The Long Arc of Patriarchy: Thoughts on Rick Warren's Op-Ed
I was on vacation last week and I try my best when I am on vacation to unplug and be present to what I am doing in the moment. I read less news but something caught my eye to in terms of what was going on in the larger world of American Christianity. It was an op-ed in The Washington Post from Rick Warren, found here, regarding the Southern Baptist Church’s refusal to readmit Saddleback Church over Saddleback having female pastors.
In my tradition, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), I grew up with female pastors, elders, and church leaders. I served a congregation where the first female in Georgia was ordained to Christian ministry in the late 1960s (still too late, IMHO). We all get cozy in our bubbles, so it is easy to forget that for some in 2023, they continue on the wrong side of history, in terms of female leadership and misinterpretation of select biblical passages. Using the Bible to hold power over others, that’s a hard thing to give up. Patriarchy is an intoxicating drug for some, especially when scripture is mangled to support it. The Southern Baptist Convention and other traditions that do not ordain women are wrong on the issue.
Two specific things about Warren’s op-ed bothered me that I would like to address: I also want to acknowledge, that based on his history and within his denominational affiliation, Rick Warren is out on a limb. But for the whole of American Christianity, it’s a pretty short limb.
First, this quote: “That grieves my heart. Many SBC churches have given women the title of “pastor” for various tasks, such as children’s pastor, youth pastor, associate pastor or missions pastor. However, to remain “in friendly cooperation” with the SBC, none of that will now be allowed.”
The title of pastor is not “given” for various or specific tasks. It is a calling and role from God that is to be recognized as a calling between a person and a congregation. That’s not where the problem begins: He leaves out “Lead Pastor or Senior Pastor or Teaching Pastor.” Those roles recognized as the primary preaching voice in a congregation. The work that the whole church needs to continue doing is elevating female clergy to these roles. We need to elevate female clergy to senior leadership roles. I recognize that I am also part of the problem, having occupied prominent pulpits in our denomination. Because I occupy them, that’s one less pulpit for a female to occupy. This is something I with which I continue to wrestle.
The second issue I have with this quote is that it implies that all forms of ministry do not share equal importance. Children’s ministry, youth ministry, associate ministry, and mission ministry, just to name a few are of equal importance in the church to the preaching ministry. They are not “less than.” I recognize that our pay scales and the way we speak about these ministries imply that they are, but they are not. Yes, leadership is important. But leadership of these ministries is critical to the health of the whole church. Leadership in the church is flattening and that is a good thing.
There is more I can say, but this seems enough for this post. I will close by saying that I remain grateful today for the gifted female clergy who have been and continue to be my pastors, those near and far. My life and our world would be far less whole without their ministry.
I grew up attending a Southern Baptist Church. I loved it: the stories, the songs .. I felt really special when I joined the church by baptism and was able to take communion with a select few. When I began to question some of the teachings. I was told that I must have faith and I must not question. My parents came from Disciples and Methodist backgrounds. I feel sure that if my parents had taught me those teachings, I would be thinking more like Rick Warren.
Well said, after all there is “the priesthood of all believers.”