Women and the Ministry:
Leading Must Come
from the Word
The Rev. Lawson M. Smith
I
have received and read some heartfelt letters advocating for women in the
ministry.
I greatly appreciate the authors’ love for the New Church and the people
of the New Church, and the potential people of the New Church in the coming
generations. Thank you for taking the time to write these warm letters.
As you can probably guess, I see things differently. In case it’s any help
with having an insight into why one person might take a different view, here
are some thoughts.
In the Old Testament, the Lord lays down the laws very explicitly, especially
in the Ten Commandments, but also in many other laws, many of which He
abrogated when He came into the world, but which were necessary at the time.
In the New Testament, the Lord teaches more interior truths. “You have
heard that it has been said... But I say to you....” He teaches us to love our
neighbors as ourselves, explicitly and repeatedly, and He teaches, though
mostly in parables, about the kingdom of heaven, which is within us.
So He begins to move away from commands: “I no longer call you servants,
for the servant does not know what his lord is doing; but I have called you
friends, because all things which I have heard from My Father I have made
known to you. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and placed you,
that you may go and bring forth fruit, and your fruit remain, that whatever you
shall ask the Father in My name He may give to you. These things I command
you, in order that you love one another.” (John 15:15-17)
In the Heavenly Doctrine, the Lord moves even further from commands.
Instead, He teaches us the reasons for things being the way they are. The
spiritual history of the human race is compared to a person growing up.
(True Christian Religion 762, Apocalypse Explained 641:4) When children are
little, they need their parents to give them clear commands, with consistent
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