England: Church urged to refrain from allowing women bishops

That's pretty cryptic. I don't understand your comment.

You need some more training by the feminists. You have missed their best arguments on 'deacon which still isn't convincing.

There is also reference to an "apostle" named Junia. Male or female?

No, there isn't. You should spend more time reading traditional commentaries (or the plain language of the text) than the writings of the goddess worshipers.

Romans 16:7 (KJV) Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

What it is saying is that the apostles knew of these two, not that these two were apostles. Whether or not one was female is unclear, but also irrelevant to the discussion.

With regard to the 'deaconess', the Greek word can either refer to one holding the office of deacon, or to an ordinary servant. The usage must be discerned from the context. In the KJV, this was recognized and the translation is thus: "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: "

That being said, she may well have been a teacher or caretaker of other women. That reading is supported by some commentators.

The Greek word transliterated 'deacon' or 'deaconess' simply means servant. Whether or not that is an office of the church should be evaluated on context.

I'll have to agree with you on that statement.

No, there isn't. You should spend more time reading traditional commentaries (or the plain language of the text) than the writings of the goddess worshipers. Romans 16:7 (KJV) Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. What it is saying is that the apostles knew of these two, not that these two were apostles. Whether or not one was female is unclear, but also irrelevant to the discussion.

St. John Chrysostom (A.D. 347-407) stated that Junia was definitely a woman. He wrote: "What brilliance and ability this woman must had to be thought worthy of the title of apostle, indeed to be oustanding among the apostles ( In Epis. ad Romanos homila 31, 12).

With regard to the 'deaconess', the Greek word can either refer to one holding the office of deacon, or to an ordinary servant. The usage must be discerned from the context. In the KJV, this was recognized and the translation is thus: "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: " That being said, she may well have been a teacher or caretaker of other women. That reading is supported by some commentators.

Paul's statement about Phoebe doesn't seem as though he considered her ordinary : "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cen'chre-ae, that you may receive her in the Lord as befits the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well."

Thanks - good information.

Sorry it took so long, but I was out of town for the Fourth and now have to go back home for a funeral.

Here is a link to the LCMS view of women's ordination. Start at page 39, but the rest of the document is good also.

TonyRo76 also had some more verses.

In regards to the deaconesses, that is a different office than the pastor. Deaconesses assist in the service, but do not officiate. I will check back in on Friday.

http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/CTCR/Women_in_Church3.pdf#xml=http://www.lcms.org/ca/search/dtsearch.asp?cmd=pdfhits&DocId=840&Index=F%3a%5cinetpub%5cwwwroot%5clcmsorg%5cdb%5csearch%5clcms&HitCount=3&hits=2ed+2ee+2ef+&hc=24&req=Women%27s+ordination