Albert Mohler weighs in here regarding Sarah Palin and the gender issue. There are certainly going to be some Hyper-Patriarchal Christians who would have a problem with Palin Serving as VP of the United States. But does her nomination necessitate a revision of a complementarian understanding of the scriptures?
Dr. Mohler further highlights an even more fundamental issue at stake in this debate and that is the distinction between the church and the world. Should the church be a mirror of the world? Because Women can lead a country should they therefore be ordained as ministers and elders in our churches?
This cuts to the heart of debates that have been raging for years over the ordination of women. The question for complementarians is not whether women have abilities and gifts of leadership (many have excellent leadership gifts). The question we ask is, "who has God given the responsibility of leadership in the church?"
Even as we answer the question that God has given men the responsibility alone to serve as ministers and elders in the church. We recognize that God has not entirely excluded women from bearing leadership responsibility in the church. Titus 2 makes clear that women are to teach and lead other women. Further, the reality that Scripture presents, limits the role of women in so far as they are excluded from being elders. However, Scripture no where condemns women for leading in secular vocations.
I hope that the Palin nomination causes conservative Christians to think very carefully about the roles of men and women both in the church and in the world.
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