Well I would dstinguish female deacons from deaconesses. The latter is seeking to make a gender distinction, the former is not. I don't think it is fair to call it merely semantics. The arguments for and against do, of course, rely on biblical semantics (which is not mere semantics)!

As I have said, I wouldn't die over this one. I am a deacon in a congregational church which has one elder (the pastor). One of my fellow deacons is woman. I'm not too thrilled about havig women deacons in the absence of a plurality of elders, but other things are more of a priority when working for reformation in this church.

I understand the RPCNA allows women deacons. I was not aware any other NAPARC church did so. Maybe the ARP now does as you have indicated.

Now women elders is a different issue. That I would die over.

In Christ,

James.