Because of the PCA recent GA, I was wondering if there are any Reformed denominations who have women as ordained deaconesses?

__________________
Gil Garcia
Rehoboth Reformed Church (RCUS)
La Habra, CA


"Indeed, one might say that as far as the doctrine of justification
is concerned, if you are not on the road to Wittenberg or Geneva, then the old proverb is indeed true: all roads lead to Rome." Carl Trueman

Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online (merrian-webster dictionary) defines deaconesses as:

"a woman chosen to assist in the church ministry; specifically : one in a Protestant order"


I know that this dictionary and its definition does not applied to the overall church, but it does represents the American church thinking.

__________________
Gil Garcia
Rehoboth Reformed Church (RCUS)
La Habra, CA


"Indeed, one might say that as far as the doctrine of justification
is concerned, if you are not on the road to Wittenberg or Geneva, then the old proverb is indeed true: all roads lead to Rome." Carl Trueman

Among the NAPARC churches, I know that the RPCNA and ARP denominations ordain deaconnesses.

__________________
Chris
OPC member
Now attending Grace Community Baptist Church
Mandeville, LA

"Faith alone saves, but it is a faith that works." - S. Lewis Johnson

See The ARP thread.

__________________
Benjamin P. Glaser
Pittsburgh, PA
Fairmount ARP Church, Sewickley, PA
Student of Theology Pittsburgh Theological Seminary & Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary

“If the Church could be aroused to a deeper sense of the glory that awaits her, she would enter with a warmer spirit into the struggles that are before her.”-- J.H. Thornwell

"who are qualified under the standards recorded in Scripture."

Benjamin,

Does the ARP give any examples from Scripture or church history?

Thanks

__________________
Gil Garcia
Rehoboth Reformed Church (RCUS)
La Habra, CA


"Indeed, one might say that as far as the doctrine of justification
is concerned, if you are not on the road to Wittenberg or Geneva, then the old proverb is indeed true: all roads lead to Rome." Carl Trueman

In the BCO/FOG there are no "Scripture proofs".

__________________
Benjamin P. Glaser
Pittsburgh, PA
Fairmount ARP Church, Sewickley, PA
Student of Theology Pittsburgh Theological Seminary & Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary

“If the Church could be aroused to a deeper sense of the glory that awaits her, she would enter with a warmer spirit into the struggles that are before her.”-- J.H. Thornwell

Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC). Elders, too.

__________________
Brad
PCA Member
Virginia

Pro 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Hmm!

__________________
Gil Garcia
Rehoboth Reformed Church (RCUS)
La Habra, CA


"Indeed, one might say that as far as the doctrine of justification
is concerned, if you are not on the road to Wittenberg or Geneva, then the old proverb is indeed true: all roads lead to Rome." Carl Trueman

Pastresses, too, though they're rare.

__________________
Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://semperubi.rtrc.net

"Many men, after a long conversion, see more of the workings of sin in their hearts than ever they did before or at their first conversion. Now, such men have not an increase of sin, but an increase of illumination and light" (Christopher Love)


Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

They were quite rare if not practically nonexistent. I think there were a few female TE's but when I was looking into it about 3-4 years ago I didn't find any churches with a female pastor. Many churches and maybe even whole Presbyteries didn't have female RE's either. But with them accepting all of these churches that are fleeing the PCUSA, it's reasonable to anticipate the number increasing significantly. I know that some in the EPC are happy for the growth but are concerned for the future with regard to this issue.

Having "eldresses" is the reason why the CRC was removed from of NAPARC and why the EPC isn't a part of it.

__________________
Chris
OPC member
Now attending Grace Community Baptist Church
Mandeville, LA

"Faith alone saves, but it is a faith that works." - S. Lewis Johnson

What about women voting? Are there any denominations which allowed women to vote?

__________________
Gil Garcia
Rehoboth Reformed Church (RCUS)
La Habra, CA


"Indeed, one might say that as far as the doctrine of justification
is concerned, if you are not on the road to Wittenberg or Geneva, then the old proverb is indeed true: all roads lead to Rome." Carl Trueman

Voting meaning voting in congregational meetings? I would suspect that most in NAPARC allow it.

__________________
Chris
OPC member
Now attending Grace Community Baptist Church
Mandeville, LA

"Faith alone saves, but it is a faith that works." - S. Lewis Johnson

I think so. Household voting is very rare - if I recall correctly (which I probably don't) I think the RPCUS does - at least some I know do, I don't know if it's a denominational distinctive. I don't know of others.

__________________
Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://semperubi.rtrc.net

"Many men, after a long conversion, see more of the workings of sin in their hearts than ever they did before or at their first conversion. Now, such men have not an increase of sin, but an increase of illumination and light" (Christopher Love)


Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

One of the doctrinal distinctives of the RPCUS is household voting.

__________________
Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)

I did not know that. What would you do with single women or mothers who have children but no husband? Would they not have a vote even though they would represent a household?

__________________
Stephen Welch
PCA Teaching Elder
Nova Scotia :cheers:

I don't know the RPCUS position, but it would seem biblical that Ruling Elders oversee those households, and represent them in Church matters.

__________________
Brad
PCA Member
Virginia

Pro 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Can you give Biblical support for that assertion?

__________________
Seth Stark
Member, Communion Presbyterian Church (ARP), Irvine, CA
Biola University, Graduate Student, M.A. - Science and Religion
Seth's Blog

I believe that there is even less scriptural support for that position than there is for ordaining a deaconess.

(Not to mention the objectionable theological, legal, and relational implications invoved.)

__________________
Adam J. Myer
Now waiting on the November accessions board, because I'm still waiting on the West Coast recruiting staff!
Evergreen PCA
Salem, Oregon

Will these text count as a biblical proofs that the men in the church are supposed to take care of the widows, both within the church and economically? These verses, of course, need to be look at from their historical content in order to fully understand what was going on. Most of them take into consideration the responsibility of the spiritual leaders (which were men), like the pharisees; in which Jesus rebuked for devouring their houses, instead of providing for them.

John 19:27 (New King James Version)

27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

The charge given to John.

Mark 12:40

40 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

Pharisees should have provided instead of taking from the widows.

Acts 6:1

1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

The complained was made by Hellenists men against the Hebrew men for neglecting the Hellenists widows.

1 Timothy 5:3

Honor widows who are really widows.

Charge given to Elder Timothy.

Galatians 2:9-10

9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

Charge given to Paul and Barnabas by James, Peter, and John not to neglect the poor (the oppressed) which included widows.

__________________
Gil Garcia
Rehoboth Reformed Church (RCUS)
La Habra, CA


"Indeed, one might say that as far as the doctrine of justification
is concerned, if you are not on the road to Wittenberg or Geneva, then the old proverb is indeed true: all roads lead to Rome." Carl Trueman