Statement on Women and Men - Seminary

With respect to women and men in our community, the faculty and staff of Bethel Seminary represent a range of positions on the issue of how we may best interpret biblical passages regarding gender roles in the church and home. Nonetheless, we are all committed to cultivating a supportive and affirming climate for women called to all levels of ministry leadership and ordination. We are committed to principles that provide all students (1) a rich theological education, (2) equal opportunities to engage with faculty and receive professional development, and (3) faculty and staff who operate with conduct that creates a climate of Christian care and concern that undergirds the well-being of everyone and respects and affirms the imago Dei in all of us.

Furthermore, we recognize that our women students come from a wide variety of church backgrounds with different standards and practices concerning women in ministry. This can present unique challenges for women in seminary, especially when their sense of gifting or calling may not exactly coincide with the commitments of their home denomination or church community. We are committed to helping our women students navigate the spiritual, personal, and professional aspects of these challenges as best we can, and are also supportive of each person’s individual quest for discernment.

Finally, we are committed to facilitating classroom environments characterized by mutual respect, where, even as we strive to be faithful, we may still “love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12:10). Not just in the classroom, but in all aspects of seminary life, we encourage – and indeed, expect – both colleagues and students to exhibit loving care, mutual respect, and the presumption of equal value and honor.