by Kelly Pelton (written 17 Nov 2020)

Subordination of women, they say,
is one of those things we must just accept
when God's ways don't seem logical or fair;
never mind that their misplaced faith has leapt

over Junia (female apostle)
and the deacon Phoebe, countless others
of Paul's trustworthy female co-workers
ministering alongside their brothers.

The dash to defend church gender bias
has trampled our need for full expression
of Holy Spirit gifts during worship;
we instead have female voice suppression.

The conclusion that pastors must be men
jumps over true interdependency,
loving mutuality, and justice
to land on gender partiality.

If there's a leap of faith to be made here,
let's use the springboard of Jesus' mercy,
soaring toward an unprecedented
era of equal camaraderie.