THE HISTORY OF THE PRISCILLA AND AQUILA AWARDS

The Priscilla and Aquila award was developed to honor people who, like Priscilla and Aquila "risked their necks" (Romans 16:3-4) for the sake of the gospel. CBE's Priscilla and Aquila award honors those who have "risked their necks" for the sake of biblical equality.

The first mention of the award was in the Winter 1988 issue of Priscilla Papers. "The award will recognize a person who, in spite of risk to position or reputation, has stood for full freedom of women to use their God-given gifts in the service of Christ."

The first award was given at CBE's first national conference and continues to be given biennially at CBE's international conferences.

PRISCILLA AND AQUILA AWARD RECIPIENTS

1989
DAVID CLOWNEY
Dr. Clowney resigned his teaching position at Westminster Seminary due to the seminary's stance prohibiting women from ordainment.

1991
ALVIN J. SCHMIDT
Dr. Schmidt, a tenured full professor, was fired from Concordia Seminary because he questioned restrictions against women in leadership in the church.

GEORGE AND EMILY WALTHER
The Walthers moved from Colorado to Texas to found Christian Marriage Enhancement, Inc., where they were able to freely present egalitarian teachings.

1993
STANLEY AND PATRICIA GUNDRY
Patricia was one of the earliest writers on the subject of biblical equality. Stanley had to leave his former employment because of his convictions about biblical equality.

RALPH AND JUDITH KEE
This couple has faced ostracism by some in their denomination because they upheld the right of a woman to be ordained and participated in the ordination of a qualified woman.

1995
LORRAINE ANDERSON
Lorraine is a pastor within the Conservative Baptists denomination.

1997
CATHERINE AND RICHARD KROEGER
Catherine and Richard were heavily involved in CBE's launching. Cathy served as CBE's first president.

1999
ALVERA MICKELSEN
Alvera was one of CBE's founders, served from 1989-1991 as CBE's first board chairperson and remained on the board until 1993.

DAN GENTRY AND BARBARA KENT
In 1998, when the new mission statement of the Southern Baptist Convention was published, Dan and Barbara retired early from their seminary positions.

GRETCHEN GAEBELEIN HULL
Gretchen served as the editor of Priscilla Papers from 1989 to 2000.

2001
JOE AND AUDRA TRULL
Joe opted for early retirement from his teaching position at New Orleans Baptist Seminary when he could not subscribe to the Southern Baptist position on the subordination of women.

RUTH BOLYARD
Ruth initiated CBE's chapter ministry.

ALAN BREHM
Alan was forced to resign from his teaching post at Southwestern Seminary when he refused to sign the amended Baptist Faith and Message Statement including a statement on the role of women.

MOLLY MARSHALL, SARAH FRANCIS ANDERS, CAROLYN CLAMPETT, DONNA FORRESTER, DELLANA O'BRIEN, MARY ALICE SEALS, NANCY HASTINGS SEHESTED and LYNN WILLIAMS all formerly with the Southern Baptist Convention.

2003
PAT AND CAROLYN ANDERSON
The Andersons helped found Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida, giving moderate Baptists a venue for their beliefs.

JOE AND CAROLYN CRUMPER
Carolyn helped organize Baptist Women in Ministry as an affirmation for women in previously prohibited forms of ministry such as the pastorate.

DIANA AND DAVID GARLAND
Diana challenged the administration of Carver School of Church and Social Work on their hiring criteria for professors, and specifically a candidate's statement that women could be called into the preaching ministry.

RON HANKINS AND LYDIA BARROW-HANKINS
Ron and Lydia were fired from the Southern Baptist Mission agency because of their opposition and refusal to sign the 2000 Southern Baptist Convention's statement, which subordinates women and bans them from pastoral roles.

2005
THE BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE

THE WOMAN'S MISSIONARY UNION, VIRGINIA

2007
MARY F. LAMBERT
After teaching Sunday School for more than sixty years, Mary F. Lambert was asked to resign her position as a Sunday School teacher of adults at the Watertown Baptist Church, an American Baptist Church. Her pastor, new to the church, cited 1 Timothy 2:11-5 as the basis for her termination.

WADE BURLESON
Wade Burleson's blog is one of the highest ranking evangelical blogs in the world in according to Google Blog Search, Grace and Truth to You (http://kerussocharis.blogspot.com/). In early 2007 Wade used his blog to raise awareness of the firing of Dr. Sheri Klouda, Professor of Hebrew at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for holding a 'position reserved for a man' (as stated by the President of the Seminary.) Wade has raised nearly $20,000 dollars this summer from all across the nation in order to support Sheri and her family as she has transitioned to a university position teaching in Indiana.

CBE's Life Time Achievement Award
In 2005, Christians for Biblical Equality established the CBE Life Time Achievement Award which recognizes a lifetime of courage, sacrifice and vision in advancing the biblical basis for gift-based ministry. At CBE’s ninth International Conference, in St. Davids, PA, CBE honors nine individuals, as the first class of recipients, of CBE's Life Time Achievement Award. The individuals include:

GILBERT BILEZIKIAN
KARI & BOB MALCOLM
FAITH MARTIN
VIRGINIA PATTERSON
NANCY GRAF PETERS
AIDA BESANÇON & WILLIAM SPENCER
MARY STEWART VAN LEEUWEN
To read more about these individuals click here

In 2007, CBE honored the following individuals with CBE's Life Time Achievement Award:
CHARLES O KNOWLES
LILLY LEE
JOANNE LYON
ROGER R. NICOLE
CAROLYN OLSON
KAY & PAUL. A. RADER
SARA ROBERTSON
DAVID M. SCHOLER
DORA WANG
CECILIA YAU
Information on the achievements of these individuals will be available in the Summer Issue of Mutuality, 2007.

CBE's Micah Award: In 2007, CBE developed the CBE Micah Award which acknowledges Christians who exhibit extraordinary courage, vision and tenacity in opposing abuse and advancing justice, equality, and equitable access to human essentials such as food, education, legal services, and medicine, for women and children in Christ’s name. The 2007 year’s Micah Award Recipients are:

KATHY HODGE DUDLEY
SARAH & SCOTT HARRISON
Information on the achievements of these individuals will be available in the Summer Issue of Mutuality, 2007.