Women can. Should they?
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4 responses to “Women can. Should they?”
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Your triangle diagram helps in this discussion. What has brought considerable change within the Lutheran Church has happened when certain doctrinal points concerning the role of women in the church have, over time, changed into mere “opinion”. Until the 1960’s it was a doctrinal point that only men were to be pastors. Then the thinking began to change. Paul’s instruction that women should “keep silent” and “not teach” was understood only to be Paul’s opinion. The doctrinal restriction was removed and soon women were called to serve as pastors in the ELCA. The recent church wide decision to allow openly gay clergy who are in a “committed relationship” to serve parishes has split the ELCA. The majority “is of the opinion” is that openly gay clergy in a committed relationship can serve a parish. The minority is convinced that “false doctrine” has entered the church. We have to be very clear on what is doctrine and what is not and lovingly stand firm. Where there is freedom, Christian liberty, and opinion, we have to be careful not to offend.
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Michelle,
Thank you for you good words on this matter. When everything gets shoved to doctrine or dogma there is no room left for opinion is there?
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Without reading either, wouldn't 'should' be the language of doctrine and 'must' be the language of dogma?
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Pastor D, I appreciate your reminder that doctrinal distinctives are important. Though this post is focused on the error of turning an area of opinion into dogma. If you read the post, you'll see he's pretty prescriptive about everything from feminine vocation to responsibilities in the local church. Your words are a reminder that allowing a doctrine to be downgraded into opinion has consequences as well. Clarity about what issues belong in which categories is important – as is a gracious (but convinced) stance in interacting with others. Thanks for your thoughts on this topic!
His Path – agree.
And hurdler, "Must" is definitely the word of dogma. "Should", it seems, could work in either the dogma or doctrine category.
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