Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Bible Study - Which Ordo is It?

 So if you've been following Lutheran Twitter (a strange and bizarre place) or even Lutheran Blogs... which you probably are if you see this... there has been a round of discussions on the role of women, in particular whether or not they can write a theological book which in particular has study questions so as to be used in a bible study.

There is much discussion on what is meant when Paul says in 1 Timothy 2 that he does not permit (or suffer, if you like the King James) a woman to teach or to have authority over a man.

I, like some, hold that these ideas - teaching (διδάσκειν) and even authority (αὐθεντεῖν - authenticate, verify) are describing the life of the Church.  This is talking about handling the Word and Sacrament ministry of the Church - given that right after this Paul goes on to the qualification of Bishops and Deacons.  This is what Paul is speaking to.

Of course, there are some who want to make this a blanket statement about the relation of women and men all over the place (to greater or lesser extent).  But even if some will grant that this is a statement about the Church, surely this would apply to the writing of theology or what goes on in bible study!  Surely this is a violation of the Order of Creation.

Interestingly, Luther doesn't really use that term of "order of creation" - but he will speak of the three orders - that this world is broken up into three (I'll call them) spheres... that of the Family, the Church, and the State.  There's different chains of command in each of these, different responsibilities.  As a Pastor, I'm bound to preach (that is teach - didaskein) and administer the Sacraments.  As a father, I have a house of my own to manage.  As a citizen, well, I don't hold office other than voter.  In each of these ordos I have different vocations, different duties, different responsibilities.  I get to discipline my sons - I don't get to just discipline any kids in the congregation (that would be usurping the role of their parents) and certainly I don't get to discipline just random kids in the neighborhood.  

There are three ordos - Family, Church, and State.

So - Bible Study - Which Ordo is it?

The assumption seems to be that as Bible Study takes place in Church that it is clearly a part of the Ordo of the Church.  This is not the case.

First, both Sunday School and Bible Study as we think of them are novelties.  Luther wouldn't have known of them. But the terms used - study, school - speak to what they are.  They are training - and training belongs properly to the Family.

This is the start of the catechism - as the head of the family should teach....  Studies, Sunday School, even (and perhaps especially) Confirmation Class are all properly under the sphere of the family, the home.  When I teach confirmation class, or the Sunday school teachers do their thing, we are operating "in loco parentis" - in the place of the parents.  This is shown by the fact that I can insist that my kids go to Sunday School, but I can't insist that any other children must go - I can only encourage and suggest.

I will even assert that Bible Study belongs to the ordo of the family, not the Church.  Consider - let us say there's a massive blizzard and all Sunday activities at the Church are cancelled.  A dad might well have his family spend some time in devotion and study; he's not going to celebrate the Lord's Supper at home (even if he's me!).  In fact, I expect that the men and women who do attend my bible studies would do that, precisely because they are focused upon studying the Word.  And I also expect that even people who do not attend any of my studies also do their own devotional study of the Word on their own.

Bible study most properly belongs to the home.  In fact, many congregations have bible studies in the home - there was a ladies' group in my own congregation that met for study last night in a member's home.  And food.  Food was there too... and my wife didn't bring any of it home for me as she sometimes does.

... that was sad.

Of course, food is a difference as well.  As a Pastor, I tend to food in the Divine Service - the Body and Blood of Christ under bread and wine for us Christians to eat and drink.  Then, there's bible study - with coffee and snacks for the people who hang around to eat and drink.  Those are categorically different things!

So, I will assert here that although things like Bible Study, Sunday School, and Confirmation Classes may (note, may, not must) take place even on Church property, they do belong to the realm of the family, and as such are governed by the family.  Now, as the Pastor of this congregation I get oversight of anything done here at this place... that's only because the members of the congregation who have their own authority have designed me to exercise such oversight.

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If, in fact, the idea of bible study belongs to the ordo of the home and not the ordo of the Church, there is much more flexibility for what can be done.  The instruction therein belongs to a different ordo than the preaching of the word, the shepherding and teaching, that is mine as a pastor - that is denied not only to women but also to all laymen as well for the sake of order in the Church.

In the home there is more freedom.  I cook and my wife assembles the furniture we get... because I like cooking and she's better mechanically than I.  This isn't a violation of Scripture, nor does it undercut the Order of Creation... because I see my house so ordered this way because it seems to rightly utilize my talents and the talents of the woman that God has given me... and frankly, none of you have an ounce of authority to gain say me - go back to your home (and if you're rude I won't let you take any of my tasty food with you).

And so I'd assert the same with even studies.  Those are things given to the home - let the pater familias designate responsibilities as he sees as good. 

And I suppose, that for the sake of not causing confusion or offending the weak, I'd so oversee the studies of my congregation to curtail the role of women in studies - just Sunday School and not the adult class... that's fundamentally my ordering of a familial responsibility designated to me by the congregation and families of the congregation done in accordance with their wishes and expectations.

But I'm also very hesitant to instruct other families how they must do things... and indeed, other Sunday Schools and Bible Studies at other congregations full of families not my members - I don't have much say.  And if the Scriptures do not forbid, I cannot myself.  I can only give counsel and advise.  

So - there you have it.  Rambling thoughts and conclusions and takes.  Less Scripture than I'd like - at some point I can make a defense of the idea that 1 Timothy is giving primarily instruction for the Ordo of the Church and not instructions for the state or family... but at some other time.  This will suffice for the day.

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