Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!mit-eddie!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: dragon!cms@gatech.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Whether the female sex is an impediment to receiving Orders? Thomism Message-ID: Date: 4 Dec 90 05:58:17 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Computer Projects Unlimited Lines: 332 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Greetings! Here is another essay I wrote from a course I took in Religion and Ethics. I hope you enjoy it. Saint Thomas Aquinas on Women's Ordination to the Priesthood A Response to Mary O'Connell Discovered and Compiled by Cindy Smith, Esq. GOD: Thomas! THOMAS: Yes, God. GOD: Thomas, we have another controversy brewing on earth. I want you to look into the issue of women's ordination. THOMAS: But, God, I already discussed that issue in my Summa Theologica Q. 39 Art 2 Suppl. Women cannot be priests because women are in a state of subjection.... GOD: Look at it again. THOMAS: Yes, God. ANOTHER STRANGE DOCUMENT SHOWED UP ON MY COMPUTER IN MY PERSONAL FILES LAST NIGHT. THE COMPILER MAKES NO JUDGMENTS AS TO ITS AUTHENTICITY, HOWEVER, THE AUTHOR APPEARS TO BE A GLORIFIED SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS. Interlude THOMAS: I've repented, God. GABRIEL: Uh, God, that's not allowed. You're only supposed to repent on earth. GOD: I've repented of my wrath in heaven lots of times. Thomas can repent in heaven too if he wants to. I make the rules. THOMAS: Thanks, God. We must next consider the impediments to this sacrament. Under this head there are six points of inquiry: (1) Whether the female sex is an impediment to receiving this sacrament?....The remaining queries are not addressed in this extract. First Article Whether the Female Sex Is an Impediment to Receiving Orders We proceed thus to the First Article: -- Objection 1. It would seem that women cannot be priests because women are in a state of subjection to men. In 1 Tim 2:12 it is said, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. She must be quiet." Objection 2. The recipient of a sacrament must meet certain criteria before being eligible to receive the sacrament, otherwise one may receive neither the sacrament nor the reality of the sacrament. Other things are required, not for the validity of the sacrament, but for its lawfulness, otherwise one receives the sacrament but not the reality of the sacrament. Being male is one of the criteria for receiving the sacrament not only in the first way but also in the second way. Thus, although a bishop might lay hands on a woman, the Holy Spirit will not "take" because the conferral of Orders is a sacrament, a sacrament being the sign, not simply the thing, but also the signification of the thing. In administering the sacrament of Extreme Unction it is necessary that the recipient of the sacrament meet the criteria of being sick; in administering the sacrament of Orders it is necessary that the recipient of the sacrament meet the criteria of being male. Obj. 3. The male sex is necessary for the lawful conferral of Orders but not for the validity of the sacrament. As I noted in Q. 39 Art 2. Suppl. "even in the Decretals (cap. Mulieres, dist. 32; cap. Diaconissam, 27, qu, i) mention is made of deaconesses and priestesses. But deaconess there denotes a woman who shares in some act of a deacon, namely who reads the homilies in the Church; and priestess (presbytera) means a widow, for the word presbyter means elder." Obj. 4. Mary O'Connell notes that opponents of women's ordination often state that Jesus ordained twelve apostles, who were all men, and thus did not intend women to be priests. Accepting women priests would imply that the Church believes Jesus made a mistake, which is unthinkable. On the contrary, women are not in a state of subjection because the blood of Jesus Christ washes away all sin, including original sin. Eve sinned; her punishment was to be subject to her man. Thus, all women are in a state of subjection. Our punishment for our sins is for men to earn their bread by the sweat of their brow and for women to give birth in pain and to be in subjection to men. But the blood of Jesus Christ washes away all our sins, therefore, women are no longer in subjection to men, for there is no "Greek or Jew, slave or free, male or female, we are all one in Christ Jesus." It is more important to be in the spiritual likeness of Christ than the physical likeness of Christ. I reply that, some will say men still earn their bread by the sweat of their brow. I answer that, Jesus said that Scripture says, "It is not by bread alone that man lives but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." To continue to regard earning bread by the sweat of one's brow as a punishment for sin is to be like the Gentiles who are concerned about such temporal things as these; we should rather concern ourselves with the forgiveness of our sins which comes from heaven. Wherefore also a woman should not dwell upon the pain of childbirth but rather upon the joy that cometh in the morning. So, woman should not be concerned about her subjection to man, but rather should teach, preach, prophesy, administer, and perform all priestly functions as she is called to do, or whatever other thing she has been called to do according to the gifts God has given her, without regard to such temporal matters as subjection to men. Reply Obj. 1. I did not allow women to teach or to have authority over her husband; this was not intended to mean that woman could not have authority over any man. Furthermore, as I once noted in Q. 39 Art. 2 Suppl. Obj. 1, "the office of prophet is greater than the office of a priest, since a prophet stands midway between God and priests, just as the priest does between God and people. Now the office of prophet was sometimes granted to women, as may be gathered from 4 Kings 22:14. Therefore the office of priest also may be competent to them." It is said, "prophecy is not a sacrament but a gift from God." Prophets give what has been given to them by God. A sacrament is a manifestation of God. Manifestations of God are profound by definition. Thus, there are technically an unlimited number of sacraments. Therefore, prophecy is a Sacrament conferred upon an individual by God himself outside the confines of the Church although, technically, the Church is the Body of Christ, so nothing is actually outside its confines. Rather, prophecy is a sacrament given to individuals outside the confines of the authority or hierarchy of the Church. Therefore, women receive a sacrament (that of prophecy) which is actually higher than the sacrament of Orders. As a result, women cannot be prohibited from receiving the lower sacrament. Furthermore, Pauline instructions in Church matters are guidelines and must be used as such. As John Calvin notes in his Institutes on the Christian religion, Book IV 10.31, "What sort of freedom of conscience could there be in such excessive attentiveness and caution? Indeed, it will be very clear when we consider that these are no fixed and permanent sanctions by which we are bound, but outward rudiments for human weakness. Although not all of us need them, we all use them, for we are mutually bound, one to another, to nourish mutual love. This may be recognized in [these] examples [prayer on bent knees, decency in burial of the dead, administration of sacraments in dignity, forbidding women to teach in the church (I Cor. 14:34), and the like]. What? Does religion consist in a woman's shawl, so that it is unlawful for her to go out with a bare head? Is that decree of Paul's concerning silence so holy that it cannot be broken without great offense? Is there in bending the knee or in burying a corpse any holy rite that cannot be neglected without offense? Not at all....the established custom of the region, or humanity itself and the rule of modesty, dictate what is to be done or avoided in these matters....This saying of Paul's ought to satisfy us: that it is not our custom to contend, or that of the churches of God [I Cor. 11:16]." Here I agree with Paul, "if anyone is inclined to be argumentative, we do not have such a custom, nor do the churches of God." Paul clearly indicates that his instructions are suggestions and not to be taken as written in stone. If a custom falls out of favor, there is no sense in maintaining a dinosaur for old time's sake. Rather, his instructions, like the Christ from whom he comes, are to be written on are hearts from which love, not law, should flow. Conferral of Orders grants authority to teach, heal, minister to the Church, etc., in a position of pre-eminence. Many women have been granted such authority in Scripture including Deborah (Judges 2), Phoebe (Romans 16:1), Priscilla (wife of Aquila, Romans 16:3), and perhaps Junia (Romans 16:7). If you're eligible to be a Christian, you're eligible to receive any Sacrament the Church has to offer. If you're eligible to die as a martyr for the faith, you're eligible to be a priest in the Church for which you are dying. All people can relate to Christ, Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; therefore, since all can relate to Christ, all should be able to help others relate to Christ as well, whether through teaching Bible or administering the Sacraments. Reply Obj. 2. The power conferred in Orders rests in the soul. However, sex is not a characteristic of the soul, but of the body. Therefore, sex is irrelevant in determining the criteria requisite for the recipient of Orders. If women cannot receive the Sacrament of Orders, why can they receive any Sacrament? To receive the Body and Blood of Christ is to become one with God. To be baptized means that one has been baptized into the death of Christ and rise again as the Holy Spirit gives birth to Christ within us. It follows, then, that in the Sacrament of Baptism one becomes not simply the thing but also the signification of the thing, namely, Christ. In Christ there is no male or female but rather we are one in Christ Jesus. Therefore, while neither men nor women may receive the Sacrament of Orders, but only those who have been made in the perfect likeness of Christ via Baptism. To say that women rise differently than men as Christ is to blaspheme the Word of God. It is to suggest that a different Christ, a different god, rises within women than men, this god/christ being an unworthy recipient of the Sacrament of Orders. Since we believe the same Christ rises within every baptized human being, regardless of sex, we should, as our Lord noted, "not worry about how or what...you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say" (Mark 12:11b -- 12). Thus, neither males nor females actually teach in churches, but rather the Holy Spirit who dwells within each of us. Therefore men should not be concerned whether a man or a woman is teaching them or preaching to them or administering sacraments to them or holding authority over them, for it is neither the man nor the woman who teaches, preaches, administers sacraments, or holds authority, but the Holy Spirit of our God within them. We are a Sacramental Church. Reply Obj. 3. Deacons are deacons, not deaconesses; a poor translation found in the first letter of Paul to Timothy (see below) as well as his letter to the Romans (see below). Even if Orders cannot be conferred on women lawfully, if done, the ordination is valid and she has really received the Sacrament. This should not lawfully be done, but if done, cannot be taken away. For this to become a lawful practice, canon law needs to be changed pursuant to an interpretation of Scripture as noted above. Also, 1 Tim. 3:11 refers to women deacons, not deaconesses, adjuring them to be "dignified, not slanderers,...temperate and faithful,...married only once,...and manage their children and their households well." If one may be ordained deacon, there is no substantial difference in receipt of the Holy Spirit in being ordained presbyter and bishop. The question, substantially, is again one of authority, but, again, it is the Holy Spirit which holds authority not the person. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God meant to be used judiciously with love. Reply Obj. 4. If we take too literal an interpretation of Christ's life and practices, we end up making a requirement that recipients of Orders be male, Jewish, bearded, and married, whose occupations are either carpenter, fisherman, or tent maker. Of course, since recipients of Holy Orders are baptized, and Christ himself was a carpenter, all recipients of Orders are male, bearded, married (to Christ), Jewish carpenters. To be married to Christ, of course, is to be one with Christ. To be one with Christ means that every one of us, regardless of sex, is exactly the same as Christ, and, thus, no distinctions can truly be made among believing Christians between males and females, including the conferral of Orders. Further comments: Tradition determines the Church's interpretation of Scripture and practices. Therefore, knowing and understanding early Church practices in this regard are essential to determine whether ordination of women is theologically sound. Early Christian groups with women priests were condemned as heretical, however, this does not mean that all groups with women in authority were heretical (cf. above discussion on Phoebe, Priscilla, and Junia). It should be noted that in some instances, Paul favors women in authority and in others, he disapproves of women in authority; he is inconsistent. This is probably in keeping with Paul's earlier admonition that individual churches should be allowed to maintain individual customs; his attitude seemed to be one of "convert as many people as possible, don't rock the boat with regard to social customs, but keep the church afloat long enough for the ark to find dry land and a mountain top to settle on." Thus, if churches didn't allow women to speak, he adjured his readers not to allow women to speak; Paul's own church did not allow women to teach or hold authority, so Paul did not himself allow it; the church in Rome obviously did allow women to hold positions of authority and Paul encouraged those to whom he wrote to abide by this custom and respect her authority. Women can be priests, women cannot be priests, according to the custom of the individual church, and "if anyone objects, we have no such custom, and neither do any of our churches." It should be noted, in passing, that the Episcopal Church maintains precisely this position with some churches disallowing women to preach but most churches, in keeping with the official position of the Episcopal Church as a whole, allowing women to preach and administer sacraments in a priestly role. Church beliefs on the subordination of the role of women is rooted in Pauline statements regarding women's status with respect to Genesis. In my Summa Theologica Pt. 1 Q. 92 Art. 1 Reply Obj. 1., I said, "As regards the individual nature, woman is defective and misbegotten, for the active force in the male seed tends to the production of a perfect likeness in the masculine sex; while the production of woman comes from defect in the active force or from some material indisposition, or even from some external influence; such as that of a south wind, which is moist, as the Philosopher observes (De Gener. Animal. iv. 2)." In light of new knowledge, it now seems to me that, as mentioned above, we are baptized into the death of Christ, and rise again as the Holy Spirit gives birth to Christ within us (cf. Gospel of John 1:12-13, 3:5-8, Romans 6:3-11, Gal. 3:26). Therefore, since Christ makes no distinction between male and female concerning his rising again within us, and since it is Christ inside us who lives and operates as High Priest enabling priests to administer Sacraments, it is therefore the male Christ, who is Wisdom (female, cf. Pr. 4:7, Psalm 111:10, Ecclesiasticus 1:1) within every human being (male or female) that receives Orders and administers the Sacraments. Thus, Orders cannot be logically denied to women, because Christ Himself is the One within each man or woman to whom holy Orders is actually conferred. To say that women lack a "natural resemblance to Christ" is to deny that women can be baptized into the likeness of Christ and become one with Christ. I doubt, in the scheme of things, whether a person can urinate standing up has any real relevance to qualifications for the priesthood. Indeed, in lieu of the eunuchs who were given full participation in the sacraments, where Jewish tradition prohibited participation, it seems unlikely to me that they should be barred from the priesthood simply because their physical likeness to Christ is incomplete (or different). In addition, Matthew 19:12 notes that some men were not simply made eunuches, but actually born that way. Furthermore, if women were truly misbegotten and defective, one would be forced to conclude that God had created from Adam's rib an imperfect thing. However, Scripture attests, "God looked over everything he had made, and he found it very good" (Gen. 1:31). Also, since in baptism all are made into the perfect likeness of Christ, one would be forced to conclude that God had again made an imperfect thing at the baptism of every woman. Since this is clearly not so in the case of euchuchs (cf. Acts 8:36-39; Matthew 19:12), it follows that it is not so in the case of women, that indeed God creates all things new and perfect in the baptism of His people. THOMAS: Okay, God. Are you going to be sending the Spirit to the Church anytime soon to make this official? GOD: (silence) Sincerely, SPAWN OF A JEWISH CARPENTER Cindy Smith A Real Live Catholic in Georgia A Real Live Catholic in the Anglican Communion (Bless all moist south winds! Thank you, God, that I was born a woman!)