Subject: Women pastors... |
Bible Note: Dear John, This quotation by Charles Spurgeon -- one of our own Baptists -- is not asserting Egalitarianism. (The fact that Spurgeon held the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith in high regard, reiterating it in his own confession, stands as proof of that.) Historic Baptists have always held the opposite view called Complementarianism. The doctrine of Complementarianism affirms that men and women are equal (in being and personhood), but that they were created in order to complement one another in differing and non-overlapping roles in life and the church. Briefly, we would assert that Scripture only permits wives to be women and men to be husbands. Furthermore, we believe that the Scripture only permits pastors and elders to be men. (Note that some churches preclude women from serving as deacons, as well. However, that position is less Biblically tenable.) Spurgeon is not speaking of church polity at all. He is talking about proclamation of the Gospel. We are each, without exception, to proclaim the Gospel (to others and to ourselves). We are each to minister to one another in the church, although not everyone is to minister in the roles of pastor and elders. In Him, Doc PS By the way, a dear family friend of mine is Kay Arthur. I believe that she was one of the first people I ever heard discuss Complementarianism. Although she is not confessional, In my opinion, she and Jack deal with this in a soundly doctrinal manner. |