Women singing in worship services

[brendanchatt]

In light of some recent discussion on singing in worship, I share this verse I came by. Apologies if it has already been mentioned:

2 Chronicles 36:25
"And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations."

 

[Romans922]

“But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.“

 

[JimmyH]

In light of some recent discussion on singing in worship, I share this verse I came by. Apologies if it has already been mentioned:

2 Chronicles 36:25
"And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations."

I would be very pleased if everybody in church sang.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

This text has nothing to do with singing in worship. It is a Middle-Eastern custom to this day (various places) to have singers/lamenters at occasions of public celebration or mourning.

That's what's going on in this text. The king is dead, and the professional mourners (Jer.9:20; cf. Mt.9:23-24; 11:17) along with Jeremiah are leading the people in a public show of grief.

The fact is: today women are proper singers in the church choir (which is the congregation, not a select few), because there is no call for Levitical "ministers of music." When the veil was ripped away, the action also ripped out many institutional constraints on fellowship with God designed to highlight the separation between man and God.

All that's left for the church to mind are the minimal, nature/creation-order bounds God has left for the orthopraxy and discipline of the saints. Women are baptized (they were not circumcised); they have rights at the Lord's Table; a fortiori, they should sing in the congregation.

 

[SolaScriptura]

This text has nothing to do with singing in worship. It is a Middle-Eastern custom to this day (various places) to have singers/lamenters at occasions of public celebration or mourning.

That's what's going on in this text. The king is dead, and the professional mourners (Jer.9:20; cf. Mt.9:23-24; 11:17) along with Jeremiah are leading the people in a public show of grief.

The fact is: today women are proper singers in the church choir (which is the congregation, not a select few), because there is no call for Levitical "ministers of music." When the veil was ripped away, the action also ripped out many institutional constraints on fellowship with God designed to highlight the separation between man and God.

All that's left for the church to mind are the minimal, nature/creation-order bounds God has left for the orthopraxy and discipline of the saints. Women are baptized (they were not circumcised); they have rights at the Lord's Table; a fortiori, they should sing in the congregation.

Amen, brother!

 

[Parmenas]

John Cotton discusses women singing in his great work Singing of Psalmes A Gospel-Ordinance (Archive; EEBO).

EEBO: CHAP. VIII. Whether Women may sing as well as Men.

Edit: I forgot to mention that Dr. McMahon has republished the work.
Singing of Psalms a Gospel Ordinance by John Cotton (1585-1662).

 

[brendanchatt]

This text has nothing to do with singing in worship.

Thanks, Rev. Buchanan. I was reading it as a reference on an unrelated topic; thanks for clarifying

 

[beloved7]

As long as they're not pastors. That's what the word forbids yet is far too prevalent.

 

[Edward]

As long as they're not pastors. That's what the word forbids yet is far too prevalent.

The test isn't what is forbidden in worship by the scriptures, it is what is commanded in worship by the scriptures.