HUMAN OPINION OR BIBLICAL TEACHING
REGARDING WOMEN TEACHERS?

In today’s (Jan. 31, 2007) Opinion column, Bob Ray Sanders writes, “It’s hard to believe that God would exclude half the human race from the call to ministry.”  He goes on to decry the decision of the Southern Baptists to not allow professor Sheri Klouda the right to teach theology in Southwestern Seminary here in Fort Worth.

What Sanders fails to understand is that such decisions cannot be made on the basis of personal beliefs, subjective feelings, humanistic reasoning, society standards, political considerations, or denominational policies.  We can only determine what is right in the sight of God by consulting His inspired and authoritative Word, the Bible.  No other source of right or wrong will do.

The Scriptures are very clear on this matter.  The Bible says, “a woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness”—she must not “give” instruction or teach the male gender publicly the ways of God.  She must not “teach or exercise authority over a man,” but must “remain quiet” (1 Timothy 2:11-12).  Furthermore, only the men (the Greek refers to the male gender) are permitted to publicly lead in prayer (verse 8).  Since “the man is the head of a woman” (1 Corinthians 11:3), and the woman is to be submissive to the man (1 Corinthians 14:34-37), we can see why they are forbidden from teaching over a man.  A woman cannot rightly become an elder/pastor or deacon either, for such works are only options for men who, themselves, must meet stringent conditions (1 Timothy 3:1-13).

I am not a Southern Baptist, but it seems like they are at least attempting to do something that other seminaries and schools are unwilling to do.  Although I would say that they have not gone far enough at all, I do appreciate that they are doing something.

Richard Hollerman

STAR-TELEGRAM