As reported in the Baptist Standard and in the Associated Baptist Press, Dr Todd Still, speaker at the CBE Houston Conference said at our conference:
“Contrary to popular opinion, women not only have a friend in Jesus, but also find a friend in the Apostle Paul.
“It likely comes as little to no surprise that Jesus affirmed the dignity of women, treating them as those created in the divine image, and that women played a pivotal role both in Jesus’ earthly and post-resurrection ministry. It may, however, come as a surprise to some that Paul’s calling of women/wives to silence and submission is tempered—if not trumped—by his affirmation of mutuality, yea equality, of women and wives in marriage and ministry,” he said.
“Pauline prohibitions and restrictions, I would contend, are occasional exceptions to this general rule,” he said. “As such, they are contextual, not continual; time-bound troubleshooting, not timeless delimiting; a chapter in a book, but not the whole enchilada. More often than not, there is inclusion and embrace, and it is this trajectory that we trace.”
“If it was the practice of Jesus and Paul to join hands with women in mission and ministry, should this be our contemporary practice as well?” he asked. “Yes, yes and a thousand times yes, we will answer.”
If you believe it is time to say YES! a thousand times Yes! to joining hands with women in mission and ministry, join us! Be a voice that is heard.
bWe Baptist Women for Equality's Blog 