PCA Teaching Elder David Wegener has written a powerful piece against evangelical feminism that recently was posted on the Aquila Report. In it, he takes to task PCA church officers who continually violate the norms of the Scripture and the PCA’s BCO in order to push for women deacons.
One interesting observation Wegener makes is that the conflict over women in the deaconate is not an exegetical issue, but rather a cultural one. Wegener writes,
“Does anyone really think this issue is about what Scripture actually says? Would that it were true. Why is it that men all over the PCA are bringing up this topic at this particular moment in history? Might it have something to do with the air we breathe every day?
Women run for president and vice-president; they serve as CEOs and they are our supervisors and bosses, our teachers and principals and cell group leaders and spiritual directors.”
I’m not sure if I would go so far as to say that there is no doubt about what the Scriptures say on the subject of women deacons. The irrationalism that is so popular even in supposedly conservative circles has engendered a great deal of confusion in the churches about simple, basic doctrines. But on the other hand, Evangelical churches long ago ceased to heed Paul’s warning against conforming to the world and have instead pursued a policy of echoing the secular culture, just thirty or forty years late. Arguing for women deacons is simply another example of this trend.
I especially liked Wegener’s implication that the Bible’s teaching on the role of women extends beyond matters of church government, but instead speaks about their role in family and society as well. I’ve read articles by men who strongly oppose women ministers and deacons while at the same time thinking that Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachmann would make a great president. You’d think they’d notice the contradiction, but then again, nonsense has come.
Lux Lucet 