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1217 - 1274 AD
From Commentarium in IV Libros Sententiarum Magistri
Petri Lombardi by Bonaventure, 1251-1253 AD; published in Opera
Omnia, Quaracchi 1882-1902.
Division XXV. Article II. Question I
Translated from the Latin by Mary Ann Rossi --
credits
Paragraph numbers have been added to the text for easy
reference
ARTICLE II
ABOUT THOSE WHO CAN TAKE UP ORDERS
§a. Consequently, as to the second article, which
investigates the possibility of taking up Orders, there are four questions.
First, insofar as Orders can be received, whether the male or female sex can
receive them. Second, whether the use of reason is necessary for the reception
of Orders. Third whether the inseparability of the flesh is necessary. Fourth,
whether the condition of liberty is necessary.
QUESTION I
Whether the male sex is required for the reception of
Orders
As for the first, then, that the male sex is required, it is shown:
[Bonaventure now sums up the arguments to show that
the male sex is required]
§b. 1. First thus: that Orders cannot be
conferred upon one who does not have a natural capability or aptitude for them;
no one has a capability for Orders who does not have the aptitude for a tonsure
and crown; and no one has a natural aptitude for this for whom it is fitting
always to have the head "veiled." If, then, it is fitting for men alone to pray
with head unveiled, but women with head veiled, as is said in the eleventh of
the first letter to the Corinthians, and which nature itself teaches, therefore
etc.
§c. 2. Likewise, no one is capable of
taking up Orders who does not bear the image of God, because in this Sacrament
man in a certain way becomes God, or divine, while he is made a participant in
divine power. But man by reason of his sex is "imago Dei", the image of God,
just as it is said in the eleventh [chapter] of the first [letter] to the
Corinthians. Therefore in no way can a woman be ordained.
§d. 3. Likewise, in Orders spiritual
power is given to the ordained; but a woman is not capable of such power, as is
said in the second [chapter] of the first [letter] to Timothy: "I do not permit
a woman to teach in the church or to rule over man; therefore [she is not
capable] of Orders.
§e. 4. Likewise, some orders are preparatory to the
episcopate, if someone is directed towards them. But the bishop is the
bridegroom of the Church; therefore since the woman cannot be advanced to the
episcopate, but only man, in another way she is not the bridegroom of the
Church.
§f. Therefore only men can be promoted to the preceding
Orders.
[Here Bonaventure sums up the arguments showing that
the male sex is not required:]
§g. AGAINST: 1. In the fourth [chapter] of Judges it is
read that Deborah judged Israel and was in charge of it. Hence it seems that
judiciary power belonged to a woman, especially when she was overflowing with
grace; there [she could have] also sacerdotal power.
§h. 2.Likewise in the New Testament we see abbesses, to
whom assemblies are entrusted to be ruled; therefore it seems that the power of
absolving and binding [=jurisdiction] ought to be entrusted to them. Hence it
seems by equal reasoning that sacerdotal orders ought to be conferred upon
them.
§i. 3. Likewise, sacerdotal Orders and other Orders regard
the soul and not the flesh. But as for the soul, there is no distinction of
sex, rather the woman is as much the image of God as the man; therefore she is
equally as capable of taking up Orders.
§j. 4. Likewise, there is no greater perfection than the
status of religious life, nor greater fortitude than in the endurance of
martyrdom. But women are admitted as much to religious life as to martyrdom.
therefore they ought to and can be admitted to sacred orders.
Conclusion
§k. Women cannot either by law or in fact
receive Orders
I respond:
[Bonaventure now gives his own arguments]
§l. It ought to be said that common
opinion holds this, that women should not be admitted to sacred orders. For it
is expressly stated with clarity in the twenty-third [in the Decree of
Gratian]: "It has been conveyed to the Apostolic See that women consecrated
to God or nuns in possession of sacred garments or sacred vessels have
approached you and carried incense around the altar, all of which actions are
full of censure and blame, as there can be no doubt for any who are wise.
Therefore on the authority of this holy See, lest this plague be spread abroad
more widely, we order that it be wiped out most speedily throughout all the
provinces."
[Are women capable of Orders?]
§m. And thus they all agree that women
ought not to be promoted to Orders; but as to whether they are capable [of
Orders], there is doubt. Clearly it was the opinion of certain people,
called Cataphrygians, that women are capable, and they not only rely on
authorities of past times, but they adhere to the authorities of the canons and
bring them out to support themselves, canons in which it is shown that women of
old had received Orders. For it states in the twenty-seventh Cause Question 1
[canon 23 of the Decree of Gratian]: “We have decided that a deaconess
should not be ordained before the age of forty”. And in the same Question,
“If anyone ravishes or disturbs a deaconess”, and similarly in
Distinction thirty-two [of the Decree of Gratian], mention is clearly made of a
presbytera [which could mean ‘female priest’ in Latin].
§n. [It is rejected] But surely if we pay attention to what
is said in Distinction thirty-two, Presbyteram, etc., it is shown there
that widows and older women, and matrons were called presbyteras; and from this
it is gathered that the women who communicated with the deacons in reading the
homily were called deaconesses. They received some kind of blessing. Therefore
in no way should it be believed that there were ever women promoted to sacred
orders according to the canons [=laws of the Church].
§o. By way of Conclusion] Moreover, according to the saner
and wiser opinion of the learned, not only should they not [take up
Orders], but they are incapable by law (de iure) and incapable in fact
(de facto).
Ratio [Reason]
§p. And if the reason for this should be
asked, it must be said that this comes not so much from the institution of the
Church as from this fact, that the Sacrament of Orders is not suitable for
women.
§q. For in this Sacrament the person who is ordained
signifies Christ the Mediator, and since the Mediator was only of the male sex,
he can [only] be signified by the male sex. Therefore the capability of
receiving Orders is suitable only to men, who alone can naturally represent
[Him] and by the reception of the chracter [of Holy Orders] in deed bear His
sign. And this [latter] position is more probable and can be proved by many
authorities [=quotations] of the Saints [=the Fathers of the Church].
[Solution of the arguments that opposed the conclusion.]
§r. 1. Therefore to the objection that
was raised about Debbora, it must be said that it concerned temporal power, not
spiritual power. It is allowed, however, for women to dominate temporally, but
not with spiritual dominion, which dominion implies a sign that he who
dominates bears the type of head of Christ. Since, then, a woman cannot be the
head of a man, therefore she cannot be ordained.
§s. 2. Regarding the objection about abbesses, this must be
said: that they do not have the position of ordinary praelature [as Bishops
do], but they are substitutes, taking the place of the abbot, on account of the
risk of cohabiting with men; hence they cannot ordinarily [=as a Bishop]
absolve or bind . But sacerdotal office, or indeed the office of any
Order, to which that ordinary power or Order are given, has a signification
which does not belong to women, although ruling as such might belong to women.
§t. As for the objection that Orders regard the soul, it
must be said that it does not regard only the soul; but the soul, since it is
conjoined with the flesh, and, by reason of the signification that consists of
the visible sign, also consists of the body; and the execution and practice of
Orders regards this conjunction. Since neither the signification of Orders nor
their dispensation belong to woman, as was shown above, therefore [the
conclusion] is clear.
§u. 4. To the objection concerning the
perfection of religious life and martyrdom, it must be said that it is a
perfection which has to do with sanctifying grace, and woman is equally capable
of receiving this as a man. But there is also a perfection of state, which
concerns something given gratis, and this can belong to one sex, but may
not belong to the other; because this regards not only what is interior,
but what is exterior. Such is the perfection of Orders, in which there
is a concentration of power, which many reasons show to be not at all suitable
for women.
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