Perhaps the most hotly debated topic in the church today. The topic of women restricted from serving as preachers / pastors is not to be confused with gender conflict or discrimination, but a matter of Biblical interpretation.

“But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence”.    (1 Timothy 2:11-12)

In a letter to Timothy of Ephesus, the Apostle Paul, proclaims that women should not have spiritual authority over men. The apostle Paul affirms that Adam was created before Eve, and therefore a sense of seniority is applied.

The church assigns different roles to men and women as a reflection of our creation, and the way sin entered the world. Many women excel in evangelism, teaching, and supporting much of the ministry of churches. Women are not restricted from public praying or prophesying, all but the spiritual authority over men.

Challengers of this view select passages from the Bible that show how women were indeed called to minister to others and to proclaim the gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18-20, Peter 3:15). Paul’s letter may also be interpreted to show that he referred only to the women of Ephesus, as the letter was in fact written to Timothy, the pastor of the church of Ephesus. Ephesus itself was known for its female led branch of paganism and the Apostle’s statements could be resistance to the female led pagan customs.

Many Christians believe this matter is heavily dependent on the interpretation of the Apostle’s declarations since women in the Bible held public positions of leadership, specifically, Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah, in the Old Testament.

On 12 March 1994, the first 32 women were ordained as Church of England priests.