Sunday School Teacher Fired for Second X Chromosome
From upstate New York:
I have a problem with Christian churches that do not ordain women as clergy. Not allowing women to serve in any leadership position is just medieval. I wonder if First Baptist Watertown makes women sit in a balcony, apart from the men.
I understand the biblical argument, but very, very, very few congregations can say that they adhere to a literal reading of the instructions concerning women in leadership in the pastoral epistles (e.g. 1 Timothy 2:11-15). The names of female leaders mentioned in Romans 16 suggest that the early Christian communities that Paul served didn't even hold themselves to such a standard. Most churches that won't ordain women at least allow females to serve as music ministers, lay leaders, youth ministers, Sunday school teachers, committee chairs, and so on. If all congregations and denominations were to take the stance on women in leadership that First Baptist Watertown has taken, the church might not survive.
Rev. Timothy LaBouf dismissed a female Sunday School teacher this month, saying a woman can perform any job -- outside the church.
The First Baptist Church in Watertown dismissed Mary Lambert Aug. 9 after adopting what it called a literal interpretation of the Bible.
The reverend recently dismissed Lambert, who had taught Sunday school for 54 years, citing the biblical advice of the apostle Paul: "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."
I have a problem with Christian churches that do not ordain women as clergy. Not allowing women to serve in any leadership position is just medieval. I wonder if First Baptist Watertown makes women sit in a balcony, apart from the men.
I understand the biblical argument, but very, very, very few congregations can say that they adhere to a literal reading of the instructions concerning women in leadership in the pastoral epistles (e.g. 1 Timothy 2:11-15). The names of female leaders mentioned in Romans 16 suggest that the early Christian communities that Paul served didn't even hold themselves to such a standard. Most churches that won't ordain women at least allow females to serve as music ministers, lay leaders, youth ministers, Sunday school teachers, committee chairs, and so on. If all congregations and denominations were to take the stance on women in leadership that First Baptist Watertown has taken, the church might not survive.
posted by Tinley | 7:30 PM
3 Comments:
I agree with this pastors reading, but when the word "MEN" is mentioned, dose this include male children? tom. Church of Christ.
I think this is about more than gender, although I completely favor women as teachers or pastors.
Note that the church in question has a majority of female board members and states that 87 percent of its Sunday school teachers are women. Something's up beyond the chromosomes.
I weighed in on this topic myself if you're interested...
I have trouble with the term "Cristian courtesy" being used in the service of innuendo. If this pastor really wanted to use Christian Courtesy, this woman would not have been fired using Scripture as a false pretense. The woman was over 80! They could have thrown a Golden Jubilee in honor of her over 50 years of service and retired her.
But no, this "Man of God" chose to use a Bible passage (delivered by his wife). And then when his actions are not received well, he is snide and infers there were other problems.
All that said, the separation of Church and State allows him to run his church as he wants without government interference or lawsuits. I, however, want to make sure that not a penny of my tax dollars are supporting this man. How can I find out if his church gets any funds from the Faith-Based Initiative?
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