Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Laodicea - Canon 11

Presbytides, as they are called, or female presidents, are not to be appointed in the Church.

There has been a question as to what is being addressed. Most likely there were older women in the local church who were set in some official capacity over the younger women: the older lording over the younger in an aberration of the relationship between the generations (Titus 2:3-5) and in direct conflict with how Peter addresses the men who were under-shepherds of the flock (1 Pet 5:1-4).

Church history is fraught with examples of making efficiencies in the organization of the local church.  Invariably, they fail because the effort is based in what man decides is best for a particular situation, regional culture, or ethnic norm rather than acknowledging that Christ is the head of the body and one member working in harmony with the others for mutual benefit and edification.

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