The question of women’s ordination is topical in several denominations. It is often difficult even to trace the main reasons why women could not be ordained as full pastors. There are many denominations that accept women’s ministry in congregations and regard it as equal to that of men. For the Adventist Church – one of the denominations that is widely represented in all regions of the world and unites members of society from various cultures – it is rather complicated to support women’s ordination, and at present this fact is not being changed, because the leadership of the Adventist Church fears a possible split if it were to support women’s ordination.
Discussions about women’s ordination in the Adventist Church[1] began as far back as the 1880s. In the Adventist Church the question of women’s equality in the area of ordination was raised in 1881, when women’s rights movements were becoming active in society; researchers of the feminist movement regard this as the first wave of feminism. The second wave of the feminist movement is the 1960s–70s, which is the postwar period, and in Western Europe and in Eastern society it was a time when people also began to speak about the rights of black people, which coincides with the time when the question of women’s ordination was being brought to the fore in the Adventist Church. The third wave of the feminist movement is from the mid-1990s to the present day, which again coincides with the time when the question of women’s ordination is topical in the Adventist Church.[2] In the Adventist Church women are widely involved in various congregational ministries, and many women also serve as unordained pastors in some congregations, but so far the General Conference[3] has not granted permission to ordain women as pastors. In many regions of the world it is accepted that women in society fulfill the same duties as men, that women have equal rights. These countries are also the ones that are very interested in, and strive to bring about, women being ordained as pastors.
Before speaking about women’s ordination, it is important to understand why the church has, since ancient times, had a dismissive attitude toward the equal involvement of women in church structures. One cannot fail to mention the Church Father Tertullian, an outstanding theologian. He explained theological questions well, but he also had his own opinion about women. He believed that every woman in this world is Eve, and that women are the devil’s gateway in this world, because all evil began through Eve. God’s punishment upon this sex lives on through women even in this age, and because of women God himself had to come to earth and die.[4] One must likewise mention Augustine, who believed that men represent the mind, while women represent sexuality.[5] Likewise, in the 4th century a certain Christian Assyrian author believed that women are Satan’s weapon in this world.[6] There are also other theologians of the 4th, 5th, and later centuries who had a dismissive attitude toward women and who believed it better not to yield to the temptation of marrying women. Likewise, even in the 15th century there were views that when a woman is by herself, she thinks evil thoughts. These views, and many similar to them, make up the history of the Christian church. Although today no one any longer voices such an opinion against women aloud, it has also influenced the attitude of the modern church toward women.
By giving women a greater opportunity to serve in congregations, in many people there will still be a dismissive attitude toward women as such going forward. And this is not only an internal problem of the church, but of all society, in which there exists a lesser regard for women — as an example one may mention the killing of infant girls, which has occurred both in Rome and elsewhere in the world. It can be likened to a kind of sacrificial practice, which still occurs in some places in the world even today.[7] The church ought to be the kind of community that does not justify oppression, emotional and physical violence with spiritual explanations and the aid of Scripture. The church ought to be the kind of community in which men and women serve together, because that best shows the fullness of God. It ought to be a community that, regardless of who brought this sin into the world, works together to preach the gospel.[8]
Gal 3:28 reads: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – you are all one in Jesus Christ.” In this passage Paul refers to the Jewish prayers, in which every morning they give thanks that they are not a Gentile, a slave, or a woman.[9] The idea of this text is to show that before God there are no longer ethnic, social, and sex-based prejudices. Jesus gathered the most varied people around him, but among the circle of his closest followers and helpers there were also women. Paul, too, served together with women whose aim was to preach the gospel, and for carrying out this work people were not chosen by sex, race, or social standing. This work was done by those to whom God had given such a gift. If God calls believers to express the new paradigm, does this not mean such new relationships also in congregational politics? If believers lived according to the new paradigm, then they would not choose people for ministry by sex or social standing, but by spiritual qualification. Current church policy excludes women, because it bases its conviction on the position that the man is the head of the family and that in the congregation, too, the man must be the spiritual leader. According to the Bible, it can be asserted that the man could be the head or leader of the family, but not the head and leader of the congregation, because the head and leader of the congregation is Christ. The question of women’s ordination does not oppose the fact that the man is the head of the family. What is important is the interpretation and hermeneutics of Scripture. Some believe that 1 Tim 2:12 speaks about the division of the roles of women and men in the congregation. But this passage points to principles about the mutual relationship between husband and wife, not about the relationship between women and men in the church. The question of women’s ordination is not even a cultural question, but a biblical principle. The Bible is not a book from which one can cite passages to justify one’s own theology. As recently as 150 years ago Christians, citing Scripture, supported slavery as God’s plan for society. The Bible is a book that must be both evaluated in the modern situation and understood as to how what is written in it applies to us today.[10]
One way of evaluating the question of women’s ordination is to consider the priesthood. The first priests, for example Melchizedek (Gen 14:18), gave good counsel to the society of their time and advised trusting in the Lord. In the patriarchal era the head of the family cared for the spiritual health of the family. In the time of the Tabernacle and the Temple, priests carried out sacrifices and the priests helped society in its religious life. If a person had sinned, then, in order to obtain forgiveness, he could not avoid the priest.[11] In the New Testament the word “priest” is associated only with the Temple. But a significant turning point comes in connection with Jesus. Jesus is presented as Immanuel (God is with us – Hebrew), God who sacrifices himself for the forgiveness of sins (Jn 1:29; Heb 10:11). Jesus reveals a new way of forgiveness (Heb 10:9, 10, 19, 20), establishes a new order, and also chooses the apostles, who are the foundation of the congregation (Eph 2:20). The apostles were not called priests, but were called Christians, which also indicates that priests no longer exist. In the New Testament there is only one priest, and that is Christ. After departing from the earth he returned to the Father and ministers in the heavenly sanctuary, in order to do away with sins once and for all (Heb 9:24, 26).[12] Thus Christians have only one priest – that is Christ – but the New Testament describes various gifts that believers will receive. In the congregation there are various ministers – some are bishops, others prophets, others pastors, etc. (Eph 4:11). There are various ministries, but there is one God. One of the oldest designations in the early Christian church is “deacons”; later “elders” and “bishops” also appear. The elders and bishops were the ones who made sure that the congregations heeded Jesus’ call to witness to others and followed Jesus’ instructions.[13] Those who were nominated for this calling had to be upright people who are not forced into this work, but are ready to do willingly the work that is needed by women, men, and children who have lost hope in this world. The task of such overseers is to encourage believers to preach about Christ, about forgiveness, about love. 1 Tim 3:1–7 and Tit 1:5–9 indicate that such overseers have great responsibility, and so they must be treated with responsibility, and before being appointed to this work they must be examined – whether their knowledge is sufficient, whether their life is exemplary. In the New Testament such people, who were chosen for the office of deacon, elder, and bishop, were appointed by laying hands on the chosen persons. This was customary practice at the time, but also a responsible one (1 Tim 5:22).[14]
Supporting or not supporting women’s ordination involves the question of whether women and men have the same or a different relationship with Christ and his church. The church must make a choice between traditions and the New Testament teaching about priestly ministry. This means that the church no longer nominates certain particular people, such as, for example, a high priest here on earth, because Christ is already such. The congregation has no need to choose priests who hear out the members of society and forgive their sins; that is an Old Testament principle, but after Jesus’ resurrection this principle is no longer applied. The New Testament principle – sins are forgiven by Christ; he is the high priest. The New Testament does not mention the priesthood, and it does not name persons who are to be appointed to this ministry, as is spoken of in the Old Testament in connection with the descendants of Aaron. The New Testament tells of the various gifts of God’s Spirit, but nowhere is it written that they will be poured out differently for men and women. All are members of the body of Christ, and the gifts are given to all alike (Eph 4:11–12; 1 Cor 12:7, 11, 27–28). The principle that the church appoints certain people for special ministry is carried out according to the instructions of the Bible, but wrongly if it is done by sex. Then the New Testament principle is not observed, where it is stated that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to each person regardless of belonging to a particular sex.[15]
In the Old Testament the priests were men, and many congregation members believe that for this reason, even today, pastors can only be men. This means that all the listed criteria by which priests were chosen for priestly ministry must also be in force today. This means that any pastor who attends and conducts a funeral ceremony cannot serve at it if his appearance does not meet the rules of that time, etc. (see Lev 21). If people want to know what the Bible means for us today, then one must first understand what it meant for the audience of that time.[16]
There is a view that the rule of men over women is an inalienable teaching of the Bible, because the first pages of the Bible tell of how God establishes such an order (Gen 3:16). The history of the Bible presents it as a real fact. In the New Testament, however, the situation changes. The relationship between husband and wife is compared to the relationship between Christ and the church (Eph 5:22, 23, 25), where it is said that between wife and husband there must reign a relationship of love, such as Christ has toward the congregation. Christ does not rule over the congregation, but loves it so much that he has even given up his life. Striving to be superior to someone, to rule, gives rise to sin. With Christ the attitude is different; Christ frees people from sin, and when a person accepts Christ, Christ becomes united with him. This is well shown by Gal 3:26–28: “By faith in Jesus Christ you are all children of God, for all of you who have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – you are all one in Jesus Christ.” Accepting Christ, a person no longer divides society in the church into sexes, nationalities, etc., because the person becomes united with Christ and with the other member of the congregation. No one has any advantage with Christ, and no one in Christ’s church is there solely because of nationality, sex, or anything else. The church’s stance on the privileged status of a particular sex, or the assignment of a special function, does not accord with the harmony of the New Testament and the work of salvation through Jesus Christ. If the church acknowledges that women have the same gifts as men, that the Holy Spirit gives them to all regardless of sex and nationality, then the church ought to acknowledge that women are entitled to be pastors and that they ought to be ordained just like men. This is the teaching of the New Testament.
The Bible gives instructions about three consecrated workers. The first are the ministers of the gospel, who could also be regarded as preachers of doctrine, pastors who carry out pastoral care for people (1 Tim 4:10–14; 2 Tim 4:1–5). The second are the congregational elders, who in the Bible are sometimes also called bishops, who are overseers of the congregation and also carry out pastoral functions (Acts 14:23; 20:17; Tit 1:5–9; 1 Tim 3:2–5). The third are the deacons, who carry out charitable work for the poor members of society and in the congregation (Phil 1:1; Acts 6:1–6; 1 Tim 3:8–13). All three of these positions are special and are consecrated by the laying on of hands. Adventists believe that the office of pastor, or preacher of the gospel, is more significant than the others and that it is a special calling from God, since deacons and elders are chosen according to individual abilities and experience. This means that Adventists believe that deacons and congregational elders are not specially called by God to this ministry. In the Adventist Church there exists a three-tier ordination: first a person is an ordained deacon, then, having become a congregational elder, that person is ordained again, and, being a congregational elder, is ordained yet again if he becomes a pastor — but this has no biblical basis. Of course, this also affects the attitude toward the office of pastor in the church, because so far the Adventist Church has acknowledged[17] that women can be ordained as deaconesses and congregational elders and that each region can decide this separately, but at present all regions of the world allow it, because it is assumed that these positions are of lesser significance than the pastor. But when the ordination of pastors is discussed, various assertions are made that women must not be pastors, etc.[18]
Speaking about the question of ordination, one must discuss the idea itself as such. One must begin with the fact that the word “ordain” does not appear in the texts of the New Testament. In the King James version alone the word “ordain” appears, which replaces several words in the Greek text, such as, for example, poie÷w (poieoœ), which in translation means “appointed” (Mk 3:14), gi÷nomai (ginomai), which in translation means “to become”, “to come to be” (Acts 1:22), ti÷qhmi (titheœmi), which in translation means “placed”, “appointed” (1 Tim 2:7), kaqi÷sthmi (kathisteœmi), which in translation means “to appoint”, “to set” (Tit 1:5), ceirotone÷w (cheirotoneoœ), which in translation means “appointed”, “designated”, “laid on hands” (Acts 14:23). The English word “ordain” has a Latin root (ordinare – Lat.), and its origin is connected with Roman law, which contained the idea of a special status or the distinction of a group from other people. That is why other translations do not use the word “ordination”, because it does not convey the precise meaning of the translation.
The Bible tells of the spiritual gifts that God gives regardless of sex or race (Rom 12:4–8; 1 Cor 12:1–28; Eph 4:8; Acts 6:1–7), among which the gifts of the evangelist, of prophecy, of the teacher, and of the pastor are also mentioned. The appointment of certain people as pastors, elders, or deacons is connected with the general needs of the congregation, with the oversight of spiritual and temporal matters in the congregation.
In the Bible one can find several passages that tell of the role of women in the early church, and because of these passages some conclude that women cannot be ordained. But if they are read literally, it means that women also cannot serve as ordained deaconesses, congregational elders, or pastors, as teachers of men, and may not take part in organizing worship services.
Since the Adventist Church is worldwide, where the decisions of the General Conference are binding in all countries, this question cannot be resolved regionally. If in some country someone is ordained as a pastor, then they are recognized as a pastor in all Adventist congregations throughout the world. If in some country women were ordained as pastors, then many regions would be unable to accept such an ordination. This leads the church into a dead end in resolving this question.
In order to deal with this problem, everyone must agree on how to relate to the biblical texts, because the second problem found in the Adventist Church – is the various approaches to the biblical texts; possibly it is so in other denominations as well. Some read it literally, others interpret and analyze it in order to filter out cultural influence and find the main principles. It is not possible to impose on people what is against their faith; if a person is firmly convinced that it is God’s will that women not be ordained pastors, then in most cases it will remain so. Both those who support women’s ordination and those who do not support women’s ordination ground their views in the biblical texts. Only each relates to them differently.
Another problem the Adventist Church faces on the question of women’s ordination is the clash of representatives of various cultures and regions. Each has their own experience and views, formed in a cultural environment that also influences theological conviction. That is why there is a view that the question of women’s ordination cannot be resolved because of cultural differences.
[1] Women’s ordination in other denominations as well appears in the second half of the 19th century; for example, in 1866 a woman was ordained as a pastor – Jasper County, who was from the Methodist Church, although later the leaders of the Methodist Church contested her ordination. See Bruce A. Robinson, “Women as clergy Religious sexism: when faith groups started (and two stopped) ordaining women“, 29 Mar. 2011, (from the internet).
[2] Charlotte Krolokke, Anne Scott Sorensen, Gender Communication Theories and Analyses: From Silence to Performance(Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, 2006), p. 1.
[3] The church’s main governing structure is the General Conference, which is located in the United States of America. By size of administration, the next structure is the division. All the Adventist congregations of the world are divided into thirteen divisions; the Latvian Adventist Church belongs to the Trans-European Division. The divisions are divided into unions, which administer a somewhat smaller area; for example, the Latvian Adventist Church is part of the Baltic Union, which includes the Adventist churches of all three Baltic states. The unions are divided into conferences or associations; for example, the Latvian Adventist Church is part of one conference or association – the Latvian Union of Congregations.
[4] Philip Schaff, D. D., LL. D., Henry Wace, D. D. ed., Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: A Select Library of the Cristian Church, Athanasius:Select Works and Letters, 2nd ser. (Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995), 4: XXIV.
[5] Philip Schaff, D. D., LL. D. ed., Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: A Select Library of the Cristian Church, Augustin: On the Holy Trinity, Doctrinal Treatises, Moral Treatises, 1st ser. (Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995), 3: p. 523.
[6] Philip Schaff, D. D., LL. D., Henry Wace, D. D. ed., Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: A Select Library of the Cristian Church, Part II: Gregory the Great, Ephraim Syrus, Aphrahat, 2nd ser. (Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995), 13: p. 367.
[7] Bonita Joyner Shields, “Ordination Is Not the Issue Reflections of a female Pastor”, Adventist Today 17.1 (Winter 2009): pp. 12–17
[8] Ibid.
[9] I. Howard Marshall, W. Ward Gasque, ed., The New International Greek Testament Comentary: The Epistle to the Galatians, (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990), p. 187.
[10] Bonita Joyner Shields, op. cit.
[11] John Lorencin, Priestly Ministry in The Old and The New Testament: Should women be ordained? (Belgrade: Preporod, 2012), pp. 11 – 13.
[12] Ibid., pp. 14 – 15.
[13] Ibid., pp. 18, 19.
[14] Ibid., pp. 34, 35.
[15] Ibid., pp. 44 – 46
[16] Bonita Joyner Shields, “Ordination Is Not the Issue Reflections of a female Pastor”, Adventist Today 17.1 (Winter 2009): pp. 12 – 17
[17] Since 1974 the Adventist Church has been allowed to ordain women as well as men as deaconesses and congregational elders.
[18] J. David Newman, “Wanted: A Theologu of Ordination”, Adventist Today 18.3 (Summer 2010): pp. 5 – 7.
[1] Women’s ordination in other denominations as well appears in the second half of the 19th century; for example, in 1866 a woman was ordained as a pastor – Jasper County, who was from the Methodist Church, although later the leaders of the Methodist Church contested her ordination. See Bruce A. Robinson, “Women as clergy Religious sexism: when faith groups started (and two stopped) ordaining women“, 29 Mar. 2011, (from the internet).[2] Charlotte Krolokke, Anne Scott Sorensen, Gender Communication Theories and Analyses: From Silence to Performance(Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, 2006), p. 1.[3] The church’s main governing structure is the General Conference, which is located in the United States of America. By size of administration, the next structure is the division. All the Adventist congregations of the world are divided into thirteen divisions; the Latvian Adventist Church belongs to the Trans-European Division. The divisions are divided into unions, which administer a somewhat smaller area; for example, the Latvian Adventist Church is part of the Baltic Union, which includes the Adventist churches of all three Baltic states. The unions are divided into conferences or associations; for example, the Latvian Adventist Church is part of one conference or association – the Latvian Union of Congregations.[4] Philip Schaff, D. D., LL. D., Henry Wace, D. D. ed., Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: A Select Library of the Cristian Church, Athanasius:Select Works and Letters, 2nd ser. (Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995), 4: XXIV.[5] Philip Schaff, D. D., LL. D. ed., Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: A Select Library of the Cristian Church, Augustin: On the Holy Trinity, Doctrinal Treatises, Moral Treatises, 1st ser. (Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995), 3: p. 523.[6] Philip Schaff, D. D., LL. D., Henry Wace, D. D. ed., Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: A Select Library of the Cristian Church, Part II: Gregory the Great, Ephraim Syrus, Aphrahat, 2nd ser. (Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995), 13: p. 367.[7] Bonita Joyner Shields, “Ordination Is Not the Issue Reflections of a female Pastor”, Adventist Today 17.1 (Winter 2009): pp. 12–17[8] Ibid.[9] I. Howard Marshall, W. Ward Gasque, ed., The New International Greek Testament Comentary: The Epistle to the Galatians, (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990), p. 187.[10] Bonita Joyner Shields, op. cit.[11] John Lorencin, Priestly Ministry in The Old and The New Testament: Should women be ordained? (Belgrade: Preporod, 2012), pp. 11 – 13.[12] Ibid., pp. 14 – 15.[13] Ibid., pp. 18, 19.[14] Ibid., pp. 34, 35.[15] Ibid., pp. 44 – 46[16] Bonita Joyner Shields, “Ordination Is Not the Issue Reflections of a female Pastor”, Adventist Today 17.1 (Winter 2009): pp. 12 – 17[17] Since 1974 the Adventist Church has been allowed to ordain women as well as men as deaconesses and congregational elders.[18] J. David Newman, “Wanted: A Theologu of Ordination”, Adventist Today 18.3 (Summer 2010): pp. 5 – 7.