hi,

I just wanted to follow up on the last bit you wrote 'the inner group...' a straightforward literal interpretation of Biblical text has been used to justify a male only and at times mysogenist if not at times straightforwardly patriarchal model ie one that suppressive of the value worth and expression of the women children and 'inferior beta males' ie ones not in favour with the alpha ones ..for a simplistic description,... or to be even more simplistic one that doesn't listen/hear anything above or below its own constructed sense of being and voice... there is a Ministry in there for everyone.... do we grasp it?

The science of uncertainty....[quoting you above to examine this point..(such as having only men in his inner group)] the Gospel texts important as they are... the epistles important as they seem ... stretch something beyond this in the dischord tension .... who what is inner circle? let me challenge your notion as a non scholar....

(I'm avoiding the politic of reading Paul's texts... ... am happy to leave that to scholars)

1) what's going on in the last point made of the Thomas Gospel?.... (or the bit that says about women having to become men ....) in answer to Peter's point?

2) St John's Gospel ...... the deliberate one... everything carefully....

ok why is it that Jesus first revellation of the Messiah I am He.... is to.....: not the brethren of John the Baptist not the disciples ... they're not there? not the pharisees not the crowds following not the synagogue ......but to ...... the samaritan woman at the well

3) the Resurrection revelation to Mary Magdalene?

4) the relationships between women and Jesus... who served in the households he visited and stayed in, in the most intimate fashion? the servants the women folk?

4) who are "the other women " at Acts: it seems rather odd if Pentecost isn't a universal liberation message to include women.... everyone started speaking in tongues...this breaks with the traditions of men in the synagogue surely!?
the gospel accounts.....

5) the bit we have missing is where are the women's stories told by themselves scripted? if women were not taught to read and write hebrew ...then where does that leave them? but who is it that is not including them in inner circle? and inner circle of what? is there something we as women have to do ? as witness disciple

6) what about how is it that we as women read the Bible.. hearing what do we as women feel GOD says to us through the act of seeking GOD's Revellation in the act of worship in reading

do the jews have to leave Israel into cultures where values are different ... eg who gets educated how to what extent? where some of the opportunities are given... ie women get to read for themselves...

do we not have our own story beyond what was given us of how it was for us?