Women in Ministry- Christian attitudes

towards this -

Clare Dempsey9X2

The Catholic Church?

Orthodox protestant Church?

Modern Protestant Church?

Orthodox Protestant Church

The Orthodox protestant Church believe that women should play no role in the Church other than to be there. They

believe that women should sit down and learn in silence with their heads covered, and only the men can speak.

The reasons behind their somewhat sexist beliefs are inspired by –surprisingly- the Bible. If you are thinking why does the

Bible promote sexism? This is wrong, but should be interpreted to today’s World because in Jesus’ time it was a

patriarchal society (meaning it was ruled by men) The parts of the Bible where, what is interpreted to be sexism,

are particularly in St Paul’s letters, Timothy, and even in Genesis in the story of creation, where women are made out to be the lesser person, because Adam was created first, and also Eve was supposed to have bought temptation into our

World.

Modern Protestant ChurchIn the modern protestant Church, women play all roles, such as Laity

roles, which are things like being in charge of children’s liturgies, giving communion, singing in the Choir and saying readings.

In the Modern protestant Church’s, they are completely the opposite in their beliefs in the role of women, because not only do women

perform laity roles, but also, they can even conduct mass’, baptisms, funerals and weddings.

The reasons for their beliefs of such equality between men and women –like the orthodox protestants- are because of the bible.

They believe the bible promotes equality between man and woman, for example

“there is no Jew nor Greek, Slave nor free, Male nor Female, Circumcised nor un-circumcised; for we are all one in Christ Jesus”

- GalatiansAnd also in many other parts of the bible does it promote the message

of male and female equality.

The Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church are all for women working in laity roles, to help

run the Church which once again, are roles in which you do things such as give communion, sing In the Choir, Perform a reading. And in this sense; The Catholic Church promote equality between men and women, however, they can show some form of men being the better race, and this is because in the Catholic Church only men can give mass, and the seven sacraments (Baptism, communion, confirmation, anointing of the sick, penance and reconciliation,

holy orders and matrimony).The reasons behind the believes of the Catholic Church are also

interpreted from the bible. They believe man and woman are equal because of parts of the bible such as Galatians, but believe that only men should conduct the service itself because The priest

is meant to represent Jesus, and also because all of Jesus’ disciples were men, regardless of whether it was a patriarchal

society.

Why do Christians believe different things about the equality of men

and women?The reason that different Christians have different views on the equality of men and women is because they all interpret the Bible in different ways, also in comparison to the debate that goes on of whether the story of creation is literal or metaphorical truth, the

debate on the roles of women still goes on. Orthodox protestants believe that all women should just sit and learn

in silence because this is what women were forced to do in the times of Jesus, and they suffered oppression from the men, maybe

now it is not brutal oppression, but in the orthodox protestant church, it still goes on.

Modern protestants believe that men and women are totally equal because as it claims in the bible, “we are all equal in the eyes of

God”.Catholics believe that women are mostly equal but only men can conduct the service and sacraments because the priest represents

Jesus.

What does the bible say?For equality of man and woman

For women being equal but men can only conduct the service and the sacraments

For men ruling over women

“There is no Jew nor Greek, Slave nor free, Male nor female; for we are all one in Christ Lord”

When Jesus resurrected, he first showed himself to not man, but woman.

At the time of Jesus’ death, it was women who surrounded him.

That God gave his only begotten son to the World to preach the word, so women should not say mass.

Mary was the person who bought Jesus into the World, and Jesus had a closer relationship with his mother than Joseph.

Jesus’ attitude to women was revolutionary; and he didn’t care what others thought of him for it

God is portrayed as ‘he’

The bible tends to show favouritism to men

God showed himself in the form of a man (Jesus)

Jesus’ disciples were all men.

The debate of equality for men and women

still goes on…