Cyberbrethren: A Lutheran Blog

The Ordination of Women: A Large Collection of Resources

Here is a large collection of resources gathered from across the Internet to help people and churches struggling with the issue of the ordination of women.

Women and the Catholic Priesthood

A very thought-provoking review article from FIRST THINGS:

Women and the Catholic Priesthood

By Monica Migliorino Miller

Wednesday, September 26, 2007,  6:56 AM

In May 1994, Pope John Paul II issued his apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis. It is, as far as Vatican documents go, very short. It deals with one specific issue, namely the Church’s ban on the admission of women to the ministerial priesthood, a ban first articulated in the 1976 Vatican declaration Inter Insigniores and upheld by Pope John Paul II. He clearly stated: “Wherefore, in order that all doubt be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk. 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.” With these words, the Holy Father intended to end the debate regarding women priests.

In October 1995, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then prefect for the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, made a response to a question that was submitted to the Vatican on the doctrinal status of Ordinatio Sacerdotalis. The official Vatican response, given through Ratzinger, was that the ban on women priests was “taught infallibly by the Church.” While the doctrine is settled, much debate, misunderstanding, and, in some quarters, deep resentment continues over the Church’s insistence upon an all-male priesthood. As a Catholic, theologian, and university professor, I know that many Catholics continue to reject Catholic teaching on the all-male priesthood and certainly cannot articulate the Church’s reasons for the teaching, much less defend it.

The Catholic Priesthood and Women is a defense and an interpretation of the Church’s doctrine. It attempts to provide a new generation of young Catholics and, most especially, seminarians with an understanding of the Church’s teaching and give them a “theological orientation to the topic that engages the chief objections.” It’s author, Sister Sara Butler, MSBT, is a well-respected theologian who taught at Mundelein Seminary and currently holds a position at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, New York. She openly confesses in the book’s introduction that for many years she supported the ordination of women. She credits John Paul II’s “theology of the body” and “his response to the feminist critique in the apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem (1988)” for her change of heart on this matter.

Fraser Pearce's Paper on Ordination of Women

A key event took place at the Lutheran Church of Australia's general pastoral conference when Pastor Fraser Pearce delivered a paper supporting the LCA's position against ordaining women to be pastors. I encourage you to read it.

Australian Lutherans Reject Women's Ordination

The Lutheran Church of Australia has met in convention and again failed to adopt the heterodox practice of ordaining women to the pastoral office. A pastor friend from Australia sent the message below to me. A 2/3 majority was required for adopting and the pro-women's ordination folks didn't come close to it. The "pro" vote was lower this time than last time, in fact. This is the second time in six years this effort has failed. Those agitating for women's ordination here in the USA were hopeful it would pass.

 

Worldwide, liberal Lutheran Churches are strongly pressuring emerging Lutheran churches into adopting women's ordination, and loosening up their attitudes about homosexuality and abortion.

 

Is The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod doing enough to speak out very openly and publicly rejecting the agenda of the LWF and women's ordination?

            
            Greetings in Christ

You may have heard but if you haven't the vote at the Australian General Pastor's conference (26th -29th of September 2006) and General Synod (30th September - 5th October 2006) , both in Toowoomba Queensland, re the ordination of women in the Lutheran Church of Australia, did not get the two thirds majority required.

 

The GPC vote was 111 for the ordination of women, 99 against, and 8 abstained.  At General Synod: 194 for, 169 against, 20 abstained, 1 informal, and 1 non voting.

 

This is twice in six years that the GPC and GS of the LCA have landed with a near 50/50 vote.

 

Liberalism is on the brink of collapse world-wide and the church catholic needs Christ-centred pastors to fight the good fight. Many of us have weathered massive attacks from our liberal brothers and sisters, we continue to pray for them, and remain under the authority of our leaders.   

 

Pax,