The Female Pastorate - The Problem

On Good Friday, my friend was not going to be in town - off skiing with friends.  So what to do on a Friday evening all alone?  No clue.  It is only when my friend called to tell me that an expired passport kept them back from the ski trip, that I learned about a church having a Good Friday service.  I have never been up on the Roman Catholic traditions within the American Church, but never having been to a Good Friday service, why not?

The pastor got up and introduced herself ... Herself.

Now I have only twice seen a woman pastor before and both times it was not a situation of should this be, but should they be?

The first time was with my best friend from high school and his new bride.  Their church as the largest in Denver and had a female pastor.  Well, she did wear a head covering and the man sitting behind her was her husband.  He was on the stage to show he supported her ministry.  Hmmmmm.  Seems to work Biblically for me.  Unfortunately, she eventually divorced her husband and he disappeared off the stage, she lost the head covering and became a major player in the health and wealth gospel.  When ever I was in town in a Sunday, I just never told my friend, so that I would not have to be negative about his selection of church.

The second time was to an Episcopalian church, taken there by two of my rock collecting friends.  Of course, I sort of caused a bit of a mess, when she got on the stage and I blurted out none to quietly, "My God!  She is a lesbian!  What is a homosexual doing pretending to be a priest!?!?"  Yeah, darn that Discernment!  That one sort of killed the sermon for the day and it took three years for them to defrock her, however she was never allowed to serve as a priest in the meantime.  And I read that she eventually sued the Episcopal Church for her old job back!  She lost in court but by then the denomination had sort of split and she was able to land another opportunity in another state with the renegade side of the church.

And this woman, standing there on Good Friday, did not have her head covered.  I know nothing about her.  And I liked her sermon, well more of an exhortation style of address.  Which is good and certainly Christians should be encouraged to take action especially at Easter time!

But was it Biblical?  I mean I have never really dug deeply into the subject.  I know there are random verses covering this subject, mostly in Paul's writings - but exactly what do they support when used in context and without Roman Catholic traditions applied to them?  This is a real question I had.

So, this week I have been researching this.  I have so far done the traditional interpretation - no woman in the pastorate approach and now need to use the exact same verses to support the non-traditional approach of a woman could be a pastor!  Almost as much fun as arguing pre, mid and post trib rapture viewpoints.

Hope this envisioned series works out!