[John Leland 1789]

Historic Baptist position is sole reliance on the Scriptures for all matters of faith, practice, life, death, rewards, judgment, warfare, peace, wealth, poverty, work ethic, laziness, family, child rearing, and everything else.

Since a woman can not be the husband of one (or any number of) wife, and since the Scriptural principal of headship in the home precludes a woman from “ruling [her]own house,” (the fact that many do try to rule their house not withstanding) there is no way a female can be in the bishop’s office and also be in obedience to the Scriptures.

Baptists do not accept the office of bishop as a supra-church position, but as a position within only one local church.

[Cronos]

Thanks for that, so then explicitly a Baptist church cannot have a pastoress or bishopess, right?

and Baptists do not accept the office of bishop as a supra-church position, but as a position within only one local church. -- what would then be the difference between a Baptist pastor and a Baptist bishop?