Cheryl Schatz

Mark,
You asked:

Now video 5,
Who exactly is the prosecution- JW or CBMW or both?

“Human tradition” is the real prosecution with the JW brand of tradition contributing all of the charges except the last one and with CBMW’s brand of tradition agreeing with the JW’s on some of the charges and adding the last charge of their own.

Now the first thing to note is in Acts 18 it is ‘they’ who explain to Apollos. I’m sure you don’t dispute that Cheryl but your video very much emphasised that it was Priscilla.

While most scholars believe that Priscilla was the main teacher of the two as Luke breaks tradition by listing her name first in Acts 18:26 where the corrective teaching is introduced, the fact that she is listed as a woman correcting and teaching a man is the key point that must be emphasized. If she knew the OT Scriptures forbid a woman from teaching a man (and no such law has been found in God’s law) she surely would not have taught Apollos. The fact that she was free to teach a man and correct his errors goes against CBMW’s rules that say that a woman cannot do things in a way that is teaching him. She has to be careful even in giving direction to a lost motorist in case she might be found teaching him.

The second thing I want to comment on has to do with the CBMW quote you used. I can’t speak entirely for them but I’m not sure if you understood it properly.

Well, I am glad that you realize that you can’t speak for them. I did have communication with them regarding the material that I put into my DVD set and they requested a review copy. They have never corrected me on the DVD or told me that I didn’t understand them properly. In fact in email communication they made it very clear that even in a home bible study a woman is not allowed to be the Bible teacher. She may comment at the study and she may even give her Bible views but she cannot be the Bible teacher.

I asked CBMW if a man can watch a woman teaching the bible on DVD and they said that he may watch her however he is not allowed to gather with his other male friends and watch a woman teaching on DVD because the would be seen as if she is their Bible teacher and this is forbidden by the Scriptures.

Since I have had direct communication with CBMW and have not been corrected on my understanding of their view, then perhaps it is you that misunderstands. CBMW restricts women far beyond being a pastor or elder. She may not be a Bible teacher to men even in her own home. Unless I misunderstood what you have written here on this blog, this would put CBMW and yourself at odds regarding women teaching Bible studies to men.

You entirely missed that the restriction is on the ‘ministry’ of the woman. They are not to teach a man doctrine or to exercise authority over a man IN A CHURCH. This is significant Cheryl; in fact it actually supports my view for understanding this passage.

Mark, what you fail to realize is that CBMW believes as we do that “church” is not necessarily in a building but wherever Christians gather together in Jesus name. We are the church. IT is not a building. They realize this so they forbid a woman from teaching other believers if they are male believers even if she is teaching them in her home and not in a church building. This is why they can easily say that a woman is not allowed to teach men in any place, at any time for any reason.

We would say that the teaching inappropriate for a woman is the teaching of men in settings or ways that dishonour the calling of men to bear the primary responsibility for teaching and leadership. This primary responsibility is to be carried by the pastors or elders.”

This is CBMW’s position. Women are not allowed to teach men in “settings” or “ways” that dishonor the calling of men to be the teachers and leaders. A “setting” of Bible study in a home is not allowed for a woman to teach men. She may facilitate the bible study by asking questions but she may not be the teaching of the study. If you think that your position that it is only in a “formal” setting in a church, then my friend, you are going to be very surprised. I recommend that you send them an email and ask them if a woman may teach the bible verse by verse to men in a bible study in her home. They will tell you that she is not allowed to be the bible teacher of a man even in her own home.

So I really do think you mis-quoted them. Therefore your whole approach seems wrong.

Mark, what are you going to do when you find out that I have not misquoted them and that they do forbid women from teaching the bible to men in a home setting? Are you going to do something about this or are you going to say nothing and let men restrict women’s teaching in ways that you do not believe the Bible restricts women? Are you willing to stand up and defend women bible teachers? Or are you going to be silent?