Women in Min-is-try
Letter in the SMH 06/10/06:
I was going to do a long, detailed, bible verse-laden post about this letter, and all it stands for. But I don't have the energy.
Michelle Philp should just realise that if she inverted her argument she'd actually get what MOW (Movement for the Ordination of Women) has been going on about for years. The women who feel led to study and apply for ordination would never dream of judging those who choose to remain lay workers as having a second class role. Those words come from the 'Women's minister' herself. But those who deny women ordination to the priesthood really are about assigning a second-class role to women - a role of 'intelligent, willing submission' (Thanks to Claire Smith of Equal but Different). They are saying that no matter what spiritual gifts God has given a woman, her role can never be equal to that of a man. That those gifts can never be used to teach men. And if that's not a second-class role, I don't know what is.
There was further discussion of this topic on Compass last night. As a whole-hearted supporter of Women's Ordination, it gets me so cranky to listen to the claptrap issuing from women such as the above-mentioned Ms Smith of Equal but Different (The Sydney Anglican women's movement AGAINST women's ordination). She was talking about male headship in the family, and how this is translated to the church family. However all of her examples related to married women. It doesn't seem to occur to her that there are women, Christian women, who do not see themselves only in terms of being a wife and mother. God created us all as individuals, with spiritual gifts and talents. And we are equal - He spells that out on many occasions.
Final word - seeing as this is a god-related rant which always seems to go down well... When Jesus left the tomb, the first person He saw and spoke to was a woman - Mary Magdalene. And to her he gave the commission to go forth and tell the disciples the Good News. If He had returned to the Sydney Diocese he would have had to go tell them Himself - because a woman has no place teaching any man anything related Christ.
And yay! This was my 100th post.
As a woman who attended the first ordination of women to the priesthood in 1992,I have to say that I have since decided Sydney's refusal to ordain women to thisparticular leadership role is both biblical and in women's best interest. I now
work full-time in an Anglican church in Sydney, teaching women and helping them
to grow in Christian maturity.
Those wanting to ordain women to the priesthood would say that this is a second-class role, but I think the women at my church would tell you otherwise.
Michelle Philp Women's minister, Christ Church, Gladesville
I was going to do a long, detailed, bible verse-laden post about this letter, and all it stands for. But I don't have the energy.
Michelle Philp should just realise that if she inverted her argument she'd actually get what MOW (Movement for the Ordination of Women) has been going on about for years. The women who feel led to study and apply for ordination would never dream of judging those who choose to remain lay workers as having a second class role. Those words come from the 'Women's minister' herself. But those who deny women ordination to the priesthood really are about assigning a second-class role to women - a role of 'intelligent, willing submission' (Thanks to Claire Smith of Equal but Different). They are saying that no matter what spiritual gifts God has given a woman, her role can never be equal to that of a man. That those gifts can never be used to teach men. And if that's not a second-class role, I don't know what is.
There was further discussion of this topic on Compass last night. As a whole-hearted supporter of Women's Ordination, it gets me so cranky to listen to the claptrap issuing from women such as the above-mentioned Ms Smith of Equal but Different (The Sydney Anglican women's movement AGAINST women's ordination). She was talking about male headship in the family, and how this is translated to the church family. However all of her examples related to married women. It doesn't seem to occur to her that there are women, Christian women, who do not see themselves only in terms of being a wife and mother. God created us all as individuals, with spiritual gifts and talents. And we are equal - He spells that out on many occasions.
Final word - seeing as this is a god-related rant which always seems to go down well... When Jesus left the tomb, the first person He saw and spoke to was a woman - Mary Magdalene. And to her he gave the commission to go forth and tell the disciples the Good News. If He had returned to the Sydney Diocese he would have had to go tell them Himself - because a woman has no place teaching any man anything related Christ.
And yay! This was my 100th post.
posted by actonb at 2:08 pm
5 Comments:
I didn't read this post...but if I had I'm sure I'd be too shocked to comment...
My mate's mum is a female minister thingie in the Anglican church, but it isn't recognised in Australia (he's a Kiwi).
She is a beautiful, incredibly intelligent woman - the kind of Christian who should be in a speaking role as she doesn't force her religion upon you, she just lives and lets live. Yet because of some dumb rule she can't practice her craft here. And surely having a woman like her would do more positives for her church than that horrible Jensen fellow...
Mel - I'm not sure what the regulations are - the assistant minister at our church is a woman. She's ordained as a deacon, which means she can do everything (christenings, weddings, funerals, preaching etc) but lead communion. She can't be ordained as a priest in the Sydney Diocese. The thing on Compass was about the possibility of ordaining women as bishops. RevJ - can you help at all?
Sorry probably this has come too late...
Mmm...Anglicanism is a funny old girl. You are ordained on behalf of a particular Parish (Suburb) in a particular diocese (Larger area eg Sydney which covers ulladulla to Northern Beaches) If you decide to move to work in another Parish your Arch Bishop must license you to said Parish. If you move diocese the new Arch Bishop must license you and he will sometimes make you jump through some hoops. EG My friend who was ordained Presbyter (Anglican's are technically not Priests) in another diocese is licensed as a deacon here. Often in Sydney you will be asked to do subjects in the local Bible college - yes Moore College.
It is not all bad - the best thing about the situation is that it minimises the possibility of (I hate to admit it) ministers who behave incorrectly from easily moving from one are to another. THis is one of the reasons that while there have been terrible cases of abuse in the Anglican Church there are less than in some other denominations.
Revj
Ta RevJ. I didn't know that you're only licensed for each Parish. I thought it was diocese-based. Hmmm.
Post a Comment
<< Home