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Response to Male and female in the church - gender in the ordained ministries by Douw G. Breed, Fika J. van Rensburg, and Gert J.C. Jordaan

 

Respons op Man en vrou in die kerk - geslag binne die amptellke Woordbediening deur Douw G. Breed, Fika J. van Rensburg, Gert J.C. Jordaan

 

 

P.N. Archbald

Silverstream. New Zealand. E-mail: archbald@actrix.co.nz

 

 

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ABSTRACT

"Male and female in the church" (2008), by Breed, J. van Flensburg and Jordaan, is reviewed as to its treatment of the regulative principle and its exegesis of 1 Timothy 2-3. The reformed and puritan version of the regulative principle, reflected in the writings of John Calvin and in the major reformed confessions, implies that proponents of women in the ecclesiastical office must do more than question the traditional exegesis of key passages used in the debate. They must provide Biblical warrant for the practice. "Male and female in the church" outlines an option that defends the traditional exegesis of 1 Timothy 2-3. It also provides another option that seeks to explain 1 Timothy 2:8-15 in terms of the marriage-relationship rather than male and female in the church. The exegesis in the latter option is found to be tenuous. Similarly, the option that views 1 Timothy 3:11 as referring to ordained deaconesses is found to be unconvincing. No clear Biblical warrant is found in these passages for the practice of ordaining women in the ecclesiastical office.

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OPSOMMING

"Man en vrou in die kerk" (2008) deur Breed, J. van Rensburg en Jordaan, is beoordeel wat betref hulle hantering van die regulerende beginsel en die eksegese van 1 Timotheus 2-3. Die gereformeerde en puriteinse weergawe van die regulerende beginsel, soos gereflekteer in die geskrifte van Johannes Calvyn en die vernaamste gereformeerde belydenisse, impliseer dat voorstanders van die vrou in kerklike ampte meer moet doen as om net die tradisionele eksegese van sleutelgedeeltes wat in die debat gebruik word, te bevraagteken. Hulle moet Bybelse gronde vir die gebruik verskaf. "Man en vrou in die kerk" skets 'n voorkeur wat die tradisionele eksegese van 1 Timoteus 2-3 verdedig. Dit voorsien 'n verdere opsie wat poog om 1 Timoteus 2:8-15 in terme van 'n huweliksverhouding te verduidelik eerder as manlik en vroulik in die kerk. Die eksegese van laasgenoemde opsie oortuig egter nie. So ook word die opsie in 1 Timoteus 3:11 wat na bevestigde diakonesse verwys as onoortuigend bevind. Geen duidelike Bybelse bewys is in hierdie gedeeltes gevind vir die praktyk om die vrou in kerklike ampte te bevestig nie.

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