The 1.19 rule comes from James 1.19 and is the rule we are claiming must be followed when we are in conversation and debate with one another about controversial subjects. The first part of this series at Southside has been about our gender identity, we will soon move to our sexual identity and then to our spiritual identity, folders in which we place many conversations. We have outlined the complementarian and egalitarian views of gender participation in local churches. Our stream of thinking has come from Genesis 1.27 through Genesis 3.16 and to Galatians 3.28. Our Biblical conclusion is that
"there is no status/access/privilege advantage to a distinction of gender. Spiritually and ontologically the two are fully equal." We saw that the beautiful complementary aspects of God's image constituted in our maleness and femaleness have been restored to equality in Christ. However, we have some aberrant passages in which the Apostle himself seems to break rank with his own assertions and does seem to restrict access for women. The conversation that we could have here is:
In what circumstances could it have been necessary to limit women's access to ministry in Corinth and Ephesus. In what circumstances could it be possible today to make any such restrictions? Thoughts?
