reviewing possibility for female deaconesses (non-ordained)

Women Deacons (Pro/Con) the Bible

My opinion deacons can be women and we already have women deacons even if we refuse to recognize them as such (as example - many of, if not most of our wives for instance).

Pro – Romans 16:1 Phoebe is recommended to the Church of Rome as a deacon already.

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant (or deacon) of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house.
           

 Con – S thinks a slippery slope and will lead to liberalism and is against it & I think the implication in 1 Timothy is its men (although not explicitly)

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 (“Their” isn’t in the Greek) Wives (or Women) likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

**when reviewed more in detail later it seems Paul is giving the category of Male & Female deacons otherwise it makes no sense why there is expectation of Deacon wives & not Elder wives.** 

The Early church

The oldest reference to women deacons occurs in Paul’s Letters (c. 55–58 AD). The deaconess ministry is mentioned by early Christian writers such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen.  Secular evidence from the early 2nd century confirms it. In a letter Pliny of Bithynia attests to the role of the deaconesses. Pliny refers to "two maid-servants" as deaconesses whom he tortures to find out more about the Christians. This establishes the existence of the office of the deaconesses in parts of the eastern Roman Empire from the earliest times. Fourth-century Fathers of the Church, such as Epiphanius of Salamis, Basil of Caesarea, John Chrysostom and Gregory of Nyssa accept the ministry of female deacons as a fact. And both the Council of Nicea in 325  (Cannon 19) & Council of Chalcedon of 451 (dropped age limit from 60 – 40) both reference women deaconesses.