wondered about my question.
Finally, with versions of the bible having varying ways of saying things, which is the best version to use when searching for accuracy of meaning? Or, which several versions? This is daunting because it seems to mean we all need to study Greek and Hebrew, at least, and rather in depth, to clear up biblical misconceptions, or to even know where they are. Do you recommend any commentaries or other helps for the person beginning to study out this subject or others from the bible?
Thank you very much for all you do!!!!!