Where's the Line?

I’m not usually one to delete things. When I was on social media, I never did. But there’s probably a better way to address the pushback against Confessing Jesus than yesterday’s post. In replacing the post, I’m not attempting to appease the trolls who I refuse to wrestle with. I’m simply laying out my thought to those of you who were kind enough to email both support and comment against using your own name and seeking unity as brothers. We all want the same thing. We know the challenges we face in our world—especially the ones of the First Article. And therein lies the trouble. Where’s the line?

The Scriptures say, “I do not permit a woman to teach.” What does this mean? The apostle Paul uses the example of creation when making his point. In the fall, we see Adam standing by in quietness while his wife takes the forefront. The devil deceived. He twisted the order, and thus, the fall.

This text that Paul writes has been used to say that women’s ordination is anathema. Is it also a charge against writing study books? What about tracts and pamphlets or bulletin inserts? Should women be able to serve as a cantor or even sing in the choir? Can they lead Bible studies and Sunday school? Should men also lead the LWML? (I’m not being sarcastic. Where is the line, and who draws it?) Can women serve as copy editors for theological work? Should women vote in voters’ assemblies or sit on committees in the church? Are women teachers OK in our schools? If so, up until what grade? What if you attend a conference and a woman is presenting? Can a man attend that lecture? Many will gladly hear the likes of Mollie Hemmingway and Päivi Räsänen without question. Others will read Lady Like and recommend it along with Man Up to couples in pre-marital counseling. Where is the line? I’ve drawn it in every instance above as to what I believe is anathema and what is not, but I can guarantee it’s not the same across the board.

It's not the trolls I care about. I genuinely want clarity on the issue. I want to have a serious conversation with you who are truly called brothers. The biblical mandate is against women teaching in the context of the mass. I fear that if we begin to expand that, we become no better than the Pharisees who attempt to build a hedge around the law in order to protect the law and thus breaking the law itself altogether. But again, where’s the line?

These are a few thoughts that led to my defense of Confessing Jesus. Having talked with Molly as she was writing and knowing what was told her throughout the process about target audience, etc., I’ll say again, in reading it, I never thought she was exercising authority over me. I was reading a confession of the faith and thinking of our own women’s group as they would read it together. Further, I’ll appeal once again, if it is wrong, the fight is with CPH and not with Molly.