Well, I do believe the word of God shows us women will be used in the ministry, however the word of God as a normative God has called and used men 99.9 percent of the time.
Adam was created first
Abraham was called
Moses was chosen,
Joshua took over
all the Writing prophets were men
All the apostles were men.
The Priest of the home is a man
God is going to judge the man Harder than the women Because it was men who were to not allow Damdible snakes in the garden but he wimped out and blamed it on the women Oh Yes God is going to hold every man accountable for the children they fathered, the wives they left, the divorces they had and the call they failed to do. YEP, men are responsible completely. On that day they will wish they were women LOL.
But you are using circular training. Just because bad translations have led to women not being accepted as pastors, the human made rules of women not being pastors, probably stopped many woman from answering the call. If you are told your whole life that only men can be deacons or pastors, even a call from God might be met with uncertainty, by many women. Esp. if the poor woman is getting hounded with all kinds of verses that do NOT say only men, or only he!
I know, because God called me in the early 1990's to go to Regent College, Vancouver. I didn't even tell my husband, but it was heavy in my heart. I believed the lie that women can't be pastors. I had 4 children, only 1 old enough to take care of himself. I was working teaching music in elementary schools, a job I loved!
So, I rationalized it away. I saw my pastor fawn over these young man, and he started mentoring them to be pastors. However, the denomination required an undergrad degree, which none of them had. So add 4 years to 3 in seminary. 7 years of trying to make ends meet. Gradually the men dropped out of the church. The one young man he was really pressing, found a job related to music in a church far away, and he too, quit our church. Then there was me! When he was preaching a call to all these men, I felt the call of God so strongly. It was only 3 hours from where I lived, but 2/3rds was online. When I asked my pastor if I could apply for seminary, the only question he asked me was whether I thought I was called to be a pastor. I said no, I just had a call, not a call to do a certain tile. I imagine if I had answered in the affirmative, he would have not signed my church papers to be admitted. One more woman not in ministry.
So I applied, and I met many woman who were pastors and even an Anglican priest (a woman). We had long discussions on being called as women. It gave me the support I needed, and the same for others. I had a job offer when I moved to BC to be a chaplain, which I would have loved! But my meds failed, it took about 4 years to replace them. I was bed bound, so I didn't apply. God continued to lead me. One day, I got an email from my Greek teacher, saying he was teaching 2nd year seminary Greek online, including weekly Zoom meetings to discuss the material we had translated. It was a great course. I heard about needing German. I had a couple of years of German in high school. There were a lot of grammatical similarities between German and Greek, and I picked up the language well enough to qualify for my next step, watch TV and read the Bible. I spoke French fluently, from high school French, and working with my grandmere, who was from France. I applied for a PhD program and was accepted, and I get accommodations for my health.
I close with asking, how many women did I meet in 30 years who had experienced a call to lead God's people, but stuffed it down, because women can't be pastors? Our assistant pastor is a young woman, and she does a fantastic job. She is taking one course at a time, towards her MDiv. And learning lots about ministry from the job.
It wouldn't surprise me if the Bible had been correctly translated, instead of the mess the KJV committee made of these verses. How many more women would have accepted the call to further the Kingdom of God? Would 1/2 of our pastors be women? Or maybe more, or less? I don't even believe your 99% estimate of men occupied pastoral positions. I know many women pastors. And most of them women who brought down the barriers and blocks from them being obedient to God. Even if it was 30% of women were pastors, they still would be valid pastors, and someone little girls look up to.
I'm no feminist anymore, but the kingdom of God needs everyone working, and not putting women down because they have never had a hand up! Shows you that women are ready to fight for the gospel, and not just babysit in the nursery, or organize pot lucks! What a waste of 51% of church members!
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