The guest speaker for the SEBTS Convocation on Women in Ministry was Letty M. Russell who was Professor of the Practice of Theology at Yale Divinity School (00:00-03:41). The title of Russell’s convocation speech is “Woman in Ministry: Problem or Possibility,” and she states that her attention will be focused on what has been called the “Strasbourg Shift” (03:42-12:05). Russell believes that men in the church view the creation order as a pyramid of domination with men above women in the hierarchy, and this domination has been masked by the label of maintaining orthodoxy even though both sexes have been called into one ministry and one baptism (12:06-19:51). She examines the abuse of the hierarchical structure of Reformed ecclesiology, and she offers other paradigms that celebrates diversity, humility, and inclusiveness and creates order through a synergetic spectrum (19:52-28:48). Russell states that ministry should be defined through servanthood, specifically the humble posture of Christ as the servant and liberator (28:49-37:56). Russell concludes her convocation speech by speaking on the pinnacle complex, and she says, “we must let Pharaoh go and embrace the rainbow” (37:57-47:15).
Peggy Haymes was a senior M.Div. student and interim pastor of Beth Car Baptist Church in Halifax, VA. The service begins with organ music (00:00-03:57). A speaker delivers an assigned reading, and Peggy Haymes gives a word of prayer (03:58-05:59). Haymes begins her sermon with a Scripture reading from Mark 10:32-37 & 41-45 (06:00-08:00). Haymes sermon is on servanthood, and she points to the “way of the cross” and Christ as the models of being good servants (08:01-18:12). C. Michael Hawn, professor of church music, sings a worship song (18:13-24:50). The service ends with a benediction (24:51-25:31).
