join us for

Progressive or Regressive Christianity?

Oct 30, 2022    Mark South

Progressive or Regressive Christianity?
1 Timothy 2:11-15

The Church belongs to Jesus.

That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. - Ephesians 1:20-23

The church is not designed by consensus but by revelation.

Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. - 1 Timothy 2:11-12

Three views:
Egalitarianism - Total equality in roles
Hielarchialism - Men Lead, Women follow
Complementarian - Equal worth and value but complementary roles.

…but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head since it is the same as if her head were shaven. - 1 Corinthians 11:5

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. Let the first be silent if a revelation is made to another sitting there. - 1 Corinthians 14:26 - 30

Older women likewise, are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good. - Titus 2:3-4

1 Timothy 2:11-12
Quiet means a humble posture
Submission refers to the teaching.

The issue in the church was a willingness to receive the teaching and authority humbly.

Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations. - Romans 1:5

Arbitrary, cultural, or intentional?

Reason from Creation
For Adam was formed first, then Eve. - v. 13

But then, I can't dismiss masculine headship in the cavalier way in which some evangelical feminists do. There is something in the Pauline teaching about headship that cannot be ignored as a purely cultural phenomenon because he roots it in Creation. We may find his exegesis of Genesis 2 difficult, that women were made after men, out of men, and for men, but he does root his argument in Creation. I have a very high view of apostolic authority. I don't feel able to reject Paul's exegesis. - John Stott

Reason from the first sin
and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. - v. 14

From the disordering of creation came the disorder of everything else.

Hope is Progressive - v. 15