Well, I have gone from elation over the elections to despair over the deliberations. We ended the General Council session today considering an item to allow women to serve on the Church and Pastor's Council of the local church. In spite of some clear and some passionate speaches in favor of the move (with equally passionate, if ill-informed, speaches against it), the motion failed by 9 votes out of about a thousand cast.
I was depressed by the speaches against the motion, one by a long time friend. Several represented careful reasoning but misguided exegesis -- my friend's and others. The truth is you can find a "scholar" to defend almost any position. It is especially grievious when the argument has the air of academic appeal, i.e., "the Greek word means" and the scholars quoted are fron traditions that are openly anti-Pentecostal.
I was further depressed by the process. The vote was taken but before the tellers report was given a member rose to complain his electronic key pad did not work. The moderator called for another vote with each member having access to a working key pad. The problem is that many members had already left the floor; we were past the scheduled time for adjournment.
1 comment:
It's okay, Jackie. God is still sovereign. We know God loves and uses women as He does men. I don't mean to be simplistic, but really, it's not rocket science. People who love, obey and serve God work wonders with their gifts and talents. God is not impressed with our masculinity or our femininity. He longs for our humility.
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