ministry

priests in protestant churches

• Women were first ordained in Methodist Churches in the nineteenth century.   

• The Salvation Army has always ordained women.   

• Some Baptist traditions ordain women, but others do not.   

• The Church of England synod (ruling body) voted in 1992 to ordain women but the winning margin was only two votes. In 2013, the CofE voted to allow the ordination of women bishops. 

roman catholicism

• The Roman Catholic Church does not allow women priests. This is based on the belief that all priests are successors of Jesus’ apostles and as he only appointed men, this role is not open to women. 

• ”The Lord Jesus chose men to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry … For this reason the ordination of women is not possible.’ (Catechism of Catholic Church). 

ordination sacerdotalis (RC)

• In the Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (subtitled 'on reserving the priestly ordination to men alone') Pope John Paul II made the following arguments against female ordination. 

• The priesthood has always been just for men 

• JC chose only male disciples 

• Women have diff- but equally important- role (motherhood) 

• They can also be witnesses, holy martyrs and testify their faith 

• He stressed that Jesus was not restricted by the cultural norms of his day and age but 'chose whom he willed' and 'acted in a completely free and sovereign manner'.  This means that his choice of only male disciples was deliberate. 

madonna as a priest

ignore

Catholic women’s ordination group

• jesus did not make women apostles because this would not have been appropriate in that day and age.  However, cultures change and the Church has had to rule on many issues for which Jesus did not provide explicit guidance. 

• The priest represents Jesus' role as mediator.  His maleness is unimportant as that is not the part being represented. 

• Just because it has always been that way does not mean that it should continue to be that way.  The Church has had to develop on certain issues before. 

• there is evidence that women were priests in the Early Church. 

• Women served as priests in underground secret churches that existed in Communist Czechoslovakia.