The pulpit is no place for a woman 17/5/13
Sirs,
One cannot help but sadly see that the Church of Scotland continuing her downward spiral when she gleefully and shamefully supports bizarre unions and appointments that the Bible clearly opposes. The continuing appointments of women at skyscraping levels in the church is not just wrong but very wrong, just as it is unbiblical for a woman to be a minister in any church denomination or congregation. There are around 196 women which are now ministers in the Church of Scotland. This is 196 too many. There may be only a few women ministers in our Highlands and Islands church congregations, but these few are still a few too many. The very fact that they are women debars them from the Christian ministry.
The pulpit is no place for a woman minister, however elegant she may be in public speaking or proficient in her knowledge of Biblical theology. She may rise up and hold high office in a nation, just like Queen Elizabeth and as the late Mrs Margaret Thatcher did, but not the steps that lead up to any Church pulpit, whether in Inverness Ness Bank Church or St Peter’s Episcopal’s Church in Stornoway.
Yes, women are to remain silent in every church assembly, and that includes pulpit,
presbytery and the annual General Assembly. It is best to hear what absolute truth
has to clearly say: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted
unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the
law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it
is a shame for women to speak in the church” (1 Corinthians 14v34-
The truth is that God has never ordained or anointed any woman to be a preacher or teacher. If it were God's will that women should hold such a post in the Church, Jesus Christ would have shown an example by choosing one woman, at least, to be an apostle. But he did not, and even when he selected 70 disciples whom he sent out, two by two, no woman was included. Although Jesus had many women ‘disciples’ He certainly did not send any of them to go about preaching.
God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority
in the church. This is not because men are necessarily better teachers, or because
women are inferior or less intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the
way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual
leadership—in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a less authoritative
role. Certainly women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3-
Yes, a woman, by reason of her faith, knowledge and good understanding, can rise to a place of honour in the church but there are certain offices and privileges which God never assigned to women: no women apostles, no women bishops, no women elders, no women pastors, no women evangelists, no women deaconesses, no women priests, no women moderators. Clearly, the Bible has nothing to say in support of any of these appointments despite what many undiscerning women and unspiritual men may claim, whether in the church or out of her.
Mr Donald J Morrison
85 Old Edinburgh Road
Inverness