I’ve waited a few weeks just to make sure the sky doesn’t fall in and precipitous slide into the theological abyss doesn’t happen before posting about the very first female ordained in Queensland Baptist. Now that it’s possible to safe to proceed I may as well.

The journey towards ordaining women in Queensland Baptists has been a long one, filled with endless lowlights but thankfully bookended at this years annual assembly with a highlight: a vote in favour of churches being able to collaborate with the denomination to nominate suitable candidates for ordination.

You can catch up on the history of it all in this previous post. On Sunday 10 November Karen Haynes was ordained in a service held at her church. It was great and fitting that joining her on the stage was Dr Pam Condie, who has made a significant contribution towards this end over the years, including penning a revealing doctoral thesis looking at the history of Queensland Baptist’s dealing with women leaders. There are some stories from that research that deserve a wider audience.

Karen is an Air Force chaplain and enjoys operating in a leadership position in a ministry environment where the presence of women is unremarkable and natural. It’s also one where working with chaplains from denominations that are decidedly against ordaining women is also done with ease. This may bring comfort to the churches and pastors who were staunchly set against this development.

Not There Yet

Whilst Karen has been able to finally achieve denominational recognition for her calling and suitability for ministry service, others are still having to wait. The policy put forward at the annual assembly was one which required a collaboration between a church leadership and the denomination in order for a nomination to proceed.

This is where a hitch can still occur. If a woman finds herself in a church that either chooses to opt out of ordaining women, or has a leadership that contains enough people who would want to stand in the way – a suitable woman with Queensland Baptists may find her way blocked despite the vote in favour of ordaining women.

It isn’t guaranteed that a church leadership declining to support a nomination is doing it due to an objection to women’s’ ordination. It could well be that they don’t feel that the candidate has the requisite gifting and calling. That puts men and women in the same boat.

However, it is definitely possible that it could be simply on the basis of gender. I know of at least one person who has been blocked despite having enjoyed plenty of ministry leadership positions and being proven in ministry. At face value it’s a bad look, but I’m not privy to the details.

One thing is for sure: if a man is knocked back it won’t be on the basis of gender. In Queensland what’s good for the gander isn’t always for the goose.