Catherine Clark Kroeger's Testimony
Catherine
Clark Kroeger is adjunct associate professor of classical and ministry
studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She holds a Ph.D. in
classical studies from the University of Minnesota. Catherine is founder
and former president of Christians for Biblical Equality.
As I tottered out of my dishpan and back to graduate
school, one verse above all others impelled me: I Tim 2:12. In the King James
Version, it reads, "I suffer not a woman to teach or usurp authority over a
man."
From the writings of Katherine Bushnell, I knew that
there might be other ways to translate and to interpret this Bible verse that
had obstructed so many women from a full-orbed ministry. In particular,
Bushnell had targeted the Greek infinitive authentein, traditionally translated
"to have power or authority over." She observed that it was a rare word, used
only here in the entire New Testament; but that in other types of Greek
literature, it had other meanings that could lead to quite different
understandings.
Bushnell had called for women translators and
interpreters who would give themselves to the task of conscientiously and
faithfully examining the difficult texts that were often used to disbar women
from certain types of Christian service. I determined, as God led, to enter the
department of classical studies at the University of Minnesota in order to deal
with many different Greek materials to examine usages of authentein in other
occurrences and to understand all I could of the lives and religious practices
of the women addressed by the Apostle Paul. I sought a reconciliation of the
difficult Pauline passages with the clear directives empowering women to
proclaim Christ.
I progressed in the confidence that the Bible is the
Word of God presenting different aspects of a coherent and integrated message.
I Suffer Not a Woman, the book which I produced in collaboration with my
husband, seeks to set forth a new understanding of I Tim 2:11-15 in the light of
linguistic, historical and archeological evidence. It was written with the
prayer that God might use it to open new doors of gospel opportunity for women
and men alike.
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