Summary of the two positions
Rome’s ArgumentsThroughout, I use the term Rome to indicate both the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Holy Father. | Counter Arguments | |
Scripture | Scripture | |
* Jesus Christ set a permanent norm by omitting women from the apostolic team. * Paul excluded women from teaching and presiding in the Christian assembly. | * Because of the need of the moment Christ did not choose a woman. But he made women, in principle, equal partners in his priesthood. * Paul’s prohibitions concern only local communities. He taught the equality of women in Christ. | |
Tradition | Tradition | |
Faithful to an unbroken tradition, the Church has never felt that priestly ordination can be conferred upon women. | Women were not ordained because of wide-spread social and religious prejudices against women. | |
Theology | Theology | |
Only male priests can adequately represent Christ who was a man. | Christ is not adequately represented in his priesthood by male priests alone. | |
Authority | Authority | |
The Church cannot extend the priesthood to women. | The Church has the power to ordain women. |