Turning the Wheel Back

A current newsworthy development in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Bavaria leads me to change the order of my original plan in presenting my thoughts on Feminism, but I will get back to Biblical Feminism in my next blog.

 

As Adventists, we have embraced the equality of men and women based on the words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians (3:28) “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.“ This is reflected in our Fundamental Beliefs:

 

BELIEF 14: UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation.

 

Adventist women embraced their God-given mission from the start of the movement, contributing in many ways to the development of the church. They were fully accepted as equals in the various branches of its ministry. Unfortunately, starting with the end of the first world war, women were gradually removed from positions of leadership and replaced by ordained ministers. Women found themselves more and more at the sidelines although the church still believed in gender equality.

 

As an international church, we have many different cultures within our membership and in some cultures, patriarchy has been more prevalent than in others. In the western world that I grew up in, women and men were treated as equals. The apostle Paul‘s texts were interpreted in their context as referring to local situations in the church at his time. I never heard a sermon about “women’s submission.“ Nobody ever suggested that I was not allowed to teach or preach. But of course, some individuals were convinced that women should not be „up front.“ But those were few and far between, and they mostly kept their thoughts to themselves.

 

In the 1970s the women’s movement gained general support and many Christians embraced women’s equality in the home, church, and society. At the same time in the evangelical world in the US, the notion came up that the requirement for women’s submission was part of the created order. Men, they explained, were created to rule and women were created to obey. Evangelical leaders began to promote a fully developed framework for complementarianism. Within a decade this belief was incorporated into the confessional statement of the Southern Baptists. The amended section stated, “A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.” At the same time, this submission was interpreted to mean that women should submit all men in the church, thus depriving them of the right to preach and teach men and teenage boys.

 

The Adventist church never picked up this theology, although some conservative elements promoted it. Professor Samuele Bacchiocchi wrote a book in 1989 called „Women in the Church - a Biblical Study On the Role of Women in the Church,“ with a foreword written by Professor Wayne Grudem, one of the main proponents of headship theology in the evangelical world. This book is full of complementarian theology.

 

Not long after he was elected as president of the General Conference in 2010, Ted Wilson started his campaign to stop the efforts of the church to approve women’s ordination. The Theology of Ordination Study Committee (TOSC, 2012-2014) was made up of opponents and proponents of women’s ordination and failed to reach a consensus on the matter. They concluded that it should not be a theological but rather an administrative matter. The question on which the vote in San Antonio in 2015 was taken did not reflect this result but rather suggested that the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy should be considered as the basis on which to vote. The question was not whether women’s ordination is permitted or not, but rather, should the world divisions be allowed to decide the question according to their own needs. Just as in 1995, when the same question had come up, the divisions were denied this right. The vote and the succeeding events, with General Conference leadership seeking ways to enforce compliance, have been a bitter disappointment for people who support SDA Fundamental Belief Nr. 14 and women’s ordination.

 

All these events have had their influence on our church members. Many believe that the vote in San Antonio prohibits women’s ordination, although this is not the case. The efforts of the General Conference leadership opposing women’s ordination have been taken up by church members as a justification for unchristian and discriminating behavior towards female pastors and other women in church leadership. 

 

Church members, although not the majority, seem to have picked up the notion that women should not be pastors in our church, and these individuals will confront a woman pastor after the church service with words like, "I suppose you have read the Bible. It says you should not be preaching." Others refuse communion from women who serve. This attitude has been increasing during the last few years, encouraged by a false interpretation of the vote in San Antonio. 

 

This news was released last week by the German Adventist Press Agency (APD):

 

 „The Executive Committee of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bavaria voted on April 25 to appoint an Equal Opportunities Commissioner. Patricia Davis, a qualified psychologist, took up her post on May 1. This makes her the first equal opportunities commissioner of her church in Germany. 

Vice President Stefan Rebensburg notes that dealing with the issue of discrimination is currently becoming more crucial. Positions that seemed long outdated are becoming more common. They don't reflect the majority, he says, but it's like "turning the wheel back." The leadership of the church is therefore taking steps to provide "consistent education of church congregations in this area and clearly avoid discriminatory behavior toward women in our ranks, especially in leadership positions." The committee sees a biblical mandate here, as well as support for Adventist doctrinal beliefs.

As a psychologist, Patricia Davis counsels people in life crises and helps families develop their strengths. In taking on the role of Equal Opportunities Officer, she hopes to provide a point of contact for concerned women pastors and women leaders in the church with a low threshold. "I understand us Adventists as a team that supports each other emotionally as well as actively.  A team in which all contribute their skills and abilities, without exception and equally, whether woman or man. God values everyone unconditionally regardless of age, background, or gender, and I want to help make our church a place where that's exactly what's lived out.

More than ever, Davis added, gender equality in the local church is a pressing concern for the church in Bavaria. "We want to promote a natural coexistence of men and women at all levels of congregational ministry so that congregations remain a place of appreciation and mutual support."  Religious and social disparagement of women in the area of congregational activities should have no place. This is the reason why this office was initiated for women who are affected by discrimination and disparagement in their work for the church. In a confidential setting, they can talk about these experiences and seek help.“ © APD

 

It is so sad that we need this! But I am glad that the church in Bavaria is standing up to protect women pastors and other women who are using their God-given gifts in the church from discrimination. At the same time, with their reference to Adventist doctrinal beliefs, the conference leadership recognizes that they need to support and protect egalitarian theology. We must not allow complementarian theology to be introduced into our church. Church leadership at all levels should be aware that complementarianism leads to discrimination and even abuse.

 

We must stop the disparagement of women in our churches. Thank you, Bavaria, for being proactive and taking the lead.

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