Biblical Support for Female Leadership in the Church

1. Men and women are created in the image of God.
2. All four Gospel's record women as the first witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus.
3. At Pentecost the spirit of prophecy fell upon both men and women.
4. Junia was recognized by Paul as an apostle herself.
5. In Christ the distinction between male and female is overcome.
6. There are numerous scriptural references to women excercising leadership in the early church.
7. Passages in the NT in traditionally thought to be in opposition to female leadership in the church are either interpolations or capable of being interpreted in non-oppositional ways, and with good reason.

Obviously all of these points require defense and nuance, but for now I will simply register my belief that they are capable of being defended and nuanced in a way that when taken together I find sufficient for supporting the conclusion, on Biblical grounds, that not only is female leadership in the Church permissible, but also necessary for the Church to be what she is called to be in full. (Of course there are good arguments for female Church leadership that can be made on other grounds as well. For example, the experience of women obviously gifted for leadership.)