Women in the Church--Part 2--History

Women have played an important role in ministry positions throughout Biblical and church history.

Nearly every Christian movement started with women partnering and leading in ministry, only to be pushed aside by men at later dates.

Roberta Hestenes describes a three stage process:

Charasmatic stage--Women encouraged to plant churches, be evangelists and teachers

Credentialing phase--Women marginalized when it comes to things like advanced degrees, ordination, and such.

Institutional respectability--Further solidifies power and control of men as things become institutionalized.


Let us look at history--

Early Christian Art--depicts women in pastoral roles. Some pictures were later altered to make them men instead of women. Examples are the pieces "Episcopa Theodora" and the fresco in the "Catacombs of Priscilla"

The Marcionites had women in full partnership in ministry

Women were preaching in the Wesleyan Revivals

Women were full partners in the Quaker faith

The Sunday School was founded and led by women, which threatened many men.

At the turn of the 20th century there were many women preachers, especially on the frontier ministries. Especially high numbers were found in Nazerene circles at one point. See the book Petticoats in the Pulpit for the same perspective among Methodists.

Women were encouraged by Moody, Moody Bible Institute and others to go and plant and lead churches on the mission field.

Salvation Army--founded by man and woman in partnership. Catherine Booth was a renowned preacher.

Foursquare Church--founded by a woman preacher--Aimee Simple McPherson.

One of the most renowned evangelists at the turn of the century was a woman named Pheobe Palmer.

Church of the Nazerene--in charter officially recognized woman's right to preach. At one point over 30 percent of pastors were women.

In the 1600s Dorothy Hazzard founded and led one of the most influencial Baptist Chruches in England

The second great awakening, associated with Charles Finney, elevated the role of women into several places, including preaching. The first woman ordained in America was ordained through the college he started, Oberlin College.

The Seventh Day Adventists were founded by a woman minister--and have offically always been open to women as preachers as an institution


Women in Ministry in the New Testament:

Junia (later translated Junias) in Romans 16:7

Priscilla or Prisca in Romans 16, Acts 18:18, 26

the "elect lady" in 2 John 1

Phillip's daughters prophesied--Acts 21:8-9

Eudodia and Synche--Phil. 4