This is the perfect example of what made me begin to seriously move away from complementarianism and toward egalitarianism/mutuality. Right down to the exceptions made for women like Elisabeth Elliot and Beth Moore. The incredible inconsistencies and finagling that is done that makes no sense.
Exceptions Made For Elisabeth Elliot Teaching
Tamara Rice absolutely nails it in The Hole in Our Complementarianism (now Wayback Machine) (bold mine).
In my second or third year of college, Elisabeth Elliot graced our campus with her presence. Of course, at the time I was starstruck. I mean … Elisabeth Elliot. So it was no surprise that our chapel, held in the gym back then, was packed from wall to wall. I distinctly remember settling in the stands with a few of my friends and watching intently once worship ended and Ms. Elliot ascended the stage.
I can’t say I noticed it immediately, but at some point I realized that the large wooden pulpit usually adorning the stage had been replaced with a small music stand off to Ms. Elliot’s side. At approximately the same moment I took note of this, it occurred to me that this woman, Ms. Elliot, was in fact preaching to us. Preaching in chapel. And a sharp little nagging began in the back of my mind.
She’s preaching.
She’s a woman and she is preaching.
And this is somehow okay.
Even though we’d never dream of letting any other woman do this in chapel.
This is okay, because we removed the pulpit. And only because we moved the pulpit …
Yes, it was acceptable, I realized, it was okay with my sage male Bible professors (one female, who was single and only taught women—naturally) and the rest of the faculty, because the pulpit had been removed and Ms. Elliot was—perhaps—telling more stories than the average preacher who came our way in a school known for expository Bible teaching.
But, you see, this was not okay with me. Where others might have seen a gracious exception to the rules for a stately woman of faith whose story has almost become legendary in Christendom, I saw a glaring hypocrisy. Because she was clearly being given an opportunity I’d never be given. And what made it so? The fact that her husband was martyred? Her age? The fact that she had authored many popular books? What made her spiritual authority worthy of the exception? Why not my mother or your mother? Who decided this, that it was okay to make exceptions, and how did they decide it?
After that, after the hole was exposed, I noticed a lot of picking and choosing. A lot of “removing the pulpit” line-drawing/hole-patching to make things that were simply arbitrary exceptions feel more legitimate.
Amen and amen.
Elisabeth Elliot Preaching
To reiterate the point:
Where others might have seen a gracious exception to the rules for a stately woman of faith whose story has almost become legendary in Christendom, I saw a glaring hypocrisy. Because she was clearly being given an opportunity I’d never be given. And what made it so? The fact that her husband was martyred? Her age? The fact that she had authored many popular books? What made her spiritual authority worthy of the exception? Why not my mother or your mother? Who decided this, that it was okay to make exceptions, and how did they decide it?
If it’s wrong, it’s wrong.
No changing of the pulpit to a music stand is going to make it right.
Being Elisabeth Elliot doesn’t make it right.
If it’s wrong, it’s wrong.
Adherence to a view that flies in the face of reality when we see women who are gifted by the Holy Spirit is simply crazy.
The Struggle of the Semi-Churched
Sallie – Wow
“ Even though we’d never dream of letting any other woman do this in chapel.
This is okay, because “we removed the pulpit.” And only because “we moved the pulpit” …
Yes – The Persisting Problem of who Preaches Points to the Pulpit.
It’s because of – The Pulpit – and who owns the rights to be – The Pulpiteers…
Yes – It’s the “Pulpit.” See, Pul… Pit… Puuuullll…. Piiiitttt…. A funny word. Yes? 😉
See, The “Pulpit” is really from the “Pit.” And the Pull-Pits job is to “Pull” us into the “Pit.”
Just get rid of the “Pulpit” – and “The Pulpiteers” – and the Problem – is Prevented. 😉
And – Today – It seems – The whole Sunday Service revolves around the “Pastor in a Pulpit”
Jesus calls the scribes and Pharisees (The Religious Leaders) The Woe People – He says…
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, “Hypocrites” – Seven times in just Mat 23 alone.
Hypocrite – is Strongs – #5273 – hupokrites –
And – It means – an actor under an assumed character (stage-player)
Is NOT todays Preaching Pastor required by our tradition to be a Stage Player?
The Poor Pastor is Praised or Pummeled on their Performance in a Pulpit as a Stage Player.
Here is this Poor Person with the “Title” “Pastor/Reverend” NOT found in the Bible.
Required by tradition to Perform Sunday morning Par excellence…
And nothing less by the Patrons who are Paying him to Perfect them. 😉
Hasn’t anyone ever wondered? Why? In the Bible? There is NOT one
Paid – Professional – Pastor – in a Pulpit – Preaching – to People – in Pews?
That certainly was NOT the way Jesus taught “His Disciples.” Seems He hit the streets. 😉
And. Paul recommends in 1 Cor 14:26, That each one has a teaching, a revelation…
And ALL believers can, and are expected to participate. – I like Paul – a lot.
After experiencing many different kinds of “the church of man” – “Today’s Religious Systems”
It becomes evident that…
Paid – Professional – Pastors – in Pulpits – Preaching – to People – in Pews…
Prevent – Public – Participation – and – Promote – Passive – Pew – Potatoes….
Procuring – Power – Profit – Prestige – for the Prevailing – Parsing – Pastor…
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall “hear My voice; “
and there shall be “ONE” fold, and “ONE” shepherd.
John 10:16
One Fold – One Shepherd – One Voice
{{{{{{ Jesus }}}}}}
It was both Elisabeth Elliot and Beth Moore that prompted me to look into this subject more deeply. It made absolutely no sense to me. None.
Hmmm. I’m not sure u agree with all of this, but I will say that I strongly disagree with the implication that anyone and everyone should be heard from a pulpit (from the wonderings of why Elisabeth Elliott should be given the privilege, rather than the quoted author. And to downplay her experiences in that way is somewhat heartless. By all means, yes if your husband is martyred and you go on to minister to the very people who killed him, and devote your life to serving The Lord, you may have something worth saying. I was really appalled by the way that quoted author spoke of Elisabeth and her experiences, and it just further proves that there is a reason women were told to be quiet in church.
Sally –
I apologize for not responding to your comment sooner. I don’t think the original author had any problem with Elisabeth Elliot speaking. The problem she has was the fact that her college was breaking their own policy by allowing her to speak. No, not everyone should speak from a pulpit. But colleges and churches can’t teach that women should keep silent/shouldn’t preach and then allow some women to come in and do it. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong – even for Elisabeth Elliot who has an amazing testimony and message to bring.
This post of mine also touches on this topic:
Should women proclaim the gospel to men?
I was reading some of the comments on the linked article when I went to find it on the Wayback Machine. There are some great ones. I’m putting them here, in individual comments.
“This post brings back memories! When I was in high school, Elisabeth Elliot came to speak at my (Baptist) church in Colorado back in the early ’80s. Of course, everyone wanted to hear her speak, but she did not believe in preaching to a whole church. Evidently she agreed to speak to our Sunday school classes…so they canceled all Sunday school classes and seated us all in the sanctuary, the only room that would hold us all! As soon as she stood up to speak, she explained that she had declined to preach to the whole church and that she was struggling internally. She didn’t use the term, but it seemed she felt like she was the victim of a bait-and-switch. Our pastor hastily stood up to jovially reassure her that this was indeed the Sunday school hour and that the people before her, sitting in the pews, were indeed the Sunday school attendees! She was gracious and went ahead and spoke to us. But it was certainly a case of bending rules and splitting hairs, just like you describe.”
“I was a part of a complementarian evangelical church in the US that wouldn’t think of allowing a woman to stand behind the pulpit. One time, our missionary speaker was a woman. She had to “share” from the floor with the platform and pulpit behind her. She “shared” (not preached…) that in West Africa, she developed and led a large ministry that trained thousands of pastors. She preached to them, trained them, coached them. Her ministry, of course, was perfectly acceptable to our church! I could only conclude that, somehow, exegesis and theology must be transformed while crossing the Atlantic… That experience was the first “hole” in my thinking. I kept on meeting amazing, gifted women who opened my eyes to perspectives in the Scriptures I found rang true. Hmmm… That caused me to go back and take a long hard look at what the Bible actually taught and recorded. I affirm your journey. Carry on, sister!”
Some of these comments fit so well with the thoughts raised in the book “Pagan Christianity” that I just wrote a post about.
“Some of the very things that blew a hole in complementarianism (totally a word, btw!) for you, blew that same hole in it for me. One of the most painful and hard to explain episodes was the day my sweet 3rd grade daughter came to me and asked why the boys got to give their leadership speeches on Sunday morning for the entire congregation, and the girls had to do theirs on Sunday afternoon, in the fellowship hall, with only an audience of parents and coaches. I had no answer for her. The rules for both boys’ and girls’ speeches were the same. They all had to focus around the same theme. But there were these rules regarding the “sharing” of such speeches that even a 3rd grader recognized as arbitrary and ridiculous. The tide had been turning for me for sometime when she asked me this question, and that day sealed the deal. I’d never view my female-ness and God’s call on my life the same again!”
More of the same that makes no logical sense…
The hole started for me when, as a teenager, I noticed that single missionary ladies had to speak to the assembled believers in the church basement instead of the sanctuary. Because I’m pretty sure that there is a verse somewhere that gives special significance to the sanctuary, platform, and pulpit!!! I stopped wearing head coverings when I noticed the part that said, “When a woman prays or prophesies she should have her head covered.” But wait, I’m not allowed to pray or prophecy in public!