Curious Christian

Following is commentary from Peter R. Green that I am reposting here with permission.

I’m a retired Baptist pastor from Australia.

The first thing I’d like to say is that the SBC is not a member of the Baptist World Alliance, as it broke away a number of years ago. Please don’t infer anything general about Baptists from any SBC decisions.

I strongly disagree with this decision. It is based on bad biblical interpretation, theological chicanery and lies about history.

The New Testament, written mainly by men in a patriarchal society, keeps overturning common expectations.
Women can pray or prophesy in the meeting, but please avoid dressing like sex workers or, in the case of men, robbers. Women can be active in church, but please don’t chatter while others are working or ask for a running commentary.

Chloe can provide leadership in Corinth, Lydia in Philippi. No complaints from Paul.

The Samaritan woman preached Christ, and the women told the apostles he was risen.

Peter said the Holy Spirit was now on all humans: even slave girls would prophesy.

The whole thrust of the New Testament is that, in Christ, there is neither male nor female: they are not useful social categories.

So, when there’s a single passage which says a woman shouldn’t teach or assume authority over a man — actually a quite negative expression, maybe more “bully a man” — we focus on teaching, which Paul clearly approved when Priscilla did it? Or do we combine the two and understand that the problem was a few women who were bossing the men around and didn’t even know the gospel that well?

Yes, I know there’s more detail to extract from that passage. Don’t bother me with examples of classical use of αυθεντειν.
But sometimes — possibly Albert Mohler — also said that early Baptists never allowed women to preach: it’s a purely modern fad.

In fact, there were plenty of female Baptist preachers in the 17th century. They appear in arrest records.
Female preachers were a feature of the early church. It wasn’t just Junia, the apostle, or Priscilla or Paul’s co-workers, Euodia and Syntyche, who had the falling out. Do we think they just sliced flatbread for sandwiches? Or did they teach new converts and preach themselves?

There is artistic evidence of female preachers. There were the Montanists, Prisca and Maximilla, in Phrygia — a bit weird, but clearly not a problem for being women, only for “prophesying” unconventionally.

If the Spirit gifts a woman to teach and preach, an organisation which prevents her is quenching the Spirit and despises God’s purposes for that person.