Women in Office, Especially About "Deaconesses"

Soon-Gil Hur, a minister of the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Kosin) and former president of its seminary, gave this address at the 1997 International Conference of Reformed Churches in Korea; Ordained Servant printed the first part in 1998. He observes that churches admitting women as deacons have often moved on to women elders and ministers, which makes the diaconate the question to settle first.

Hur holds the eldership closed to women on the ground of creation, then argues that the deacon’s task is broader than material relief: diakonos means servant, so deacons may also serve the communion of saints and assist the minister’s pastoral work.

Deacons remain distinct from the elders, who alone form the ruling college, teach with authority, and ordain.