I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae, so that you may welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well. (Romans 16:1-2)
Who is Phoebe, the first deaconess, who Paul exonerates by name and role? Why is she so important in history and for the Church today?
Women are often (more than not) overlooked in history – in and outside the Church. Their lives and the impact they have made throughout history often go “unnoticed” or unspoken of. OWM is here to alter that.
And so we begin with Phoebe: the female saint known in some Orthodox communities as “Equal to the Apostles” and the first deaconess revealed to us by St. Paul from Romans 16.
Paul honors her as a sister (τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἡμῶν), acknowledges her as a deacon (οὖσαν διάκονον τῆς ἐκκλησίας), and commands the church to receive her as a saint (ἀξίως τῶν ἁγίων). He requests that the church of Rome support her in whatever she may require from you (παραστῆτε αὐτῇ ἐν ᾧ ἂν ὑμῶν χρῄζῃ πράγματι). What a great honor for a woman to be exalted by the great Apostle Paul in the first century – let alone for a woman to receive such an honor today.
So what does that mean for us now – today – here in this moment and for decades to come?
Many women followed Christ when a woman in 1st century Judea was frowned upon to travel alone and were specifically mentioned by Luke (Luke 8) and many women tirelessly served with Paul and were honored with and by him (Acts 18, Rom 16) – so what about the 21st century Church?
Over the course of many years serving, speaking, and writing for the Church, I still receive the compounded question – “What role do women have today in the Church?” What can women do – what acknowledged role – sanctioned, set-apart function, position, role, purpose, whatever noun may be used, can women, and only women share among each other for the good of the Church? Do we not also have the gifts of the Spirit that Paul talks about (1 Cor 12)? Were there not many women who also preached, prophesied, and served tirelessly as a “benefactor of many” (Rom 16:2) then and today? And these women served their God-given purpose during a time when the culture and times were vehemently restricting women in their function in society. The Church knew and understood their gifts, their ministry, and their essentialness to the ministry – just as Phoebe was accepted as a female minister to Paul, a woman who gave her life to the service, was honored and sanctioned as a sister, saint, and deaconess for the Church at large.
And so, it is our responsibility to keep asking and questioning, and trying to discover and rediscover – what is the role of women today? What is my role as a Christian Orthodox female who is an equal baptized member, made in the likeness and image of God, and is called to use their gifts for the good of the Church? (1 Cor 12:7).
Let each of us keep seeking our God-given purpose in this world. Let us strive to understand the dynamic roles women had in the Church in history like Phoebe so we can help better shape today and how we can serve the Church today according to our gifts.
Let us revive our knowledge of the past and know what can be done for all women of all ages today– young and old, married and single, children and adolescents, teenagers and young adults – and envision how can we continue to strengthen and bring together the Body of Christ. Let us believe that we can allow the Spirit of God to work and blossom the gifts of women worldwide for the sake of His Church and His kingdom.
This is my dream, this is my hope, this is my vision.
And we begin today.
With heartfelt prayers and love,
Donna Rizk-Asdourian
Founder of OWM
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OWM is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry that aims to serve and educate the Christian Orthodox Community at large. It aims to create a sacred and healthy space for women globally. Please support this ministry here.