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Press ReleaseFor Immediate Release

AGTS Bible/Theology Department affirms women in ministry and leadership

Springfield, Missouri---March 1, 2013---The faculty of the Bible and Theology (BTH) Department at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS) have noted that some students and Assemblies of God (AG) constituents are not aware of the biblical-theological basis for women in ministry and leadership and its historical precedent in the AG. The BTH faculty decided, in their department meeting on November 5, 2011, to address this need in three steps.


First, the BTH faculty voted unanimously to publicly affirm their continued endorsement of the AG position on women in ministry and leadership and are taking fresh initiatives to clarify the position and its support for the benefit of AGTS students and the AGTS community. The following statement has been released by the BTH faculty.

 

The AG has a rich tradition of women in ministry and leadership serving in a wide variety of ministries including missions, pastoral work, education, administration, chaplaincy and especially pioneering. An official position paper on women in ministry was adopted by the General Council of the AG in August 1990, and has been reaffirmed most recently by the AG General Presbytery in 2010. The AG Bylaws ( Article VII., Section 2-k) include a statement of "eligibility of women (for ministry)."

AGTS also has a rich tradition of serving and supporting women in ministry and leadership. Female students are enrolled in every degree program, female faculty serve in the classroom, female administrators, program directors and board members participate in leadership of the institution. The seminary has offered two successful D.Min. cohorts for women in leadership.

Students coming to the seminary today, however, are being increasingly exposed to the rising neo-reform movement, which takes a position against women in leadership and limits the ministry of women. Many students have never experienced the ministry or leadership of women and therefore question their legitimacy. While, at the same time, the numbers of women being called to the seminary to prepare for ministry and leadership continues to increase.

Therefore, the faculty of the AGTS Bible and Theology Department desires to officially document its continued endorsement of the AG position on women in ministry and leadership.
 
 
Second, the BTH faculty will host a chapel service on March 11, 2013 at 2 p.m. during which BTH professors will present their approaches to this topic and participate in a panel discussion that will field questions from the audience. The public is invited to attend this service held in the William J. Seymour Chapel at AGTS. 
 
Third, BTH faculty are designing lectures on the topic to incorporate into existing BTH core-courses in coming semesters.

As one of the world's leading Pentecostal seminaries, AGTS is committed to transformational learning experiences that preserve the value of face-to-face learning while utilizing the best in digital technology to reach beyond the walls of the classroom. A variety of traditional and alternative class formats are offered throughout the United States and abroad. For more information about AGTS visit agts.edu or call 1-800-467-AGTS.   
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Contact: Jennifer Hall  

Phone: (417) 268-1024

Email: [email protected]

Fax: (417) 268-1001 (ATTN: Jennifer Hall)

 

The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary 

1435 N Glenstone

Springfield Mo 65802
1-800-467-AGTS
(417) 268-1000 

[email protected], www.agts.edu