2a.  GOD’S NATURAL ORDER – DOES IT INCLUDE PATRIARCHY?

PATRIARCHAL PATTERN God created men and women to be different with women as helpers to men and acknowledging their headship (Gen2: 20)	NON-PATRIARCHAL PATTERN God created men and women to be different but equal in every respect (Gen 1 & 2)
This proper order is not affected by the Fall, which came after creation  (Gen 3)	The Fall disturbed God’s order by introducing male domination over women (Gen 3)
Men naturally assume leadership:    OT Kings and prophets    NT choice of male apostles    Some specific injunctions in St Paul’s letters	The proper order was restored in Christ: earlier precedents are changed.
The true church must follow the original created order.	The true church must follow the order of the new creation.

Note whether the issues below fall into either pattern, or whether they are unrelated to this framework.

What other issues / arguments have you heard raised, and which relate to this framework? 

• Our Lord chose only men as the 12 disciples, despite His willingness to associate with women
• There is an order within the life of the Holy Trinity:  Although both are equal as God, the Son submits to the authority of the Father.  Similarly there is a proper order in human relationships.
• Women have valuable experience they could bring to the church as bishops
•  In Christ there is no Jew nor Greek, slave nor free.
• There is a traditional pattern of only male clergy in the Church
• There is evidence of women ministering in the early Church.
• According to the Jewish law, women should not be in charge (1 Cor 14)
• The church needs to relate to contemporary culture.

Optional additional activity:

Invite individuals to volunteer to “walk in the moccasins” of those they disagree with, by explaining, as convincingly as possible, the interpretation they don’t agree with.  (The aim is NOT to stereotype or ridicule, but seriously to demonstrate engagement with others’ theological perceptions).