women in ministry

Recently on this blog a commenter mentioned a common point about women ministers, that point being  "the  Bishop and Priest serve as an icon of Christ ... and Christ was a man."  This being a view that I hear often, I wanted to lift it from the comments and make it into a posting.

Naturally I do agree that Christ was and remains a Man. However, there is more than manhood to consider here.

All modern Churches accept the Definition of Chalcedon as the base for understanding Who Jesus was and is. Those that do not are considered cults, the Mormons for example.

Having that understanding as a basis, it is understood by the teaching of Chalcedon that what is not assumed (by Christ in the Incarnation) is not redeemed. What Christ assumed was the whole of human nature, for if He only assumed maleness, how could females be saved?

I strongly believe, and the Church has taught for centuries that Christ assumed the totality of human nature when He was made Incarnate. The Definition of Chalcedon goes on to tell us that the nature He received, was solely from His mother, the Virgin Mary, the God-bearer. No human male being involved and she was, obviously, a woman. 

So, having the affirmation of the Chalcedonian Council that whatever it is in human nature that needed to be assumed by Christ (since that whole point of the Incarnation) came through a woman (the Virgin Mary, the God-bearer) we have to realize that she could not pass on to Jesus what she did not possess. So, then His maleness is not of salvic importance, but the totality of what makes us human is.

So, I have come to believe that it can not be Christ’s maleness that is of significance, in the Eucharist or in anything else, but His total humanity, which obviously includes His maleness, but does not appear to be limited to or by it.

Therefore, I see no reason, that women should be barred from the Holy Orders of Priest or Bishops.

Comments

[Jeff]

I haven't heard this particular argument before but it is well thought out and fresh. Excellent post.

[stephen]

Well reasoned.

[Dino]

Terry,

I think it is interesting that in your tradition the decision to determine whether women ought to be allowed to be priests or bishops is argued from the standpoint of the Incarnation, and not from Paul's writings.

I learned something today

[joshua]

Br. Hall, I've not heard it said that eloquently before. Thanks for explaining that so clearly.

[myste]

wonderfully said.

[Monk-in-Training]

Fr. Tobias Stanislas Haller is one great thinker, and one of my major sources on this concept. Many Orthodox are beginning to ponder this concept as well. It is a point that is hard to get around. As a person who once opposed women Priests, I find this idea very illuminating.

[Jan]

Thank you. You spoke/wrote very well, and I appreciate your words.

[*Christopher]

Fr. Haller wrote about this recently as well.

http://jintoku.blogspot.com/2007/07/disordered-thinking.html