Women
Priests
On the 14th
of July, a General Synod of the Church of England took a decision to
allow women to become bishops1.
For the Church of England, this was just another step beyond a
decision taken in a previous synod in 1992, when for the first time
women were allowed to be ordained priests2.
For other
parts of the Anglican Communion, of which the Church of England is a
fundamental part, this development had happened years before, like in
the Episcopal Church. Needless to say, this development is very
controversial. Even now, in the decision just taken by the Church of
England, it is being careful to legislate to allow parishes that
disagree with the decision to choose to continue to be led by a man.
This may avoid the Communion from further fragmenting as a result of
this topic.
The same
narrative happened more or less in the Protestant and Reformed
denominations. These typically don't speak about bishops and
priests, but rather about pastors and ministers. Some denominations
allow the ordination of women, others don't.
Finally, the
teaching of the Roman Catholic Church is that it doesn't have the
authority to ordain women into the priesthood. The position of the
Orthodox Church is similar.
The
Cathechism of the Catholic Church at paragraph 1577 provides two main
reasons for this teaching:
- that Jesus only chose men to make up the twelve apostles (a divine choice);
- that the apostles in turn did the same when they chose their collaborators that were eventually to take their place (tradition).
The Apostles
The word 'apostle' is derived from
the Greek apóstolos
that means 'one that is sent'.3
When Jesus initially selected the twelve, all men, these were
'disciples' from the Latin discipulus
that means one who learns. Hence, the disciples became apostles when
they were sent by Jesus to teach4.
It's interesting that not only the Twelve are called apostles in the
Catholic and Orthodox churches.
- The evangelist Luke wrote that Jesus sent a group of seventy people, in twos, to preach the good news5. Scripture calls them disciples and this is the tradition of Christians in the west (Catholics), however Christians in the east (Orthodox) refer to them as apostles;
- St Paul in his letter to the Romans refers to Andonicus and Junia as being with him in prison and being 'prominent among the apostles'6. It is likely that Junia was the wife of Andonicus.
- We Maltese are proud of St Paul and St Luke who were shipwrecked in Malta on their way to Rome. St Luke was one of the twelve, however St Paul wasn't. Nevertheless, the Church still refers to him as an apostle.
- In the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus, it has to be said that the person mentioned most in the four gospels as being present and giving the news of the resurrection to the Twelve is St Mary Magdalene. It may not be known by everybody that the Church, from very early on, many centuries before the Schism between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, started and to this day still calls her 'Apostle to the Apostles' 7.
Jesus the Egalitarian
Apart from the Twelve, Jesus had
another group that were with him wherever he met. These were women,
who used to assist him from their means8.
However, in the hour of need (the crucifixion), it was mostly the women who
stayed with him near the cross, and accompanied his body to the
grave9,
while the Twelve practically disappeared.
It was to women that Jesus chose to
reveal his resurrection, not the Twelve. It was women that Jesus
wanted to proclaim the news of his resurrection to the Twelve, who
initially did not even believe them10!
The New Testament mentions women
relatively more frequently than in the Old Testament. Jesus
intervened or spoke favourably a number of times in the favour of
women, as in the case of stoning of the adulteress11
and the conversation with the Samaritan woman12.
I take the importance given by Jesus to women, in a society which
was certainly even more patriarchal than today, as being
revolutionary and made him an egalitarian much before our time.
Tradition
The Pontifical Biblical Commission
of the Roman Curia concluded in 1977 that the New Testament alone was
not enough to resolve the question of the ordination of women
clearly, once and for all13.
For this reason, the Church also refers to its tradition, where its
leaders were always against women entering the priesthood.
In the early centuries, a number of
Christian communities, like the Gnostics and the Montanists, had
women in the priesthood. A number of early Church Fathers, like
Iraneous and Tertullian, condemned this practice14.
Although the Church accepts that there are elements of prejudice
against women in the writings of Church Fathers, from early on it has
considered these groups as heretical, and maintained the position of
the Church Fathers against the ordination of women15.
Comment
In an attempt to stop the debate
within the Church, Pope John Paul II issued an Apostolic Letter in
1994 saying that the Church had no authority to ordain women into the
priesthood, and that this was to be definitively held by all the
faithful16.
This is not generally considered infallible in itself, as it wasn't
made under an extraordinary Magisterium
(authority to establish the Church's authentic teaching), however the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith declared a year later that
the teaching is infallible under the ordinary and universal
Magisterium17,
a declaration that is still disputed in theological circles.
The attempt to stop debate within the Roman Catholic Church does not
seem to have been successful. A number of groups are still working
and talking in favour of the ordination of women, such as the Women's
Ordination Conference, the Roman Catholic Womenpriests (which has
been excommunicated by the Church), a group of German theologians and
the Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland, amongst others.
I consider the Catholic Church's teaching in this regard to be a step
backwards from the spirit of discernment of the signs of the times, a
spirit so very present in the Church in the time of Vatican Council
II in the sixties. I think that few are those in Western societies
these days that don't feel a strong move in favour of equality of
women in all aspects of society. I think that this should also apply
to the Church, and in no way can be considered against the teachings
of Jesus.
I feel that the Church does not appreciate enough the primary role of
witnessing of faith by women when Jesus was still alive as well as
their proclamation of the Good News afterwards. Apart from this,
traditions can be made and those that are not fundamental can change
with time (which has already happened many times). That male leaders
do everything in their power to keep a patriarchal system is
expected, even if they genuinely believe in it, however this can
neither be considered prophetic nor coherent with Jesus' attitude to
women.
The best, or only, chance I see that
this issue is reconsidered by the Catholic Church is if there is a
genuine attempt to evaluate the impact of centuries of prejudice
against the female sex on the teachings and traditions of the Church
that have been built over time. For example, it was St Paul who
wrote 'Let a woman learn in silence with full submission', 'Adam was
not deceived but the woman was deceived' and 'she will be saved
through childbearing' 18.
This type of message can easily lead to prejudice against women and
to their being considered inferior to men. This type of exercise is
neither easy nor quick.
As a Christian, I am heartened to see the egalitarian spirit of Jesus
alive in his church. As one baptised in the Catholic Church, I'm
disappointed not to see this yet in mine.
1https://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2014/07/church-of-england-to-have-women-bishops.aspx,
retrieved 24/7/2014
2https://www.churchofengland.org/our-views/women-bishops/the-women-priests-debate.aspx,
retrieved 24/7/2014
3Concordance
of the Bible - Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, James Strong,
1979, Thomas Nelson Inc.
4Matthew
10:1-8
5Luke
10:1-24
6Romans
16:7
8Luke
8:1-3
9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_at_the_crucifixion,
retrieved 25/7/2014
10Luke
24:11
11John
7:53-8:11
12John
4:1-42
13http://www.womenpriests.org/classic/append2.asp,
retrieved 25/7/2014
14'Notes
on the Female Priesthood in Antiquity', Journal of Feminist Studies
7 (1991) No 1, pp. 73-94, Giorgio Otranto
15Declaration
Inter
Insigniores
On The Question Of Admission Of Women To The Ministerial Priesthood,
Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1976
17Concerning
The Teaching Contained In “Ordinatio Sacerdotalis”, Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1995
181
Timothy 2:8-15
------------------------------------------------------
Il-Qassisin
Nisa
Fl-erbatax ta' Lulju li għadda, Sinodu
Ġenerali tal-Knisja Ingliża iddeċieda li jippermetti n-nisa li
jsiru isqfijiet1.
Għall-Knisja Ingliża, dan huwa biss żvilupp ieħor minn deċiżjoni
li kienet ittieħded f'sinodu ieħor fl-1992, fejn in-nisa
għall-ewwel darba tħallew jiġu ordnati saċerdoti2.
Għal xi partijiet oħra tal-Komunjoni
Anglikana, li l-Knisja Ingliża tifforma parti fundamentali tagħha,
dan l-iżvilupp seħħ snin qabel, bħal fil-Knisja Episkopali .
M'għandniex xi ngħidu, dan l-iżvilupp huwa kontroversjali ħafna.
Anke issa, fid-deċiżjoni li l-Knisja Ingliża għadha kif ħadet,
qed toqgħod attenta li tilleġisla sabiex il-parroċċi li ma
jaqblux mad-deċiżjoni jitħallew jagħżlu
li jkomplu jitmexxew minn raġel. Dan jista' jevita li l-Komunjoni
tkompli tinqasam b'riżultat ta' dan is-suġġett.
L-istess storja bejn wieħed u ieħor ġrat fid-denomenazzjonijiet
Protestanti u Riformati. Dawn ma jitkellmux fuq isqfijiet u
qassisin, imma fuq pastors u ministri. Uħud iħallu lin-nisa jkunu
ordnati, u oħrajn le.
Fl-aħħarnett,
it-tagħlim tal-Knisja Kattolika Rumana hu li l-Knisja m'għandhiex
awtoritá
li tordna lin-nisa bħala saċerdoti. Il-pożizzjoni tal-Knisja
Ortodossa hija simili.
Il-Katekiżmu tal-Knisja
Kattolika f'paragrafu 1577 jagħti żewġ raġunijiet prinċipali
għal dan it-tagħlim:
- li Ġesù għażel lil irġiel biss biex jiffurmaw it-tnax l-appostlu (għażla divina);
- li l-appostli għamlu l-istess meta għażlu l-kollaboraturi tagħhom li kellhom jieħdu posthom fil-ministeru tagħhom (it-tradizzjoni).
L-Appostli
Il-kelma
'appostlu' ġejja mill-kelma Griega apóstolos
li tfisser 'wieħed mibgħut'.3
Meta Ġesù
fil-bidu għażel lit-tnax, li kienu rġiel, dawn kienu 'dixxipli'
mill-kelma Latina discipulus
li
tfisser wieħed li jitgħallem. Għalhekk id-dixxipli saru
'appostli' meta ntbagħtu minn Ġesù biex jgħallmu4.
Li huwa interessanti li mhux
it-Tnax biss jissejħu appostli fil-knejjes Kattoliċi u Ortodossi.
- Luqa l-evanġelista kiteb li Ġesù bagħat grupp ta' sebgħin persuna, tnejn tnejn, biex ixandru l-bxara t-tajba5. L-isktrittura ssejħilhom dixxipli u dan ukoll huwa t-tradizzjoni tal-insara fil-punent (Kattoliċi), però l-insara tal-lvant (Ortodossi) jirreferu għalihom bħala appostli;
- San Pawl fl-Ittra lir-Rumani jirreferi għal Andonicus u Junia bħala li kienu miegħu il-ħabs u 'prominenti fost l-appostli'6. Junia aktarx kienet il-mara ta' Andonicus;
- Aħna l-Maltin kburin b'San Pawl u San Luqa li kienu Malta minħabba l-għarqa tal-vapur li kienu fuqu fi triqthom lejn Ruma. San Luqa kien wieħed mit-Tnax, imma San Pawl ma kienx. Madankollu, il-Knisja xorta tirreferi għalih ukoll bħala appostlu;
- Fl-istorja tal-mewt u qawmien ta' Ġesù, irid jingħad li l-iktar persuna li tissemma fl-erba' vanġeli li kienet preżenti u li tat l-aħbar tal-qawmien lit-Tnax hija Santa Marija Maddalena. Forsi mhux magħruf minn kulħadd li l-Knisja, mill-bidunett tagħha, ħafna sekli qabel ix-Xisma bejn l-Ortodossi u l-Kattoliċi Rumani, bdiet u għadha ssejħilha 'Appostlu lill-Appostli' 7.
Ġesù
l-egalitarju
Apparti
t-Tnax, Ġesù
kellu grupp ieħor li kienu jkunu miegħu kull fejn imur. Dawn kienu
nisa, li kienu jassistuh mill-mezzi tagħhom8.
Però,
fis-siegħa tal-prova (il-kruċifissjoni), kienu n-nisa l-iktar li baqgħu
miegħu ħdejn is-salib, u li akkumpanjaw lil ġismu lejn il-qabar9,
waqt li t-Tnax prattikament sparixxew.
Lil
nisa Ġesù
għażel biex jiżvela l-qawmien tiegħu, mhux lit-Tnax. Lil nisa
Ġesù
ried biex iwasslu l-aħbar tal-qawmien lit-Tnax, li fil-bidu lanqas
emmnuhom10!
It-Testment
il-Ġdid isemmi lin-nisa relattivament ħafna iktar mit-Testment
l-Antik. Ġesù intervjena jew tkellem kemm 'il darba favur in-nisa,
bħal fil-każ tad-tħaġġir tal-adultera11
u d-diskursata mas-Samaritana12.
Jien għalija din l-importanza li jagħti Ġesù lin-nisa, f'soċjetà
li żgur kienet iktar patrijarkali milli hi illum, kienet
rivoluzzjonarja u tagħmlu egalitarju ħafna qabel żmienna.
Tradizzjoni
Il-Kummissjoni
Pontifikali Bibblika tal-Kurja ta' Ruma ikkonkludiet fl-1977 li
t-Testment il-Ġdid waħdu mhux biżżejjed biex tiġi riżolta
il-kwistjoni tal-ordinazzjoni tan-nisa b'mod ċar darba għal
dejjem13.
Għalhekk, il-Knisja tirreferi wkoll għat-tradizzjoni tagħha, fejn
il-mexxejja tagħha dejjem kienu kuntrarji li n-nisa jwettqu
l-ministeru saċerdotali.
Fis-sekli
tal-bidu, diversi komunitajiet insara, bħan-Njostiċi u
l-Montanisti, kellhom nisa li eżerċitaw il-ministeru saċerdotali.
Diversi Missirijiet tal-Knisja ta' dakinhar, bħal Iranaeus u
Tertulljan, ikkundannaw din il-prattika14.
Għalkemm il-Knisja tirrikonoxxi preġudizzji kontra n-nisa
fil-kitbiet tal-Missirijiet tal-Knisja, minn kmieni kkunsidrat 'l
dawn il-gruppi bħala eretiċi, u żammet il-pożizzjoni
tal-Missirijiet kontra l-ordinazzjoni tan-nisa15.
Kumment
Sabiex
jipprova jwaqqaf id-dibattitu fil-Knisja fuq is-suġġett, il-Papa
Ġwann Pawlu II fl-1994 ħareġ Ittra Apostolika li l-Knisja
m'għandha l-ebda awtorità
li tordna lin-nisa bħala saċerdoti, u li dan irid jiġi segwit
minn-nies ta' fidi16.
Din mhix ġeneralment meqjusa fiha nfisha bħala infallibbli għax
ma saritx taħt il-Maġisterju (awtorita' li tistabbilixxi t-tagħlim
awtentiku) straordinarju (dikjarazzjoni solenni ex-cathedra),
imma l-Kongregazzjoni fuq id-Duttrina tal-Fidi ħarġet stqarrija
sena wara li d-dikjarazzjoni hija infallibbli taħt il-Maġisterju
ordinarju u universali17,
stqarrija li hemm dibattitu fuqha bejn it-teologi.
L-attentat
li jitwaqqaf id-dibattitu fil-Knisja Kattolika Rumana ma tantx jidher
li kellu suċċess. Diversi gruppi għadhom jaħdmu u jitkellmu
favur l-ordinazzjoni tan-nisa, bħall-Women's
Ordination Conference, Roman Catholic Womenpriests
(li huma skumnikati mill-Knisja), grupp ta' teologi Ġermaniżi u
l-Association
of Catholic Priests
tal-Irlanda, fost l-oħrajn.
It-tagħlim
tal-Knisja Kattolika f'dan ir-rigward narah bħala pass lura
mill-ispirtu ta' dixxerniment tas-sinjali taż-żminijiet, spirtu li
kien qawwi fil-Knisja fi żmien il-Kunsill tal-Vatikan II
tas-sittinijiet. Naħseb li ftit huma dawk fis-soċjetajiet
tal-Punent li ma jarawx moviment qawwi illum favur l-ugwaljanza
tan-nisa f'kull aspett tas-soċjetà.
Jien nara li dan għandu japplika wkoll għall-Knisja, u bl-ebda mod
ma jista' jitqies kontra t-tagħlim ta' Ġesu.
Inħoss li l-Knisja mhix qed
tirrikonoxxi biżżejjed ir-rwol ewlieni ta' xhieda tal-fidi tan-nisa
meta Ġesù kien ħaj kif ukoll bħala ħabbara tal-Bxara t-Tajba
wara. Barra minn hekk, it-tradizzjonijiet isiru u dawk li mhumiex
fundamentali jistgħu jinbidlu maż-żmien (li diġa ġrat fil-Knisja
kemm-il-darba). Li mexxejja rġiel jagħmlu minn kollox biex iżommu
sistema patrijarkali hija mistennija, anke jekk ġenwinament jemmnu
fiha, imma la hija profetika u lanqas ma naraha koerenti
mal-attitudni lejn in-nisa ta' Ġesù. It-tradizzjoni għadha
għaddejja u tibqa' ssir.
L-aħjar, jew l-uniku, ċans li
nara 'l din il-kwistjoni terġa tiġi kkunsidrata fil-Knisja
Kattolika hu jekk isir attentat ġenwin li jiġi evalwat l-impatt ta'
sekli ta' preġudizzji kontra s-sess femminil fuq it-tagħlim u/jew
it-tradizzjonijiet tal-Knisja li nbnew matul iż-żminijiet. Per
eżempju, kien San Pawl li kiteb li l-mara 'għandha titgħallem
fis-silenzju u fis-sottomissjoni', 'Adam ma tqarraqx imma Eva
tqarrqet', u li 'hi tiġi salvata biss bil-ħlas'18.
Dawn it-tip ta' messaġġi faċilment iwasslu għal preġudizzju
kontra n-nisa u li jkunu meqjusa inferjuri għall-irġiel. Dan
it-tip ta' eżerċizzju la huwa faċli u lanqas xi ħaġa ta' malajr.
Bħala nisrani, inqawwi qalbi li
nara l-ispirtu egalitarju ta' Ġesù ħaj fil-knisja tiegħu. Bħala
bniedem mgħammed fil-Knisja Kattolika, jiddispjaċini li dan għadni
ma naraħx fil-knisja tiegħi.
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