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Originally Posted by Hippo  My own view is that a conflation of the role of deacon and elder is often linked to the opposition of women elders. The office of deacon should not be seen as a stepping stone to being an elder. |
Rather than a "stepping-stone" it should be recognized that ALL the offices are found in Christ, and from him are disposed to the apostles. What ordinary gifts remained to the church were then disposed to her ministers, and the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit remanded to the Spirit again.
Such was the recognition of the church during the apostolic days. The duties of "the deacon" were part of the duties of the eldership (and when there are no deacons in a church, they again are put back into the elders' laps; they don't disappear). When those duties became too much for the elders, Acts 6:2, they wisely devolved those particular duties to a sub-office, ala Moses in the wilderness, see Ex. 18:17.
So, the issue does return to the matter of office, and who and what is proper for an office holder. If women are not proper office holders by a divine ordinance--and Christ did not ordain any women, nor did the church see fit to ordain women to help the *widows* in Acts 6--I do not see how anyone can sensibly argue against the plain reading of Paul's description of the office.
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Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI
Made both Lord and Christ--Jesus, the Destroyer
Acts 2:36 - 1 Cor. 10:9-10 & 15:22-26 - Hebrews 2:9-15 - 1 John 3:8 - James 4:12
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