Women's Role In Eschatology Essay

Short Essay on Eschatology: Role of Women in the Church Women’s role in the church is continually debated. Scripture points to the idea that woman can be deacons and elders in the church. God created men and women equal and they should be treated as equals on earth. Therefore, women can be leaders in the church if that is what God has called them to do. In the New Testament an elder was a person of high esteem in the church. The elder plays a part in the government of the church and oversees the purity and stability of the church. An elder must be able to teach and oversee the flock that they are in charge of (Wallace, 2001). A deacon is a person who serves in the church. They are to see to the needs of the congregation and those in the community.
To become a deacon one must be firm in their faith, have a servant’s heart, and live a moral lifestyle (Burge, 2001).
A woman can be an elder or a deacon. In Romans 16:1 Phoebe was mentioned by Paul as a deacon. The Bible would not give a positive example of a woman being a deacon if it was not permitted. In 1 Corinthians 14:33-36 Paul is trying to avoid interruptions and anything that would interfere with the ongoing service. Nicole wrote, “[t]he reason that women rather than men are mentioned here may be due to the fact in Corinth women were the primary disturbers” (p. 1284). Paul wanted a positive attitude in church that focused on the Lord. 1 Timothy 2:12 -14 can be interpreted as women being told not to usurp authority, but to be in harmony and unity with men. Galatians 3:28 is a reminder that everyone is equal in the Lord’s eyes.
Many people disagree with the viewpoint above. Some believe that women are subordinate to men because of the order of creation, women being commanded to submit, and what they believe is a command not to teach. The order of creation reasoning can be easily argued because Adam was created after animals, yet he is still seen as superior. Women were commanded to submit to their husbands, but that does not mean that she needs to submit to every man, especially if she is asked to do something sinful. Finally, as discussed above the 1 Timothy and 1 Corinthians passages do not mean that a woman is forbidden to teach.
If limitations on women in the church did exist, they would not apply to life outside the church.
Women are equal to men and do not have limitations in what they can do. Women and men both should seek the will of the Lord and live their lives for His glory. If God is leading a woman to be CEO of a company, than she should pursue that career. The important thing is to make sure whatever one is doing brings pleasure to the Lord.
A woman can contribute to the theology, leadership, and management of a church the same way a man can. God has given both men and women leadership and management skills. In some ways women are created different than men, in the way that they think differently and sometimes women can be more emotional. Since women think differently than men they can offer a fresh perspective on the discussion or a different point of view.
Women and men are both made in the image of God and are equal in the eyes of the Lord. God has a plan and a purpose for everyone’s lives and men and women should pursue God’s will in their lives. Women can be deacons, elders, and leaders in the church if that is what God wishes for them to do. Many examples and teachings given in the Bible support the idea that women can play a leadership role in the
church.