significance of gender equality w/in the christian community

STRENGTH: Expanded leadership roles and empowerment of women’s ordination 

• The majority of Protestant Churches accept the equality of both sexes, many of whom have had women priests for a long time (for example, Baptists, Methodist, and U.R.C). 

•  This acceptance is based on the Bible, which states that male and female were both created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), and St Paul’s statement that there is ‘neither male nor female’ (Galatians 3:28).  

• They cite too Jesus’ own treatment of women – that of dignity and respect. 

• In 2013 the Church voted again on women bishops, gaining the majority necessary to make the change. The first woman to be ordained as a bishop in the CofE was Libby Lane, whose appointment as Bishop of Stockport was announced on 17th December 2013. 

• Linda Woodhead emphasised this change in revitilising the church’s leadership by making it more inclusive and reflective of contemporary social values 

COUNTER to expanded leadership roles

• Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church 

• continue to reserve priestly and episcopal roles exclusively for men, citing theological and Christological reasons. Pope John Paul II’s apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (1994) reaffirmed that the Church "has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women," framing this as an unchangeable tradition.  

• Catholic theologians like Sara Butler defend this position, arguing that the male priesthood is necessary to symbolize Christ (who was male) in the sacramental act, a view deeply rooted in sacramental theology. 

• JC chose only male apostles for a reason 

STRENGTH: pope francis progression

• Pope Francis appointed around 20 women to positions of authority in the Vatican, including an Italian religious sister to lead a Vatican department. This is unprecedented in the history of the papacy.   

• He included women in the 2024 synod (a global meeting of the church) and granted voting rights to women attendees, The Conversation.   

• He made it possible for women to be formally appointed as catechists and lectors in parishes, roles previously reserved for men.   

• He emphasized the need for more women to study and teach theology, acknowledging that women are unique in their gifts to the church.   

• The late pope francis emphasised women’s position of equality by reducing the androcentric nature of the CC. Whilst women cannot be ordained as priests, they are involved in other roles within the church 

COUNTER to pope francis

• Pope Francis himself stated that women still encounter obstacles, and opportunities for women to participate are still under-utilised by local churches 

• In his autobiography he wrote of the “urgent challenge” to include women in central roles at every level of church life. 

• He viewed this move as essential to “de-masculinising” the church and removing the problem of clericalism 

• Importantly, the reasoning that underpins women’s limited role in the life of the church remains unchanged. 

• In particular, Pope Francis referred to gender stereotypes and supported the theology of complementarianism (a view that women are different but equally valued, where their central contribution is to motherhood, femininity and pastoral care responsibilities). 

• Decision making and minsirty still largely rest with clerical men 

• Women cannot preach during mass/ be ordained in the priesthood or deaconate, despite multiple attempts by catholic reform groups to advocate for women’s inclusion 

WEAKNESS: CoE exempt from equality act 2010

• The equality act of 2010 bans the discrimination of individuals based on sex in employment, access to services and education 

• CofE introduced concept of ‘two integrities’, which accommodates those with traditionalist gender values and those affirming women's ordination. 

• This gave congregations and male clergy a mandate to “opt out” of working with women priests, allowing them to deny women certain posts and prohibit women from undertaking some priestly activities, but did not allow churches to positively discriminate in favor of women 

• there is no legal provision to protect women bishops from discrimination as the CofE is exempt from the Equality Act  

•  The Church's practice is discriminatory and inconsistent with other British institutions and at odds with the espoused gender value of equality within the wider English population despite the fact that it exists to provide pastoral care for all living in England as the Established Church. 

COUNTER to exemption

• it can be argued that the concept of two integrities is provided to ease international tensions for gender equality 

• many African Anglican provinces oppose female ordination, leading to tensions within global bodies like the Anglican Communion. This shows that while gender equality has made some churches more relevant locally, it has complicated international Christian unity 

• This tension also reflects broader post-colonial dynamics, with churches in the Global South resisting theological models they perceive as imposed by Western liberalism. 

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