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Just quoting my college professors and other church leaders talking about how we tend to fall into the three groups of Des Ford's theology, Walter Rea's attack on Ellen White and also on the other side the so called "Historic Adventists" on how they all appeal to traditions that developed within conservative Christianity but does not look nor respect all the facts. Ellen White lived when there were women pastors. When our leaders in the west started more churches they would ordain someone to take care of the work, the best they could find whether they were male or female. Yes, one ended up with paperwork that included the word "Ordained" others got paperwork that did not include the word "Ordained" but were supposed to get the papers that said "Ordained" once more members were educated to know that women's ordination is indeed Biblical. The New York Conference had a woman who started many churches and was a powerful soul winner, who was approved for ordination, but was given the paperwork that did not include the word "Ordained" and this again was only to have been a temporary situation replaced with paperwork with the word "Ordained" when more members understand that women's ordination is indeed Biblical. The General Conference send a woman to Norway who was a very powerful worker setting up churches in Norway (My grandma's aunt was brought into the church by a "Bible Lady" from America, and that could have been either Mrs. White or this other woman.) We find in the book of Acts, Paul would raise up churches then often left them in the care of the leading women of the community. The Greek grammar of some of the women, indicate pastoral situations. For example in all but one place of talking about this couple as husband and wife it is Aquila and Priscilla, but 100% of the time as a ministry team it is Priscilla and Aquila. (The one time when as a married couple that it is "Priscilla and Aquila" could well be a copy error since we always find them as a ministerial team as "Priscilla and Aquila.") It is the same grammar as when first in Acts when Barnabas was in charge it used "Barnabas and Saul" but then when Saul/Paul became the leader it was changed to "Paul and Barnabas." The "proof texts" used to say that Paul was against women's ordination would contradict was we read as Paul's practice in Acts and how he uses the terms "Aquila and Priscilla"/"Priscilla and Aquila" and have contextual situations that support a different understanding than his being against women's ordination. If you don't like Paul's practice and grammar, also check the actions of Jesus. Around AD 200 on, the Jewish tradition, until modern years, Rabbis were only men and not open to women. We take what happened then and read it back in history. But historically this was the end of about 400 years of debate over women should be rabbis (and in early years even priests). The earlier Jewish tradition the rabbi (and arguments that I don't fully understand to share, even priests) could be either a man or a woman. The liberal schools, such as the school of Hillel, wanted to STOP women's ordination, while the more conservative schools, such as the school of Shammai wanted to CONTINE women's ordination. It is interesting in seeing how they ordained.

Just quoting my college professors and other church leaders talking about how we tend to fall into the three groups of Des Ford's theology, Walter Rea's attack on Ellen White and also on the other side the so called "Historic Adventists" on how they all appeal to traditions that developed within conservative Christianity but does not look nor respect all the facts.

🌍 Postcards from Eastern Europe Photo: Kate Marino Axios executive editor Kate Marino sends us these spectacular views from a recent sabbatical spent across Eastern Europe — from the dramatic peaks of Montenegro's Prokletije Mountains to the shores of North Macedonia's Lake Ohrid. Photo: Kate Marino

🌈 Rainbow hour Photo: Jackie Rick Finish Liner Jackie Rick captured this colorful calm over the Atlantic from Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island last week, ahead of the weekend storms.