Women in Leadership Ad Hoc Committee Report

October 2012

North Pacific Union Conference Women in Leadership Ad Hoc Committee Report October 2012

Purpose of the Committee

In response to the ongoing discussions throughout the North American Division (NAD) regarding women in leadership, and in particular womens ordination, the North Pacific Union Conference executive committee voted May 16, 2012 to establish an ad hoc committee to create specific recommendations on how to fully integrate committed and called Adventist women into all levels of church leadership within the NPUC.

Work of the Committee

The thirteen members of the advisory were selected by each conference and included seven employees and seven lay church members. The genders were equally represented with seven women and seven men. These included: Max Torkelsen. Chair Aaron Payne Jim Wibberding Sue Smith Jan Bishop Al Rcimke Tanya Huether Silvia Schmidt Andre Wang Ann Westermeyer Emily Flottman John McVay John Altman Jennifer Scott President, NPUC Pastor Pastor Lay Lay President Lay Lay Lay Lay Pastor Professor Lay Pastor North Pacific Union Conference Alaska Converence Idaho Conference Montana Conference Oregon Conference Oregon Conference Oregon Conference Oregon Conference Oregon Conference Oregon Conference Upper Columbia Conference Walla Walla University Washington Conference Washington Conference

The advisory met two times: August 19, 2012, and October 8, 2012. The committee began its work by reviewing the practice within the Seventh-day Adventist church in regard to women in leadership, as well as the rational for and against women in leadership currently being given by various people within the church. It was immediately clear that the issue is not about women in ministry but of womens ordination. Unfortunately the churchs lack of a clear theology on ordination has exacerbated the situation not only within the NAD but globally as well. Thus some perceive that unity within the church as being challenged when unions act independently from the General Conference. And given the attention and debate on womens ordination, it is nearly impossible to study ordination without addressing gender concerns.

Substantial work has already been done by other study groups and theologians regarding women in leadership. However the committee quickly realized that the NPUC could offer a unique contribution and perspective to the discussion by pointing the global church to the biblical basis of ordination. It is with this collaborative spirit and a shared regard for biblical truth that we offer this report.

Historical Background
The subject of womens ordination within the Seventh-day Adventist church has been officially studied since 1950. In the last 60 years. the General Conference (GC) has commissioned at least nine specific studies on the role of women in the church and ordination. The church is currently in the midst of a worldwide study on the theology of ordination and the role of women. The results are to be presented at the 2014 Annual Council. Although previous studies positively affirmed the role of women in church leadership and ministry, and recommended that women he ordained as pastors (especially 1973, 1984, and 1994). the topic has often been deleted from or not included in the GC agenda. or been sidelined to be studied further because of a negative response from the world field. In 2011 the North American Division Committee sought to have commissioned ministers serve as presidents of conferences and missions (a policy known as E60). When it became clear that the world church leadership was not ready to step forward and include women in the churcils leadership structure in this way, the North American Division asked each union to look for ways to affirm women in ministry within their territory. Columbian Union Visitor July 2012. This resulted in several union executive committees voting statements of support for women in leadership. The Columbia Union and the Pacific Union went a step farther and held special constituency sessions to amend their constitutions to authorize ordination to pastoral ministry without regard to gender. The proposals passed by 80 and 79 percent respectively. In addition, the North German Union constituency also voted to allow womens ordination. It passed by 77 percent.

Summary of the Issues

Not everyone within the NPUC agrees that it is biblically appropriate for women to hold leadership roles within the church or function as ordained elders or pastors. Others are concerned that church unity is threatened when unions act independently of GC directives. The viewpoint is that if individual unions independently make changes now, there may be other long-term changes they might want to make later to other policies. Another concern is that the GC global study on ordination is to be shared at GC session in 2015. and if unions act independently beforehand, it could jeopardize the process and clear-mindedness of the other divisions study groups. And others feel that it is a spirit of impatience that is motivating unions to move forward independently of the GC.

Because of these concerns, the committee established three subcommittees to research the biblical understanding of ordination, unity and mission. Previous work on the division of authority within church structure had already been completed. A synopsis of these reports is given below (See the appendix for a full version of the reports).

A Fully Protestant Theology of Ordination

The message from the New Testament is clear. Women are to be acknowledged fully and celebrated as fellow workers for the Gospel (Rom 16:3; Phil 4:2-3). In the New Testament, women participate fully in worship by praying and prophesying (1 Cor 11:5). Just as do men, they receive the gift of prophecy as part of the eschatological outpouring of the Holy Spirit, whose descent upon all flesh signals Chrisfs exaltation and coronation (Acts 2:18; cf. 2:33-36). Some women become known for possessing and exercising the gift of prophecy (Acts 21:9). Women are the leaders/patronesses of churches (Acts 12:12; Rom 16:1-2, 3-5; 1 Cor 16:19). They are the first proclaimers of Christs Resurrection (Matt 28:1-10; Luke 24:1-12: John 20:11-18). They are teachers (Acts 17:24-26). 11 We see no biblical teaching that prohibits the church from appointing women to any position of ministry or leadership and much that suggests such actions to be entirely appropriate. Additionally, we gain a view of a fully Protestant theology of ordination in the work of William Tyndale, the great Bible translator who is often called, The Father of the English Reformation. From his passionate study of Scripture and his gifted work in translating the Bible into English springs a lucid critique of medieval theology and the practice of orders and ordination. It is stated succinctly and eloquently in his 1 528 book, Obedience of a Christian Man. Tyndale offers the following points in his critique: 1. Ordination is not a sacrament. It does not confer special grace or imprint an indelible character on the soul. 2. The various orders or titlessub-deacon, deacon, priest, bishop, cardinal, patriarch, and popeare simply names of offices and services. 3. Faithfulness to duty under inspiration of the Spirit is what really matters (If they minister their offices truly. it is a sign that Gods Spirit is in them, if not, that the devil is in them). 4. With regard to priests and priesthood, Christ is a priest for ever, and all we priest through him, and need no more any such priest on earth
. .

5. The elder. the New Testament counterpart of a priest, is to be carefully distinguished from the Old Testament office. An elder is nothing but an officer to teach, and not to be a mediator between God and us. This needeth no anointing of man.

6. Those who make themselves holier than the lay people and take advantage of their position for financial gain are condemned by the teachings of the NT (Tyndale refers at some length to numerous passages to make his point: Acts 20; 2 Pet 2; 1 Tim 6; Matt 7; John 21; 1 Pet 5; 2 Cor2, 12). 7. No office or ordination bestows any special status before God: the truth is. that we are all equally beloved in Christ, and God hath sworn to all indifferently. According. therefore, as every man believeth Gods promises, longeth for them. and is diligent to pray unto God to fulfil them. so is his prayer heard; and as good is the prayer of a cobbler. as of a cardinal, and of a butcher, as of a bishop; and the blessing of a baker that knoweth the truth is as good as the blessing of our most holy father the pope. 8. Case studies in the NT point to a simple pattern of appointing people to minister in Christs name. When Christ called twelve up into the mountain, and chose them, then immediately, without any anointing or ceremony. were they his apostles ministers chosen to be sent to preach his testament unto all the whole world. Similarly. after the resurrection, Christ sent them forth with a commandment to preach. And that commandment, or charge. made them bishops, priesis. popes. and all thing. A similar pattern is in view in the appointment of Matthias (Acts I) and the seven (Acts 6). Neither is there any other manner or ceremony at all required in making of our spiritual officers, than to choose an able person, and then to rehearse to him his duty, and give him his charge, and so to put him in his room (or office).
. . .

Tyndales critique was certainly appropriate for his time. It had the ring of truth in 1528. And it still does today. For Tyndale, it is crystal clear that the Protestant doctrine of the priesthood of all believers profoundly impacts the understanding and practice of ordination. Decades of developing and implementing organizational policies and structures can dim that clarity. Without being fully cognizant of it, we can drift toward a medieval, sacramental view of ordination. Policies that, from an organizational point of view, may seem appropriate and helpful can become theologically toxic if they are not ruled by this truth: We are all eqLlally beloved in Christ, and God hath sworn to all indifferently. From the divine point of view, there is no difference in status or worth between pastor and lay person. Indeed, pastors are themselves members of the laity, the laos, the people of God. Ordination is not a sacrament. It does not lift the ordained person to a new status relative to the people of God. From a biblical perspective, ordination aligns with what we are already agree is appropriate for women (and men!): As their commitment and experience indicate and the need of the church demands, to appoint them to positions of leadership and trust within local congregations and in the wider administration of the church.

Ordain (as translated in the KJV) simply means, to put or place into service and is more accurately reflected in the words appoint and appointment. Thus the current and separate distinction of ordained and commissioned used within the Seventh-day Adventist church is not biblical. Rather it is an example of what happens when compromise instead of principle is allowed to take control of church policy. The result is illogical practices.

Biblical Unity
Unity was Jesus biggest focus the night before his crucifixion. Five times He gives his jockeying disciples the command to love on another. In John 17 He prays passionately for them to be unified. Holy Father, He plead, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one (John 17: 11 ESV). Over the disciples visions of hierarchy, Jesus imposed a vision of oneness a oneness born of equality instead of hierarchy. This oneness did not depend on sameness but on sanctification by truth (vv. 17-19) and being in Jesus (vv. 20-21). As the disciples prayed and waited for Pentecost. they humbled their hearts in true repentance and.. .[put] away all differences, all desire for the supremacy. they came close together in Christian fellowship (Acts the Apostles p. 36-37). Their one desire was an intense burden for the salvation of souls. The reason the gospel spread so effectively within a diverse church with various Pagan and Jewish traditions depended upon the harmonious use of all the differing gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12): valuing ones own unique gifting (v. 15) as well as that of others (v. 21). Paul further synthesized his ministry methods by saying I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some (I Corinthians 9:1 9-23 ESV). Paul clearly recognized that preaching the gospel required a diversity of methods. His message never changed, however his approach varied widely. In the context of biblical unity it is important to establish what is flexible and what is inflexible. Within the New Testament church it is clear that the points of flexibility did not extend to the moral law as expressed in the Decalogue or its extended concepts. To the contrary, the apostles often insisted on moral absolutes. Neither did the points of flexibility include questions of Gods nature and identity. In sum, diversity did not extend to timeless doctrine. With regard to the ordination of women to gospel ministry, there has been an insistence that unity requires uniform practice across world cultures. Yet this has not produced unity. An issue as culturally laden as gender roles is unlikely to find worldwide consensus. Ironically the voted church policy for deaconesses and women elders allows for culturally based variants. As a church our emphasis should be on unity of mission while continuing to allow differing fields to decide how best to the spread of the gospel in their contexts. Yet in all of these discussions we dare not miss a significant, biblical insight. As one reads the Book of Acts with the themes of leadership, authority, ordination, anointing and

the like in mind, one conclusion is obvious: The Book of Acts is everywhere interested in Jesus Christ as the anointed, ordained/appointed, coronated, exalted One. Acts is carried away with the importance of Jesus as the ordained and exalted Son of God who now shares the divine throne of the cosmos. Our discussions and concerns about the appointment of human leaders must never dampen our confession that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Organizational Authority of Union Conferences

The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists retains no direct authority over the ordination of local pastors. The church structure affords a separation of powers designed to preserve the principle of distributed authority in the body of Christ. For example, the General Conference President, or even the General Conference in full business session, cannot hire or fire a local pastor. That authority is held by the state or regional conference in question. Similarly, the General Conference cannot ordain or decline to ordain that same local pastor. That authority is held by the union conference in which the pastor serves. Organizational bodies other than the unions cannot decide who is or is not ordained to a local pastorate. The General Conference Working Polici B 05 outlines these points conclusively: Different elements of organizational authority are distributed among the various levels of denominational organization. For example, the decision as to who may/may not be a member of a local Seventh-day Adventist Church is entrusted to the members of the local church concerned; decisions as to the employment of local church pastors is entrusted to the local conference/mission; decisions regarding the ordination of ministers is entrusted to the union conference/mission; and the definition of denominational beliefs is entrusted to the General Conference in session. Thus each level of organization exercises a realm of final authority that has implications for other levels of organization. When the first motion to authorize the ordination of women to full-time ministry was proposed in 1 881 and referred to the General Conference Committee, conferences, unions and divisions did not yet exist within the church structure. Thus, at that time, the General Conference did hold the authority over pastoral ordinations. However with the creation of divisions, unions, and conferences, the authority over the ordination of local pastors was given to the unions. This is where it still resides (General Conference Working Policy, L 45). Therefore, it is incorrect for policy decisions regarding the ordination of women pastors to be placed at the General Conference level unless the General Conference votes a theological position that restricts the practice. To date the General Conference sponsored studies on the issue have produced no such theological conclusion.

Some express concern that one unions decision to ordain women directly impacts other fields because pastoral ordination is valid throughout the world church. In reality though. an ordained minister irrespective of gender may only function in an official capacity when local conference leaders in that region give permission for that person to officiate in their territory. Thus each world territory is given authority to make decisions that are

most practical for their particular region.

Missional Impact
Before He ascended into heaven. Jesus proclaimed at the Great Commissioning, that all authority has been given Him: Authority to forgive sins (Luke 5:20; 7:48). to mediate to the Father (1 Tim. 2:5). to send the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26). to open the hearts and minds of His people (Luke 24:45). to reveal the Father (Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22), to give eternal life to whom He chooses (John 10:27-28). to raise us up on the last day (John 6:40). With this authority, Jesus issued a new (form of) mission to his new chosen. The same goal presides; Christs promises of redemption are the foundation of the Christian economy. The promises are no longer entrusted to literal Israel, but offered to every nation, tongue and people the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). Our mission is to Go into all nations to teach and baptize and make disciples for Christ. We are to teach everything Christ taught us. No longer is an earthly priesthood needed to illustrate Chrisfs redemptive process. Rather the priesthood of all believers is teach of the fulfillment of the sanctuary services through the life, death and resurrection of Christ. our High Priest, who is mediating on our behalf, and who will soon come again. All believers are called to share this good news. There is now no earthly priesthood required to act as mediator between humanity and God. All can come boldly to the throne. The priesthood of all believers is established to administer the Great Commission.

On the Day of Pentecost. ordinary fishermen, empowered by the Holy Spirit, were transformed into radical change agents for the Kingdom of God. Today this same Spirit continues to give each believer specific, unique gifts to advance the mission of God on earth. These gifts listed in I Corinthians 12, are not described as gender specific. For by one Spirit we arc all baptized into one body. Therefore no member can say to another I have no need of you, because we are each part of Christs body. The New Testament model of mission focuses more on giftedness than on roles, with each person ministering with their specific gift/s, working together as a unified team to spread the gospel as quickly and far as possible. For many in the younger generations the church is losing its relevancy and seems out of touch with current culture. They are voting with their feet and not attending church in large numbers. It is mind-boggling to them that their church is still grappling with no brainer issues such as fairness and gender equality. Other people are bewildered because while we preach the equality of all people in Christ, we clearly do not demonstrate this equality in of our employment practices. This issue, along other incongruities, may hinder our evangelistic efforts to young adults and the communities where they live within the NPUC. As a church we teach that we are in the last days. if we truly believe this. then we must claim by faith that the Spirits outpouring upon his chosen male and female is right now. We must practice what we preach, rather than postponing action until the Latter

Rain. Instead we must live the last days today: in an attitude of perpetual readiness to preach the gospel wherever, however, and through whomever the Spirit directs.