3.29.2010
Biblical Equality
What is Biblical equality? It is the belief that people are equal before God and in Christ. All have equal responsibility to use their gifts and obey their calling to the glory of God. God freely calls believers to roles and ministries without regard to class, gender, or race. We believe this because the Bible and Jesus Christ teach it to us. That is biblical equality.--ALAN G. PADGETT
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The article this excerpt is taken from of Padgett's goes on to say nothing about how Jesus supported the concept of women elders (perhaps because the Church had not even been established yet). It seems a little bold for him to suggest that Jesus teaches there are no differences in regard to race,gender, or class in regards to ministry when the ministry of teh New Testament Church was not even instituted until after Christ's ascension. Futhermore, Padgett gives no argument from Scripture that particularly addresses eldership. It is interesting to note that while he opens his essay with the pious words given above, he does nothing in the body of his work to support the thesis on a textual level. Padgett and others must be careful not to superimpose Scripture regarding the effectiveness of the Gospel to issues of roles in ministry. Please understand, I am not saying women cannot be ministers, just that Padgett's claim is not well supported by his Biblical study-at least so far as he explained it in this particular essay: What Is Biblical Equality?--from which the above quote was taken.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughtful comment.
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