perhaps inadvertently, displayed themselves as women actively following the call of grace. In direct response to someone’s citation of the Pauline position, Elaw engaged in a knowledgeable, perceptive scriptural discussion: It is true, that in the ordinary course . . . Paul laid it down as a rule, that females should not speak in the church, nor be suffered to teach, but the Scriptures make it evident that this rule was not intended to limit the extraordinary directions of the Holy Ghost, in reference to female Evangelists, or oracular sisters. This assertion was followed by a catalogue of female evangelists, including Phebe, Tryphena, Priscilla, the sisters of Nereus, the mother of Rufus, and the four virgin daughters of Philip. She noted the prophecy of Joel that God would pour out his Spirit upon his servants and handmaids. In the book of Acts Peter said that this prophecy was fulfilled at Pentecost, and if this was so, she argued, then ‘the Christian dispensation has for its main feature the inspirations of the holy prophetic Spirit, descending on the handmaids as well as on the servants of God’.

DOI link for perhaps inadvertently, displayed themselves as women actively following the call of grace. In direct response to someone’s citation of the Pauline position, Elaw engaged in a knowledgeable, perceptive scriptural discussion: It is true, that in the ordinary course . . . Paul laid it down as a rule, that females should not speak in the church, nor be suffered to teach, but the Scriptures make it evident that this rule was not intended to limit the extraordinary directions of the Holy Ghost, in reference to female Evangelists, or oracular sisters. This assertion was followed by a catalogue of female evangelists, including Phebe, Tryphena, Priscilla, the sisters of Nereus, the mother of Rufus, and the four virgin daughters of Philip. She noted the prophecy of Joel that God would pour out his Spirit upon his servants and handmaids. In the book of Acts Peter said that this prophecy was fulfilled at Pentecost, and if this was so, she argued, then ‘the Christian dispensation has for its main feature the inspirations of the holy prophetic Spirit, descending on the handmaids as well as on the servants of God’.

perhaps inadvertently, displayed themselves as women actively following the call of grace. In direct response to someone’s citation of the Pauline position, Elaw engaged in a knowledgeable, perceptive scriptural discussion: It is true, that in the ordinary course . . . Paul laid it down as a rule, that females should not speak in the church, nor be suffered to teach, but the Scriptures make it evident that this rule was not intended to limit the extraordinary directions of the Holy Ghost, in reference to female Evangelists, or oracular sisters. This assertion was followed by a catalogue of female evangelists, including Phebe, Tryphena, Priscilla, the sisters of Nereus, the mother of Rufus, and the four virgin daughters of Philip. She noted the prophecy of Joel that God would pour out his Spirit upon his servants and handmaids. In the book of Acts Peter said that this prophecy was fulfilled at Pentecost, and if this was so, she argued, then ‘the Christian dispensation has for its main feature the inspirations of the holy prophetic Spirit, descending on the handmaids as well as on the servants of God’.