Brother Peter Anderton spoke pleasantly and enthusiastically, and emphasised that all discussion on the subject should be done in a Christlike spirit.
He acknowledged that the Christadelphian community is divided on the issue of sisters speaking. He saw himself as coming from a Biblical perspective, and implied that those who disagree with the traditional view are not following God but are influenced by worldly thinking and by selfish desires.
The presentation looked logical and thorough as he went through a lot of Scripture, especially 1 Timothy 2 and 1 Corinthians 14.
There were about 214 screens present on Zoom. Since many had two people, there would be about 300 present. The readings and exposition was mostly from AV, because, Peter said, that was the version he was familiar with, but he was happy to use other versions.
Peter was speaking to an appreciative audience. One sister was heard to comment during the break: “What an uplifting exhortation! Fabulous, wasn’t it.”
He stressed the importance of going by the Word of God. But much of what he presented was his, traditional, interpretation of the Bible. In our view he was inserting his interpretation into the Bible.
He said that education, ability and culture are not relevant. He expressed sympathy with sisters if they feel frustrated that the Bible says their role is to be silent in the ecclesial meetings and not teach brothers. But that is all because of Genesis.
Peter declined to take anything into account from outside the Bible. However, we suggest that the mention of “fables and endless genealogies” (1 Timothy 1:4) and “Jewish fables” and “commandments of men” (Titus 1:14) indicate that outside ideas were having an impact on the ecclesias. That’s the Bible context as to why Paul wrote as he did, so it is important to be aware of what was being said outside and to see Paul’s replies in that first-century situation. We shouldn’t refuse to take them into account.
We consider that Peter ignored the full context of 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy and selected the bits he wished to use, i.e. that women should not teach or exercise authority. A fully biblical and more reasonable explanation is that Paul was dealing with women who were influenced by “myths and genealogies” and were teaching these to others: so, instead, they had to learn. What Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:2 about teaching seems to us to direct us to the proper conclusion for all time: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people [i.e. “men and women”, not “men”] who will also be qualified to teach others.”
Peter gave a particular interpretation of saved through childbearing (1 Timothy 2:15) saying that it refers to salvation through women bearing and teaching children. His exposition here was inspirational and encouraging, but whether it is what 1 Timothy 2:15 means is open to question.
He used a lot of inference and added explanations re Genesis, instead of going by what Genesis actually says. e.g. He asserted that Adam didn’t speak and should have done; Eve should have listened to him but didn’t.
However, if God had intended Adam to be the one to give instructions and Eve to be the one to listen and obey Adam’s instructions, it is strange that this is not stated clearly and explicitly in Genesis, rather than this being deduced by a series of inferences as Peter Anderton did in his presentation.
It is an added interpretation to suggest that “he will rule over you” (Genesis 3:16) is what God desires rather than a statement of what would happen in a sinful world.
Peter was positive in encouraging sisters to teach children. While being enthusiastic about this, he also put heavy pressure on all sisters (married or single) to teach children by saying that the future of the ecclesias depended on them carrying out this duty. This, he said, is the important teaching work that sisters should do in the 21st century. Otherwise, he asserted, the word of God would be blasphemed.
His text for this was Titus 2 in the AV. Is this what the passage means when it says “that the word of God be not blasphemed”?
“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” (Titus 2:3-5)
We suggest that what was causing the word of God to be blasphemed was the bad behaviour by the older women: “false accusers”, “given to much wine”. People looking at these elder women would consider their claim to be Godly to be blaspheming, when they noticed them getting drunk and slandering others. Hence Paul instructs the older women to behave in a godly manner and to teach what is good, not what is bad.
Paul had a similar problem with elders: “given to wine” (AV) “drunkenness” (NIV), “violent”, “pursuing dishonest gain” (Titus 1:7), and with many other people: “there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers”, (AV, verse 10), “giving heed to Jewish fables” (verse 14), “who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake” (verse 11). “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him” (verse 16).
Of these people, Paul says: their “mouths must be stopped” (Titus 1:11).
How the word of God is blasphemed, whether by male or female, is by immoral conduct, and wrongful teaching. The corrective, to both male and female, is to behave according to proper moral, Christian standards.
We are sure Peter Anderton would agree, but his emphasis that every sister has a particular responsibility to teach the young is not what Paul means in Titus 2. A good case can be made that it is the responsibility of both brothers and sisters to teach the young.
He went through 1 Corinthians 14, not taking account of the fact that it is addressed to “adelphoi” “brothers and sisters” and that therefore Paul accepts and encourages both brothers and sisters to speak: “What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up” (1 Corinthians 14:26 NIV, cf. v6, v20, v39).
If modern translations are correct in translating “adelphoi” as “brothers and sisters”, and we think there are good grounds for thinking that they are, then this upsets the whole exposition Peter gave. More on this translation of "adelphoi" can be read here.
Brother Peter asserted that it is a shame for sisters to speak, arguing that 1 Corinthians 14:35 is a universally applicable comment on all speaking by sisters when brothers and sisters gather together. But the rest of 1 Corinthians 14 before and after verses 34 and 35 shows that such a universally applied conclusion is not compatible with what Paul is saying: “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (NIV). Since Paul encourages both brothers and sisters to speak, verses 34-35 cannot have the universal application that Peter Anderton gave.
He did not deal with 1 Cor 11 where both brothers and sisters pray and prophesy. If Paul was so strongly against sisters speaking, why does he discuss what is worn by a sister when she prays and prophesies rather than simply and clearly saying “A sister should not speak or pray in public”?
In summary, we think Peter did not go exclusively by the Bible (as he claimed). He took a very selective view of the Bible, added in inferences which are not in accord with the Bible text, and he removed verses from their context. We think a wider analysis, taking texts in context and not adding inferences, shows that his view is not what the Bible actually says about teaching and ecclesial service by brothers and sisters. He made some very good, positive points, but he did not adequately address his title: “Men, Women & Teaching in the 21st Century Ecclesia”.
Most of the points he made have been analysed and critiqued in detail in our book “All One – Bible Teaching on the Work of Men and Women in Christ’s Service” (2010). In our book, we show how the relevant texts can be understood in their context.
Peter obviously put much hard work into his presentation and we do not wish to detract from that. We hope, however, that he will reconsider whether his exposition adequately represents Bible teaching.
The whole event lasted about 2 hours and 20 minutes. You can listen to the recording at: https://bibletruthandprophecy.com/burton-study-evening/
Password is the first word of Hymn 1 in the Christadelphian Hymnbook.
Averil & Ian McHaffie, 25 November 2020
mchaffie1@icloud.com
