Comments on: the world handicapped by half http://www.swingingfromthevine.com/2008/03/06/the-world-handicapped-by-half/ digging deep, stretching up, reaching out Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:06:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Mak http://www.swingingfromthevine.com/2008/03/06/the-world-handicapped-by-half/comment-page-1/#comment-2124 Mak Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:25:29 +0000 http://www.swingingfromthevine.com/2008/03/06/the-world-handicapped-by-half/#comment-2124 Nitika - your caution is well taken but I want to make it clear that women's voices being heard is not about individualism - just the opposite, the point is that we all need to be in community and function well there and that the community loses when women are not heard (their voice, their gifts, their leadership, their decisions). This will look different in every culture but women everyone are talking about the importance of this and the value. If you read the article by Sr. Chittister, this is discussed in the context of India. Rev. Vaughn - AMEN!! Thank you brother, it's an honor to serve alongside men such as you. Nitika - your caution is well taken but I want to make it clear that women’s voices being heard is not about individualism - just the opposite, the point is that we all need to be in community and function well there and that the community loses when women are not heard (their voice, their gifts, their leadership, their decisions). This will look different in every culture but women everyone are talking about the importance of this and the value. If you read the article by Sr. Chittister, this is discussed in the context of India.

Rev. Vaughn - AMEN!! Thank you brother, it’s an honor to serve alongside men such as you.

]]> By: Rev. Vaughn W. Thurston-Cox http://www.swingingfromthevine.com/2008/03/06/the-world-handicapped-by-half/comment-page-1/#comment-2123 Rev. Vaughn W. Thurston-Cox Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:36:19 +0000 http://www.swingingfromthevine.com/2008/03/06/the-world-handicapped-by-half/#comment-2123 My challenge is not for the many women who will read this post, but their husbands, fathers, brothers, and (male) pastors. Too many wonderful Christian men I know consider this a woman's issue. It's something a small group women might ask about but lacks relevance for the congregation at large. This, though, is not a "woman's" issue. This is Kingdom issue. This is an issue for us to raise before the people in order that they might better reflect the glory of their God here. We have the opportunity to stand up as men and tell the world, "Our sisters are no less God's children than we are." Two years now I have set aside a day to preach on the question of the ordination of women. This has not only been important in order to combat the popular theology going out over the airwaves but to open doors for our young women who may become pastors, evangelists, superintendents, missionaries, or theologians. What gifts have we robbed ourselves of saying nothing?! What souls might have otherwise been saved?! My challenge is not for the many women who will read this post, but their husbands, fathers, brothers, and (male) pastors. Too many wonderful Christian men I know consider this a woman’s issue. It’s something a small group women might ask about but lacks relevance for the congregation at large. This, though, is not a “woman’s” issue. This is Kingdom issue. This is an issue for us to raise before the people in order that they might better reflect the glory of their God here. We have the opportunity to stand up as men and tell the world, “Our sisters are no less God’s children than we are.”

Two years now I have set aside a day to preach on the question of the ordination of women. This has not only been important in order to combat the popular theology going out over the airwaves but to open doors for our young women who may become pastors, evangelists, superintendents, missionaries, or theologians. What gifts have we robbed ourselves of saying nothing?! What souls might have otherwise been saved?!

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