4. The Synod endorses in the light of Scripture that woman with the necessary gifts can be elected and installed as
deacons in the GKSA. The Synod judges further that determined texts like Rom 16:2, 1 Tim 3:11 and 5:9-15 has been playing a important supportive role for women in a special office for very long in the Reformed Churches in ecumenical relation, although there are not clear certainty
on the one hand, but on the other hand no ban can be placed on women in the office of deacon.
Unfortunately, there is no mention of how the committee exegeted these passages but only that they have "been playing a[n] important supportive role for women in a special office for very long in the Reformed Churches..."
5. The Church Order and Ordination formularies of the GKSA distinguish between Word Ministry and governance that are assigned to ministers and elders, and the diaconal ministry to encourage the community of love in Christ. The minister(s) and elders form the Church Council, which serves the authority of Christ in the congregation. The Synod confirms the difference between the three special ministries existing in the church. This difference gives rise to the fact that there are no restrictions for women in the office of deacon.
This has been an unfortunate error, I believe, among Dutch and some Presbyterian churches; to make a tri-fold distinction within the 2 offices mentioned in the NT, i.e., "ruling" and "preaching" Elders. I only see one office of Elder within which some are given the gift to preach more than others. However, ALL are to be "apt to teach" and I see nowhere a distinction of the ones gifted to preach that they are not to rule. Their conclusion; last sentence, has absolutely no bearing whatsoever upon this tri-fold distinction and I'm totally confused as to how they came to this conclusion logically.
10. To stand in the special ministries is not allotted to all that covet it. Therefore certain requirements have been determined – also for men (1 Tim 3:1-7; 1 Tim 5:9-15). The ministry work must be to the glory of God and enhancement of his congregation. In all ministries the authority of Christ as head of the church must be acknowledged. The Synod encourages churches to anew take note that the requirements set by Scripture must be applied when deacons, elders and ministers are elected.
This is simply rank disregard for the clear teaching of Scripture and imposing one's personal views about women to circumvent what is indisputably taught about the qualifications for the offices of Elder and Deacon. Taking what #10 says, it appears that they believe women do not need to meet ANY of the qualifications Paul lists (as given to him by Christ through the Spirit) in 1Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9 since they apply only to men. Evidently, they believe there are separate qualifications for women that are to be observed for their serving as Elders and/or Deacons.
14.8 Is there Scriptural differentiation between the way in which male and female deacons do their ministry work (1 Tim 3)? Thorough examination must be done regarding the person in Rom 16:7 Junias that to the available knowledge through all the ages (to the end of the 13th century) was seen as a woman (“Junia”) (according to a determined accentuation). According to this reading she was hailed as woman apostle by Paul and also by the other apostles in general. There is a majority of contemporary exegesis accepting that she is a woman. What was the nature of her apostleship? What light does it shed on the question – especially on the woman in the doctrinal office?
a. It is
assumed that women served as Deacons in 1Tim 3. There are many good exegetes who deny that the passage teaches such.
b. Rom 16:7 in the Greek leaves no room, when taken in context, that Junias was male. The word is
Junias, Julius (male) not
Junia, Julia (female).
c. The word "apostle" in Rom 16:7 is not to be taken in its restrictive sense, i.e., as equal to and in addition to the original 12 Apostles, but rather in a more general sense, which the NT uses elsewhere to designate those who were sent and commissioned to spread the teachings of Christ, i.e., aka: missionaries. See for example Barnabas (Acts 14:4,14), Epaphroditus (Phil 2:25), Apollos (1Cor 1:12; 3:4,5; 3:22), Silvanus (1Thess 1:1), and Timothy (2Cor 1:1).
Re: 4:2 It is obvious from a statement earlier that they want to dismiss any idea of "status" in reference to the offices (aka: ministries) of the Church, a most post-modern idea now becoming popular. This is carried out here in 4:2 by downplaying the designation "Office" relegating it to "special ministries". Although acknowledging these "special ministries" are to be distinguished from the "ministry of the faithful" of all believers, they consist of far more than what Paul lists in Eph 4:11, 12 (cf. Roberts 1983:115), which is an attempt to remove the demarcation line historically held between "clergy and laity"... i.e., creating an equal playing field where authority is deemphasized, aka: egalitarianism. Responsibility replaces authority in service in their view. This is obvious from 4.3.2:
Finally, the distinction does not lie in the superior importance of ordained ministries compared with the general ministry of the faithful, or imply that those in ordained ministries have received more gifts from the Spirit than other believers (Versteeg 1988:50). Such a quantitative approach would be counter to the essence of ordained ministries. What is unique about ordained ministries is the special care they should take to ensure that the true faith is maintained, true doctrine is disseminated everywhere, transgressors are admonished spiritually and restrained, and the poor and those in distress are helped and comforted according to their needs (Belgic Confession 30).
More later, D.v.
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