Extra, Extra Five: "God and Her (Female) Clergy", John 12 1-8

The Ordinary Times

A March 31st, 2018 opinion piece in the New York Times called “God and Her (Female) Clergy“ caught my eye. It told of the historic resistance to women in ministry amongst Christian and Jewish congregations across America. It shared how this was usually explained by citing Old Testament Law and New Testament Epistle as the justification. Then it cited Rev. Serene Jones, the first woman president of New York City’s Union Theological Seminary “where almost 60 percent of the students are now female.” And it told of Rabbi Emily Barton, who presides over a Conservative synagogue in Des Moines, IA who advised “If I was giving advice to women who wanted to be clergy, I’d say, ‘Be O.K. with being uncomfortable, because there are always going to be things in your religion that make you uncomfortable,’ ” Barton said. ”Sometimes you just have to live with your discomfort.”

Which brings us to our today’s Scripture of John 12:1-8, where a woman named Mary (the sister of Martha and Lazarus) does not let being uncomfortable or criticized get in the way of serving the Lord. Today we’ll interview Sue Park-Hur, discuss her ministry in Christian peacemaking, leadership in racial reconciliation and perspective on listening to women as they answer Christ’s call.