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Women’s Ordination. “Il Papa Feminista ”. Lesson Overview. Context of the Discussion What Women Cannot Do Jesus’ Vision Pope Paul IV Pope John Paul II Pope Benedict XVI. Context of Discussion . Second Wave Feminism, 1960s-1970s Women arguing for the right to be ordained
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Women’s Ordination “Il Papa Feminista”
Lesson Overview • Context of the Discussion • What Women Cannot Do • Jesus’ Vision • Pope Paul IV • Pope John Paul II • Pope Benedict XVI
Context of Discussion • Second Wave Feminism, 1960s-1970s • Women arguing for the right to be ordained • Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith puts forth a response in 1976 His Eminence, Cardinal Seper, Prefect for the C.D.F. From 1968-1981
Declaration on the Question of the Admission of Women to the Ministerial Priesthood • Church cannot ordain women • Church must remain faithful to Jesus • Process that the Magisterium uses for investigating
What Can Women Not Do??? • Women can assume all roles that males do except Ordination • Authority to Administer Sacraments • Three levels: Deacon, Priest, Bishop ReconciliationTransubstantiation Conferring Ordination Extreme Unction (Anointing of the Sick)BaptismConfirmation
Jesus • Departed from cultural norms • Affirmed equality of women • Women included in mission • Entrusted in Jesus’ circle • Christ did not entrust women with Apostolic Commissioning
Early Church • Women did receive Holy Spirit • Apostles did not consider women • Conforming to Jewish norms? • St. Paul’s letters
The Church is Powerless • Sacraments not conventional, link to something beyond and above cultural and worldly norms
Pope Paul VI • Second Wave Feminism • Women arguing for the right to be ordained • Pope Paul VI commissions an inquiry, 1975 • Pontifical Biblical Commission and C.D.F. • Does not find evidence to warrant women’s ordination
Pope John Paul II • Il Papa Feminista – I am the Feminist Pope • Reaffirmed women’s rights • Affirms Feminism in Church • How should men and women relate to each other? • Together reflect God • Different, but complimentary
Pope Benedict XVI • Reaffirmed Church teachings • Listened to objections and concerns • Discussed the following arguments: • The Church is Sexist/ discriminating • Jesus was simply conforming to social norms • The Apostles were simply conforming to social norms • Women’s Ordination would help alleviate priest shortages • The Church should get with the times
Why the Church is Not Discriminating • Legally, what is discrimination? • Certain characteristics in certain situations constitute discrimination • prohibited grounds
Why Jesus was Not Conforming to Social Norms Based on the image below, Jesus did not seem to adhere too closely to social/Religious/Roman/ cautionary norms that others tended to abide by:
The Apostle’s were Probably Not Conforming to Social Norms Either • In Jerusalem choice to ordain men made sense • Did not make sense in Greece • Greece had women priests and deacons
Women Ordination Will Not Alleviate Priest Shortages • Some Christian Denominations allow Women ordination • All Christian denominations are facing a shortage of clergy regardless of inclusion or exclusion to the clergy
The Church Should Get With the Times • Church has witnessed 20 centuries of different cultures • Today, the Church is made up of a plethora of cultural mosaics around the world • Should not simple adapt to one culture (western) If Peer Pressure is invalid, why is mass popular pressure for the Church to conform any more valid?