OWL IS NOW CLOSED FOR COMMENTS.

We listened – and we are still listening.

The OWL website served us faithfully and well throughout the last synodical term (2013–2015) as we dialogued on the topic of women and the call to the office of the public ministry, and as we prepared to vote. In February 2016 this website was revised in order to serve us again in the next synodical term (2015–2018). Once again we are invited to respectfully listen to each other as we receive and reflect on the draft statement from the CTICR.

Resolution of the 2015 General Convention of Synod

2015:0216 RESOLVED that Synod requests the CTICR to build on its earlier work regarding the ordination of women and men to develop a draft doctrinal statement for GPC and the 19th Convention of Synod that presents:

• A theological basis for the ordination of women and men.
• A theological basis for why the ordination of women and men need not be church divisive.
• And that GCC resource it.

Outcomes

In fulfilment of this resolution the CTICR has prepared two documents:

1. A Theological Basis for the Ordination of Women and Men – Draft Doctrinal Statement
2. That the Ordination Issue Need Not Be Church Divisive.

Documents

These two documents, together with two supplementary documents, are available on the General Convention website.

Website open for papers and comments

When we feel we have been heard by others, we are more able to patiently listen to them. The first place we need to listen to each other is in local conversations. Sometimes however we need to be heard by the wider family of the LCA. If that’s you, then come and join the conversation. You might like to first gain a better understanding of what this conversation is about. We’ve provided some resources to get you started.

Resources

Fourteen of the best documents published by the LCA on the topic of women and the call to the public ministry.

• Q&A 1 – History of the debate
• Q&A 2 – Hermeneutics and the ordination dialogue
• Q&A 3 – Affirming the ordination of men only
• Q&A 4 – Affirming the ordination of both men and women
• Q&A 5 – How is the gospel at stake in the ordination question?
• Q&A 6 – How is the biblical teaching of ‘subordination’ to be understood?
• Q&A 7 – Why is the ordination of women a doctrinal issue for the LCA?
• Q&A 8 – Does the ordination issue have to be church divisive?
• Q&A 9 – What does the Church lose or gain from the ordination of women?
• Q&A 10 – Disagreement over doctrine
• Q&A 11 – Hermeneutics and the ordination question

A printable booklet for use in congregations and an on-screen reading version, drawing together the resources from this website:

• Booklet – can be printed as A4 or A5, depending on printer selection/setup
• PDF for on-screen reading

OWL for Everybody

OWL for Everybody is open for comments.

Digging a Little Deeper

Digging a Little Deeper is open for papers and comments.