lesson ten

Putting it all together

The purpose of this lesson is to make a meaningful ‘whole’ of what we have seen in the course so far.

Guidance for your own reflection is given in the right column. You will find your final assignment spelled out in the left column.

1. The rules of scriptural interprepation

With hindsight, how important are the rules of interpretation discussed in Lesson 2?

Would you be able to apply these confidently to other controversial Scripture texts?

Final Assignment

From your own reflections on the course, identify what you consider to be the most crucial issue at stake in these discussions. This issue may have a subjective element, expressing an aspect especially meaningful to you, but it must be related to a substantial question at the same time.

Expand on this particular issue, base it on a firm scriptural foundation, view it within the wider context of the whole scriptural study of this course and outline the implications of it for your own life and future ministry.

2. The Traditional Arguments excluding women from the ministry

Are you able to give an answer to the traditional arguments drawn from Scripture, as presented in Lesson 1?

Can you see a common strand runnning through these traditional arguments? In what way are we fighting a dragon with many heads?

“The apostles joined in continuous prayer, together with several women including Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus’ brothers” (Acts 1,14). Why do traditional illustrations like this one only show Mary among the apostles?

3. Positive Arguments for including women in the Christian ministry

Could you formulate for yourself a number of distinct scriptural indications that argue in favour of admitting women to ordained leadership in the Church?

Do you detect a ‘golden thread’ running through these positive indications?