Most of the following papers are available from Time for Equality in Adventist Ministry (TEAM), P.O. Box 7816, Langley Park, MD 20787, 301-445-3340.
How literally should we apply Scripture? Should women no longer lead out or teach in the Sabbath School? Brunt explores biblical evidence and concludes that God wants the doors to ministry open to all. Brunt, former Dean of the School of Theology, is now vice president for Academic Administration at Walla Walla College.
Dudley, professor of Christian ministry, director, Institute of Church Ministry, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI, and his associates gathered data revealing that a majority of both groups support the role of women in ministry, including ordination of women. This item organizes responses to each question by percentage for both groups and is accompanied by an explanation of what these figures mean.
Would Ellen White today counsel the Adventist Church to ordain qualified women to the pastoral ministry? Haloviak's study examines the intimate relationship between the central theological focus of nineteenth century Adventism and the definition of ministry. Haloviak is director of the General Conference Archives and Statistics.
In a study prepared for the General Conference, Adventist Review editor Johnsson discusses the difficult question on which Adventists today differ: What does Paul's meaning in Galatians infer and imply for the ordination of women? When barriers are erected against women in the church, are we walking straight according to the gospel?
The ordination issue is examined, addressing the biblical and historical implications comparatively with other denominations. The author calls Adventists to learn from these and to let their example guide leadership to carefully incorporate this aspect of church growth. Patrick then served as registrar of Avondale College, Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia.
Commissioned by the NAD officers to learn the effect of a previous decision to allow women to serve as local church elders, ICM developed a survey that helped determine the following: the number of female elders in NAD and in each church in comparison to the number of male elders; the size, type and predominant culture of churches where female elders serve; the number of years women have served as elders in each church; attitudes of churches toward female elders; and the values and problems female elders have brought to the local church. With a 73% return rate, the report findings suggest a positive influence on the affected churchessignificant information when discussing the role of women in ministry.
"In a society in which women were expected to be on the sidelines, Jesus brought them onto the playing field." Offering a new lesson using the Mary-Martha story, Scriven proposes that all are invited into a "discipleship of equals by Jesus." Scriven is currently the president of Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Maryland.
Andrews University Seminary Studies, Spring 1988, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 5-24.
The Theology of Sexuality in the Beginning: Genesis 3, Richard M. Davidson, Andrews University Seminary Studies, Summer 1988, Vol. 26, pp. 121-131.
Did a hierarchy of sexes exist before and/or after the Fall? Davidson's interpretation of the theology of biblical sexual roles using these critical passages refutes arguments that limit a woman's role in the church. He chairs the department of Old Testament Exegesis at the SDA Theological Seminary at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
A statement by the former president of the North American Division written to the NAD members, Role of Women Commission. The paper includes important passages throughout, including: "The appointment to special ministry . . . on behalf of the total church rests on the selection of the Holy Spirit, the call of God and the gifts which empower the minister for service. The church . . . becomes a part of the process as it observes in the one called the development and exercise of the gifts and results of his or her labors. . . ."
Eva, now Editor of Ministry Magazine, was asked to write this paper when he served as ministerial secretary for the Columbia Union. The work was presented to the North American Division's Role Of Women Commission that same year for review. This paper includes an extensive bibliography.
A statement submitted to the membership of this university church supporting the "election and ordination of candidates to the ministry of local church elder based upon the evident fruits of the Spirit rather than upon race or gender."
This chronological listing of documents that discuss women and ministry is a must for students of the ordination of women issue.
This list of resources identifies material important to a complete study of the women's ordination issue. A native of Bienne, Switzerland, Haenni completed doctoral studies at the SDA Theological Seminary at Andrews University. Kit Watts is director of the Women's Resource Center at La Sierra University.
This is a transcript of the presentation Dr. Cox gave at a TEAM-sponsored seminar in October, 1988. Texts covered include Galations 3:26-29, Genesis 1:26 and 3:16, Colossians 3, Ephesians 5, 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 and 14:34, 35. Cox then served as vice president for the Washington Institute of Contemporary Issues (WICI).
TEAM's statement (English, Spanish, Portuguese and French translations) that Scripture, when taken in its totality, teaches the equality of women and points in favor of ordination. Ten points are highlighted with biblical references.
What can you do to effect change for women in ministry at the local church level? This brochure is designed for groups or individuals who want to increase the involvement of women in nontraditional roles in their own churches.
This study, conducted by Hamilton Chandler Communications for TEAM, discloses the opinions of women in ministry after the 1990 General Conference Session decision not to ordain them, and their intentions in the aftermath. The report reveals trends in morale, career goals, direction, and other factors that affect women in their roles as local pastors, hospital chaplains, religion teachers, and pastoral counselors.
A collection of 13 of the original papers presented at the Mohaven Conference (OH) in September 1973 where a selected group of church leaders gathered to study the ordination of women in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
An original paper prepared for the Cohutta Springs Role of Women Commission meeting in 1989. Anderson reminds readers that the physical aspect of the church's organization is to be the symbol of a spiritual organization that God values above all else. Jesus urges believers to become disentangled from mere ceremonialism, from rituals that frequently become substitutes for "true" religion. (This paper is available from the Biblical Research Institute, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904, USA.)
This outstanding student paper was written for Dr. Richard Davidson, professor of Old Testament at the SDA Theological Seminary, to fulfill requirements for the course "Principles of Hermeneutics."
This paper accompanied Dr. Eva's study when it was introduced to all delegates to the 1985 Commission on the Role of Women. Venden includes a summary of the major reasons why he thinks the church should ordain women.
One of the papers commissioned by the Biblical Research Institute in 1975 and released for the Second National Association of Adventist Women (AAW) Meeting, Andrews University, and published as a portion of the Symposium on the Role of Women in the Church, July l984.
Londis asserts that because many members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church are fearful of the risks involved in upsetting traditional leadership roles, all are missing the important rewards of fully supporting women in ministry. He believes sharing authority will strengthen the church, as it strengthens the family and our daily relationships with the opposite sex.
Prepared for the 1985 Role of Women Commission held in Washington, D.C., this paper reviews the principal arguments for and against the ordination of women to the gospel ministry.
The assembly of women calls for specific accomplishments throughout the world field by the 1995 General Conference session so that women may fully participate in all matters pertaining to global strategy and governance of the church at all levels. The document was distributed to General Conference and North American Division officers.
One of the papers commissioned by the Biblical Research Institute in 1975 and released for the Second National Association of Adventist Women (AAW) Meeting, Andrews University, and published as a portion of the Symposium on the Role of Women in the Church, July 1984.
Flowers' thesis is that the understanding of male-female relationships found in the Song of Solomon compares favorably with that of the Creation accounts of Genesis 1 and 2 and contrasts with that described in Genesis 3. The Songs constitute a major contribution within the Old Testament to the redemption of male-female mutuality.
A transcript of Dr. Scriven's sermon preached at Loma Linda University on the eve of Southeastern California Conference's special constituency meeting that addressed the ordination of women.
This set of four brief papers addresses some of the specific questions SECC constituents posed regarding the ordination of women.
Rock provides brief but important answers to questions such as: If it is proper to train and employ female pastors, how can it be improper to fully recognize their gifts by ordaining them?
Written to fulfill a classroom requirement of professor Richard Davidson while Petersen attended the SDA Theological Seminary, this paper deals primarily with local church elders, but many of the same principles apply to the issue of women's ordination.
This collection of essays by fourteen prominent Adventist historians, theologians, and other professionals confirms what many Adventists have concluded in their own Bible studies: Scriptures, taken as a whole, liberate women and men to full participation in the life and mission of the church.
Bienvenida a la Mesa; TEAM Press, ©1998. This is the Spanish edition of The Welcome Table.
The twenty chapters in this book examine priesthood, ministry, laying on of hands, ordination, and biblical concepts considered impediments to the ordination of women and other topics relevant to the ordination of women. Careful readers will notice differences of opinion among the seminary faculty members who contributed chapters that discuss the pros and cons of the ordination issue. Available from Andrews University Press, Berrien Springs, MI, 49104, or your local Adventist Book Center.