How do you feel about ordination of women? Do you think pastoral work should be allowed to women? Would you have a problem with a woman priest giving you a sermon or doing other duties such as baptism,  a wedding ceremony  or a  funeral?

I personally belive a woman can be a priest if she gets the calling same as a man.

My initial reaction to this was very negative. I don't think women should be priests/pastors/reverends etc.

I don't know why I feel so strongly about this but it just seems out of place. Probably because I'm so used to seeing a man fill that role that to see a woman is strange. I do know there are references to prominent women in the Bible but it's not clear exactly what they did.

I have no idea how the Catholic religion handles stuff like this, but I have no problem with women preaching or probably even pastoring. Unless they use some other criteria for priests, then I don't see why it would be an issue. But are the referred to as "Mother"? Serious question.

I'm going to go with what I've read in the Bible and taught regarding the subject. I don't have a problem whatsoever with women in a leadership position--whether it's leading a congregation or study groups.

There is however in the back of my mind that women should only (and this is not meant as sexist) teach when a man is not able to. Im basing this on a few scriptures, but mainly how Eve was seduced by satan to eat of the forbidden fruit, and then Adam followed suit.


There is a lot of theology behind what I'm saying before anyone makes a quick judgement, I'm just not able to concentrate with what I'm saying due to not having a room here yada yada and my roommate is bugging with his girlfriend over.

I have no problem with it. Both of the leaders in our ministry are women, both well-educated and intelligent. They bring a different perspective than a man does, and in a lot of ways it's refreshing because many former churches that I've gone to with male leaders have power and micro-managing issues. The ladies, on the other hand, bring more of a motherly role to the table, and especially with kids from 15-24, it's necessary due to a variety of issues that are happening in society, particularly in the realm of the family. Most of the kids in our group have divorced parents, were abused as children (verbally and physically), or have had a past history of drug use/other types of addictions. For a long time I suffered with depression, but the love these ladies showed me really changed my life.

From my understanding, where most people get hung up in a woman leading/teaching is when Paul said that he would not have a woman teach him. In the context of the situation, during Paul's time, women were not nearly as educated as men, if they were educated at all, and as such, a woman teaching Paul could be misleading. I definitely don't think that is the case today.

The "Base Chapel" (S.J.A.F.B. Located in Goldsboro N.C. Record dates between 1994-1998.)
I went to in my youth had a Female Ministry Leader...Title is "Chaplain" still.
Last I heard anyway.

I have NO Issues with Women Leading the Lesson or Two of the Day.

We have so many of them as instructors already.
What would be the difference in leading a congregation?

Before anyone wants to accuse the language I use as "too old fashioned."
I am just stating that Females in instructive or Leading Positions have proven to be effective.
It's documented.

Who could argue the use of them in Religion?

Good Luck To All.
Peace.

Eirinn :

I would like to know the answer to this question too. I mean, the nuns are a huge part of the catholic church and the cult of Virgin Mary but I never quite understood as to how far their actual power within the church reaches. I have only been in my entire life once inside a catholic church and as far as I understood it right at that time, this nun who gave us the tour pretty much was in charge more or less. She made a quite big deal about how happy she was that the place had body parts of some murdered catholic missionaries who were burned into their houses in Africa.

But like lets say a monk is sort of like a priest and he can marry a couple (or do I remember wrong entirely) but a nun cant do that, though basically they have the same vows and do the same work.

Brigand : I don't know what you mean about Mary's "cult" following. But people such as monks, nuns, brothers and sisters don't have any so called "powers". It's not an ordination, more like a way of life.

But about the women being priests, it's a flat out no. One of the reasons this is what it is, is because Jesus himself instituted the priesthood as such. Just like marrage, changing so a women could be a priest would change the defenition of the word. Since the original priests were His Apostles, who were all, is how this was instituted.


And as it stands right now, if a Catholic bishop were to ordain a woman anyway, she would be no less a priest than before the ordination. The ordination would be invalid.


Now, there are other reasons as well. Look them up if you want to know more about it. There are some more complex things that would be hard to write down, so I'm going to stop here for now.

patar4097 :

Sorry about using the word cult, maybe I should have used some better word for the Catholic teachings of Mariology.  Thank you for your answer though, especially about the nuns and the monks.

Though it would be nice to hear about the more complex stuff that are too hard to write down, I understood if you don't want to depend the rest of your day typing but maybe could tell us where to "look it up" perhaps? Also the part in the gospel where Jesus institutes the priesthood would be nice, especially if he calls it as such. Since I am nothing mere more than a lay reader of the good book I would appreciate it since I cant remember.

Mia03 :

As far as I understood, the Amazons were nothing but a mere myth but if you know better, please tell about their functions in society and what kind of theology they had in general. Or did you meant the brazillian aboriginal people? Well what kind of priestesses did they have?

I expect no one to agree with me.

Women should not be priests. I have no problem with women leading anything else, even in other religious aspects (bible study, acolyte, preparing the Table, etc.). I do have a problem with them in the priestly role.

For the philosophical reason, I claim gender roles. Men are the authority in a worship setting and in the familial setting. According to Jewish Oral Law (Talmud), Women actually have authority in the bed room. Nevertheless, there is a split between male and female.

For biblical support other than Paul, I'll reference the priesthood of Aaron and Melchizedek. Both are all male. Those are the only priesthoods we're told God authorizes. I'll also reference that Jesus did not have a female disciple. While having a female disciple might have been fruitless due to the culture, later Christians would have cited this and Paul would not have written as he did. The all male apostle-group is intentional for more than just practical reasons.

Txgangsta : I agree wih you, but your use of the word diciple wasn't exactly correct.His diciples are anybody that follows Christ. But you are reffering to the Apostles, his hand picked closest folowers, who became the first priests, bishpos, and Pope. So He had female diciples, but only male Apostles.

That is one problem I have with certain religions.
They say you must love everyone equally however the system that they use has nothing to do with
equality which to me is outrageous in a sense.

patar4097 : Very true, I did use that term wrong. Thank you.

It was a lady minister who laid my grandpa down to rest and it was his request, by this old WWII veteran, that it should be done by a lady priest.  Do you think what she did was any different what a man priest would have done? After all, the rites were the same.

once upon a time the same quwstion was asked about blacks. frankly I fail to see how sexism is acceptable and racism not. its playing double standards. you can argue that women stray more, or are more corruptible, yet men cause most of the worlds problems.
you can argue their faith is less, yet I have no faith, so clearly gender is no indicator of faith.
many of you would not even be christian if not for women. their role in spreading the faith has been huge.
iN008 :
amen

thenumberone : I'm glad someone agrees with my point of view.
A religion that says you must treat everyone equality that doesn't allow women in its higher organization is really confusing to me.

thenumberone : No one I heard has ever made those reasons for women not preaching.