Women’s Ordination

Working towards an inclusive community that is based on partnership of equals rather than on power structures, women should be present in every aspect of church structures, including the ordained ministry.

While women’s ordination has already been accepted and is being practised by many of WARC’s member churches, some churches still hesitate for theological and/or cultural reasons.

Visits to member churches

The Alliance has a strong commitment to help member churches to overcome barriers that prevent them from ordaining women.
There have been several visits to member churches on the issue of women’s ordination. In 1998 the department secretary collaborated with the European Area Council in a team visit to the Reformed Evangelical Church in Poland.
In 2002 another team visit, also in collaboration with the European Area Council, was made to the Church of the Brethren, Czech Republic. During both visits, the team engaged church leaders in a discussion on the church’s position on the ordination of women.

Theological Education Scholarship Fund for Women in the South

The Theological Education Scholarship Fund for Women in the South (French and Spanish version) was established in 2001 and has proven to be a very effective way to encourage member churches to accept women in the ordained ministry.
The main purpose of the scholarship fund is to increase the number of women in the ordained ministry and to enable women from a wide network of Reformed churches in the South to build their capacity for effective partnership in God’s mission.
The Theological Education Scholarship Fund for Women in the South provides for first degree or diploma studies which are done at a seminary or college in the home country or region of scholarship awardees. From 2002-2006, forty-two women from Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guyana, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda and Venezuela have received awards from the fund and are being prepared for the ordained ministry.

Contribute to the Theological Education Scholarship Fund.

News About the Theological Education Scholarship Fund.

Theological Education Fund for Women in the South (TESF) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Studies on Women’s Ordination

In 1993 a detailed study on the topic of ordination of women by the title “Walk my sister” was published in the Studies from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (Vol. 18/1993).
In 1999 a study including a survey on the Ordination of Women was carried out and published in the March 1999 issue of Reformed World. This study was updated in 2003 when a follow-up survey was carried out to update the existing statistics on the ordination of women.