Very many times the subject comes up between other denominations in the valid Apostolic Succession and clergy of The Lutheran Orthodox Church, which is also in the valid Historic Apostolic Succession, of why we permit, encourage and practice the ordination of female ministers upto and including our Governing Council of Bishops. This paper is prepared and presented and represents the unanimous consensus of the Council of Bishops regarding the matter. We place this paper in the public arena fully understanding that there are those who reject the notion that any woman can preach, teach or lead a true Christian denomination. We also understand that there will be those who will use this information out of context and twist statements to satisfy their own personal agendas, but it is our fervent prayer that the information presented in our position is looked at in proper context, with all due respect to our position, as we would show all due respect to differing positions.

An Historical Perspective:

The Lutheran Orthodox Church is an offshoot of The Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church, having split initally over the issue of Apostolic Succession. The Lutheran Orthodox Church formed from several LEPC ministers who accepted the offer of consecration into the valid Historic Apostolic Succession. Women were not consecrated in the lineages the first 3 LOC ministers were. The LEPC did ordain women to the ministry but the church at large was not in any Apostolic Lineage. The Lutheran Orthodox Church Presiding Bishop held a consecration ceremony on July 18th, 2004 during which 2 female ministers from the LEPC were consecrated into the valid Apostolic Succession. A misunderstanding between consecrators led to a moritorium being placed on any further female consecrations until the issue was fully studied and resolved. The moritorium was formally lifted on June 26th, 2005 when 2 women were elevated to the office of Bishop and 2 were formally consecrated as priests along with 8 men in the valid Apostolic Succession at St Pauls Lutheran Chapel during a celebration of The Eucharist and Mass beginning at 9:30am.

Findings of Fact

The entire paper will be posted on this site due to a large volume of requests for the original paper. As time permits, we will place the entire paper on this page.This is a shortened version. Both in the Scriptures as well as in the archaeological findings, women served as Deacons, Priests and Bishops until the year 441AD. In Romans 16:7 Paul refers to a woman named Junia using the same title he uses for himself,Apostle, but her name was changed by later bible translators to Junias effectively making her name masculine. However, Origen and Chrysostom in 'A Homily To Paul' both refer to her in the comment "How great is the devotion of this woman..." Then in the 1100's women were once again ordained into the ministry up to and including the office of Bishop and whose ordinations were upheld and affirmed by Popes. Until the Council of Trent, women were consecrated into the church at large. It was due to a rebellion by male clergy members that the church forbade women in the ministry.

Archaeology also shows us that women were tortured and killed as martyrs for their faith, titled as Deacons, Priests, and Bishops, yes, the early Church had women Bishops.
Galatians 3:27-29 makes a blanket statement: There is neither Jew nor Greek, no bondservant or freed man neither man nor woman for you are all one in Christ. We find this simple statement effectively removes all conditions of separation based on race, gender or social status. According to Paul, one's faith in Christ makes one an equal heir as a descendant of Abraham thus becoming one in Christ.

Therefore, it is our conclusion that ordaining women in ministry as equals, worthy of the calling, is equally as valid in God's eyes as the calling and ordaining of worthy men. For Jesus said, If they are not against us, then they are for us, (paraphrased). If a woman can spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ as effectivley (and in our opinion, oftentimes more effectively)as men then who are we to stand in the way?

Furthermore, it is our belief that it was a male dominated clergy who wanted to keep this noble calling to themselves for selfish, unscriptural reasons, thus forcing women out of the pulpits of the churches as men found it a suitable way to make a living. It was after the deaths of the Apostles that the notion came about that women should be kept out of pastoral roles. The contributions of women to service of The Living God must be recognized, upheld, maintained and promoted as fully as that of any men called by The Holy Spirit to the same position.

This is a shortened release of our Position Paper and a brief synopsis of our findings.The complete Position Paper of the Lutheran Orthodox Church on this subject will be posted shortly.