Women's Ordination

[Dr. Shane]

Recent news brings to light an old subject.

United States: First Adventist woman commissioned to serve as Navy chaplain

Adrienne Townsend accepted the oath of office and was officially sworn in July 24 as the first Seventh-day Adventist woman to serve as an active duty chaplain in the United States Navy.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Townsend said her four years as associate dean of women at Adventist-owned Andrews University prepared her for chaplaincy and called her new post a "huge mission field" where she could minister to similarly aged young people.

"I feel God has laid the foundation for me here to go out into the military and reach those who need to hear about Christ," Townsend said. "I want Christ to be glorified and God to be seen as real for everyone I come in contact with."

Townsend, who holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews, brings a background in education and psychology to her new position. While studying theology, Townsend met a Navy recruiter and first felt called to chaplaincy.

Townsend's post is an "encouragement" to other Adventist women feel similarly called to ministry within the military and who "find the traditional roles limited," said Chaplain (Colonel) Gary R. Councell, director of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries for the world church.

Councell worked with Townsend over the past two years to prepare her to meet the military and denominational requirements of her post.

Lieutenant Christopher Carmichael, a Navy representative from the Navy Officer Recruiting Station in East Lansing, Mich., presented Townsend with her Presidential Appointment signed by President George W. Bush. Seminary Chaplain James North delivered the oath of office.

Once stationed, Townsend's duties will include leading worship services, providing counseling and visitation services and performing ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.

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[John317]

The only response appropriate is to pray that God will bless her work and all her contacts to His honor and glory.

[Dr. Shane]

I am not opposed to women's ordination at all. I have no problem with it. Now if the next step is ordaining openly gay men and lesbian than I would have to oppose that.

[aldona]

But it clearly states that she was "commissioned", not "ordained."

Isn't that SDA church policy? If we don't use the O-word, then that makes all the difference. The lady still carries out all the same functions as an ordained minister, but the O-word has not been used and thus the fundamentalists have been appeased.

I like Tony Campolo's response when asked what his view was of women's ordination to the gospel ministry:

"We are ALL ordained to the gospel ministry! Men, women and children!"

aldona

[John317]

I am not opposed to women's ordination at all. I have no problem with it. Now if the next step is ordaining openly gay men and lesbian than I would have to oppose that.

It's not that I am "opposed to women's ordination," it's just that I am not convinced that there are good, solid Biblical grounds for doing it. However, if the church were to decide to do it, I would accept it, even though I wouldn't necessarily believe that it is according to the teaching of the Bible. I don't see it as a salvation issue.

Now, the other issue you mention-- gay pastors, etc.-- yep, that is a salvation issue. No question about it, as far as I'm concerned. But I have already talked with some Adventist pastors who don't believe it's a sin to practice the gay life-style. I was totally shocked the first time I talked to one about it. I had been struggling against that myself for a long time, and here this SDA pastor was telling me essentially that I should just give in. He never even hinted that God could give gays the victory over it. It really makes me concerned for our Adventist ministers if this is what they are learning in the seminary. I know that there are many Adventist ministers who believe firmly in following the Bible on that issue, though.

[John317]

"We are ALL ordained to the gospel ministry! Men, women and children!"

aldona

I think that's kind of a superficial view of the Bible's theology of gospel ministry. It fails to see the role of the pastor and elder from the Biblical point of view.

It is quite true that everyone is called to share the gospel with people, including women, of course. But that is not the same thing as being the pastor or elder of the congregation.

The Bible allows for women to have ministries, such as music ministry, women's ministry, evangelism, family ministry, children's ministry, and Bible work.

I see the distinction between women and men in the home as similar to the distinction in the roles and work of women and men in the church. As far as I can see from the NT, God never intended that the distinction should be lost or laid aside. One of the problems I see in the society today-- and making inroads into the Christian home as well as the church-- is that people are being told that men and women are the same and that any difference in role or position is wrong. As goes the church, so goes the home.

We always have to ask-- and seek a Bible answer-- is this what the Bible teaches? Is this God's will for the family and the church?

[Dr. Shane]

Quote:

But it clearly states that she was "commissioned", not "ordained."

I have been out of the military for some time so things may have changed. When I was in, a member of the clergy needed to be ordained by his or her denomination before they could become a military chaplain. Perhaps exceptions are made due to circumstances like a denomination's ordination policy.

Being a commissioned officer is required for her to become a chaplain because all chaplains are officiers. However it has nothing to do with her gender and is completely separate from being ordained.