The Baptist Standard | The Texas Baptist Newsjournal
Thursday, September 09, 2010
| Respect required for Baptist women in ministry, pastor insists |
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| By Ken Camp, Managing Editor | ||
| Published: August 21, 2009 | ||
NORMAN, Okla.—A South-ern Baptist pastor from Oklahoma compared his fellow conservatives’ treatment of women in ministry to earlier generations’ treatment of African-Americans.
Burleson, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid, Okla., framed his message as a personal confession and a public challenge. “I now believe in my heart that Jesus is more concerned with how we Baptists treat each other than he is what we Baptists teach each other. The people loved by Christ—particularly those who differ with me—are to be far more precious to me than any finer point of theology believed by me,” he said. Burleson noted a recent address by California Baptist pastor Rick Warren to the Islamic Society of North America where Warren challenged Muslims and Christians to respect the dignity of every person by valuing, not just tolerating, people; restore civility to civilization; and protect freedom of speech and freedom of religion for all people. Before Baptist Christians can begin to respond to Muslims in that way, Burleson said, they need to learn to treat their own Baptist brothers—and especially sisters—with that kind of respect. “The greatest barometer for how well we Baptists understand the importance of agape love—which the Scriptures call the distinguishing mark of followers of Jesus Christ—is our treatment of each other,” he said. In particular, Baptists who are serious about obeying Christ’s command to love one another must rise to defend women in ministry when other Baptists mistreat them, he emphasized. “These women profess a call from God, show real evidence of being set apart by Christ and have experienced the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to proclaim Jesus Christ and him crucified to the world, yet many of them are being subjected to abuse—and that by Baptists,” Burleson said. “When our Baptist women in ministry experience such personal mistreatment, ridicule or harm, we are commanded by Christ our Lord to bind up their wounds. And sometimes we must even take the weapon of abuse out of the hands of the perpetrators of those wounds.” He pointed to specific instances of what he considered harsh and unjust treatment of women in ministry—Sheri Klouda, who was dismissed as a professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; Julie Pen-nington-Russell, who faced protestors when she accepted the pastorate of Calvary Baptist Church in Waco; and a female seminary student whose preaching professor allowed all male students to leave the classroom when she spoke so they would not be subjected to hearing a woman preach. Burleson, a past president of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, particularly noted a turning point in his attitude toward the treatment of women. The incident occurred when he was moderating a state convention business session and a woman was elected second vice president. “I will never forget the sight from the platform as several men throughout the auditorium stood and literally turned their backs to the platform as they voted against the first woman to be elected to general office within the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma,” he recalled. “That moment was an awakening for me. I realized that any cherished principle that would ever cause a Christian to be uncivil, unkind or unloving toward a sister in Christ is a principle that should be thrown out for the sake of obedience to the command of Christ to love one another.” Not all Baptists will agree on the interpretation of Scriptures regarding the role of women in church leadership, but there is “no wiggle room” when it comes to Christ’s command to love, he said. “You may not like the fact that women are now being called by God to preach, or called by God to do missions, or called by God to teach. You may even consider it a violation of your principles for a woman to teach a man, or preach Christ to a man, or baptize a man or lead a man, but there is one thing you and I cannot—we must not—forget,” Burleson said. “You and I are called to love each other and every sister in Christ who feels called to ministry. We are called to affirm the dignity of every Christian woman called to minister. We are commanded to treat them with respect and civility. “We are also called to love, respect and affirm the autonomy of local Baptist congregations and denominations that utilize these gifted women in ministry as they see fit. To censor them, reject them, abuse them or condemn their character is a sin of the first order.”                  Comments (5)
  written by Bbear1978, August 24, 2009
Referring to the Bible, Paul also tells slaves of the mid first century (at the dawn of the the new Christian religion) to submit to their masters in a Roman and Greek society in which slavery was common. I wonder if Mr. Osgatharp had been a slave in Arkansas in the 1800's if he would hold the view that slaves were to forever submit to their masters because of a certain passage in the Bible? Sadly, many Baptist ministers in the South in the 1800's made the mistake of taking certain Biblical passages out of context to defend an evil institution and an oppressive way of life in the South. Fortunately, that was not the view of the great British statesmen and Christians, William Wilberforce (who championed the end of the British slave trade) and John Newton (the author of Amazing Grace).
Mr. Osgatharp refers to the "Baptist left" as anyone who apparently disagrees with his view that women must remain silent in church and are not allowed to teach men. Wow, this means a lot of pretty well known folks are "left" on the Scriptures (whatever "left" means)! Betty Criswell, wife of W.A. Crisell, taught men and women in a Sunday School class at the First Baptist Church of Dallas class for over 40 years. For those that knew her and the inner workings at the church, the reality was that no one at the church (not even her husband/pastor and the associate pastor, Paige Patterson) was a authority figure over Mrs. Criswell and her Sunday School class!! Billy Graham has said his daughter, Ann Graham Lotz, is the most gifted preacher of his kids! I suggest Mr. Osgatharp read other parts of the Bible in which women, such as Priscilla and Phoebe, are in important leadership roles. A good reading of first century history of Roman, Greek, and Jewish societies would add to his understanding of the Holy Scriptures and the real-life challenges that first century Christians faced in spreading the Gospel.  written by MarkOsgatharp, August 24, 2009
Bbear1978,
1. I'm glad you brought up the slavery issue, because it was one of the original social causes in which the philosophies of man were exalted above the word of God which set us on the course to the spiritual Sodom into which Baptists have fallen. The fact is, God did command Christian slaves to be subject to their masters, whether good or bad, and any man who teaches otherwise is, in Paul's language, "proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself." 2. I'm not the least surprised at what went on at First Baptist of Dallas or what Billy Graham said. Billy Graham is hardly a conservative Baptist and it is no secret whatsoever that even Fundamentalists, while verbally decrying feminism, has some of the most henpecked men and bossy women in the country. 3. I have read about Priscilla and Phoebe and have yet to read about these supposed "important leadership roles" you have accused them of assuming. I do find that Priscilla joined her husband in instructing Apollos in the way of the Lord more perfectly and that Phoebe was a servant of the church. It takes a huge stretch of hermeneutics to make those simple examples of feminine faithfulness cancel out Paul's clear instruction for the place of women in the assembled church. Mark Osgatharp Wynne, Arkansas  written by Rex Ray, August 25, 2009
Mark Osgatharp, if God can use a donkey to teach a man (Numbers 22:2
 ; He surly can use a woman. (Unless he thinks like a donkey.) You sound like Martha asking Jesus to send Mary to the kitchen. You’d say, ‘Mary’s not allowed to hear what’s reserved for men!’, but Jesus said, “There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Mark 10:42) Mark, what’s the “one thing worth being concerned about” if it’s not teaching/preaching the Gospel? Women “discovered it” when called by God. When Jesus gave the Great Commission you’d claim there were no women present because they were in their kitchens. Most apostles were in their ‘kitchens’ while women were under the Cross. BTW, why are there two of the same articles by Burleson; one August 10, 2009 and this one of August 21, 2009 written by Bbear1978, August 26, 2009
Hermeneutical principles involve not only looking at the larger context of the text in question and the social customs in which the text was written, but also whether the particular passage was a local directive/truth or was it a universal truth. That is why the point about Paul’s instruction on slavery is important in the context of the discussion of women. Just as Paul is “clear” about the submission of slaves in some of his letters, he is “clear” about women being quiet in church in a particular passage.
Paul sought not to challenge the existence of slavery or the denial of basic legal and educational rights for women in the first century. His burning passion was the ability of Believers to spread the Gospel in an ancient society that is very much different than today. The spreading of this Gospel was (and continues to be) carried out by women and men called by God in all sorts of roles. As an example, my pastor’s wife (who is seminary trained) serves as a Chaplain at a local children’s hospital. Paul was “clear” about his view about the style of women’s hair in one of his letters. Is that directive to be viewed as an eternal directive for my wife and daughter or should that particular verse be viewed as addressing a local issue in the first century (i.e., pagan worship by temple prostitutes)? My grandfather had a set of Pentecostal sisters who believed it was a sin to cut or braid their hair based on Paul’s “clear” directive. Everyday I learn new truths from many women, including my wonderful (and very smart) wife. Of this, I am clear!
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"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant."
Mark Osgatharp
Wynne, Arkansas