Editorial

Ordination of Women

Will the Church allow the ordination of women issue, regardless of the decision, to disrupt its divine mission?

J.R. Spangler is the editor of Ministry.

For several years ordination of women has been the center of discussion on various occasions. We are not the only denomination struggling with this issue, since it is a focal point of controversy in both Protestant and Catholic circles. Women's issues are not limited to the religious realm. In recent years women have struggled and achieved certain victories in finding positions in both business and politics. In politics Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman in history to be nominated by a major U.S. political party for the Vice Presidency.

When it comes to the role of women in religion, business, or politics, women themselves are not in total unity. The majority of women who voted in the U.S. Presidential election failed to support the ticket with a woman on it. Within our church the women are divided as to attitudes about ordination. The numerous letters, telephone calls, and conversations that I have had indicate that some of the strongest attitudes against the ordination of women are exhibited by women, not men. In view of this, we are trying to be as objective as possible in presenting two viewpoints on the subject.

At the 1984 Annual Council certain steps were mandated for achieving a final decision at the General Conference session this July. (Please read carefully the report of these steps in the December, 1984, MINISTRY, page 26.) In brief, these steps include having two representatives from each of the world divisions attend a meeting prior to the 1985 General Conference Spring Meeting. This committee is to study the issue and give a report of their meeting to the delegates of the Spring Meeting, which in turn will refer recommendations to the 1985 General Conference session for decision.

The Biblical Research Institute is coordinating this special committee meeting and has been requested to send to all the delegates of the General Conference session "a balanced summary of the available theological positions in connection with this subject." And finally, "the decision of the 1985 General Conference session will be definitive and should be accepted as such by the church worldwide."

Observations for consideration

The church's attempts, especially in the North American Division, to place women in professional soul-winning positions have not met with wide acceptance or success. In the early seventies, ten internships were provided for Bible instructors. (These were not exclusively designated for women.) Unfortunately, these ten internships were little used. Since 1979, only six have been used, and none are currently being used. Later, five internships for associates in pastoral care were provided specifically for women. The training for associates in pastoral care differed somewhat from the Bible instructor program in that the training requirements for the position of associate in pastoral care were identical to the ministerial training program on both college and seminary levels. Research shows that only four internships have ever been used and that only one is in current use. Unless more openings in the churches are made available for associates in pastoral care, we may face the same decrease in interest as we have for the Bible instructor work. In other words, women have little incentive to prepare for the ministry unless they can expect to be hired for the ministry.

In connection with this point, it should be noted that in North America our theological seminary has three hundred regular and fifteen special scholar ships available for conference-sponsored or non-sponsored students to study for the M.Div. degree. Only sponsored students are guaranteed a position in the ministry upon graduation. Of the 296 students using these scholarships last fall quarter, only 188 were sponsored by conferences. This means that more than one hundred individuals face graduation from the seminary with no guaranteed call to a salaried position in the ministry. Although this problem is not directly related to the ordination of women, it is a logistical problem that church leaders must take into consideration.

A second observation relates to the work of the special committee and Spring Council, There is confusion in the minds of some as to the work of the committee itself. Is it their responsibility to ascertain from a Biblical standpoint that there is a prohibition against the ordination of women? President Wilson's remarks at the last Annual Council referred to the number of excellent papers that have already been prepared, and he said that most indicated that the Bible and the writings of Ellen White neither endorse nor condemn ordination of women. Furthermore, at the 1975 Spring Meeting, action was taken that opened the way for ordination of deaconesses and of women as local elders. Thus the concept of women being ordained has been approved by the church. The only question left is whether to ordain women for the gospel ministry. Perhaps an important question to be settled by the committee and the Spring Council delegates is whether this is a policy decision rather than a theological one. If it is defined as a policy decision, then the world church in session may find it easier to make a decision.

My third observation is in connection with an Annual Council comment by President Wilson that essentially the church must either back up or go forward. He indicated that the church's present stand is quite untenable because of past decisions to allow women to receive the same training in college and seminary as their male counterparts. In view of this, the question may be asked whether the church is willing to retreat from this position. If not, then is it willing to go forward to ordination? If we are unwilling to do either, does this not leave us in an awkward situation that has the capacity of creating disunity in the church?

My fourth observation is relative to procedures in ascertaining the church's will. Would it be more democratic if leadership allowed the General Conference delegates to settle the matter without a specific policy recommendation from the Spring Meeting? The leaders could recommend that a specified amount of time be given at the General Conference session for presentations on both sides of the issue and that after a special season of prayer the delegates would vote their convictions by secret ballot. Since the delegates will have a balanced summary of the available theological positions in connection with this subject prior to the session, they should be in a position to make an intelligent decision.

Finally, whatever the outcome, it is our appeal that this issue not disrupt the mission of the church, which has as its command from our Lord to reach every nation, kindred, tongue, and people with the glorious news of Christ's salvation and His soon coming. Whatever the outcome of the vote at the General Conference session, in no way should this affect the soul-winning activities of those individuals, men or women, who are ministers and members. We at the MINISTRY staff are earnestly praying that God's will be done in this matter.--J.R.S.


Ministry reserves the right to approve, disapprove, and delete comments at our discretion and will not be able to respond to inquiries about these comments. Please ensure that your words are respectful, courteous, and relevant.

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J.R. Spangler is the editor of Ministry.

March 1985

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