Ordination of women: Difference between revisions
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=== The argument from "injustice" === | === The argument from "injustice" === | ||
When I entered the Jesuits in 1973, I was in favor of women's ordination. I paid dues to some national organization (perhaps N.O.W.?), and attended a conference that favored women's ordination circa | When I entered the Jesuits in 1973, I was in favor of women's ordination. I paid dues to some national organization (perhaps N.O.W.?), and attended a conference that favored women's ordination circa March 27, 1976. As the conference began, I supported the idea; by the end of the conference, I opposed it. | ||
All of their arguments were based on treating the priesthood as something that is the property of the ordained. I saw that if this was true, and if women were included in the propertied class, the basic injustice of having first- and second-class (or privileged and underprivileged) Catholics would remain. | All of their arguments were based on treating the priesthood as something that is the property of the ordained. I saw that if this was true, and if women were included in the propertied class, the basic injustice of having first- and second-class (or privileged and underprivileged) Catholics would remain. | ||
The argument that the ministerial priesthood is an ''injustice to women,'' because the ordained hold powers and property that the unordained do not, is not an argument in favor of the ordination of women but an argument for the abolition of the priesthood. | The argument that the ministerial priesthood is an ''injustice to women,'' because the ordained hold powers and property that the unordained do not, is not an argument in favor of the ordination of women but an argument for the abolition of the priesthood. | ||
If it is unfair for some to possess a kind of property that others do not, it does not matter whether the elite are an all-male bastion or whether the club is open to both sexes. | |||
If it is unfair for some to possess a kind of property that others do not, it does not matter whether the elite are an all-male bastion or whether the club is open to both sexes. The argument for the ordination of women on the grounds of injustice are really arguments for the abolition of the priesthood altogether, as has been done in the vast majority of non-Catholic Christian sects. | |||
Priesthood is not a piece of property that benefits the property holder at the expense of others. The powers that are given to priests to administer the sacraments and to rule as Vicars of Christ do not enrich them personally at the expense of the unordained. God does not love priests more than the laity nor are priests exempt from any of the standards applied to all of the disciples of Jesus. | Priesthood is not a piece of property that benefits the property holder at the expense of others. The powers that are given to priests to administer the sacraments and to rule as Vicars of Christ do not enrich them personally at the expense of the unordained. God does not love priests more than the laity nor are priests exempt from any of the standards applied to all of the disciples of Jesus. | ||
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Galatians: no slave or free, no male or female, no Jew or Gentile. | Galatians: no slave or free, no male or female, no Jew or Gentile. | ||
==== Transitive Fallacies ==== | |||
In mathematics, the transitive property of equations means that two variables that are both equal to a third are equal to each other: | |||
:: A = C | |||
:: B = C | |||
:: A = B | :: A = B | ||
:: B = C | |||
:: A = C | I endorse this wholeheartedly in the realm of mathematics. It is a purely logical deduction from the understanding of what "equality" means in the abstract. | ||
We can be led astray by constructing a sequence of ideas that resemble the mathematical equations but do not work as reasonable arguments. | |||
:; All humans are created in "image and likeness of God." | |||
:: A = C -- Men are human beings. | |||
:: B = C -- Women are human beings. | |||
:: A = B -- Men and women are equal. | |||
:: Therefore, whatever a man can do, a woman can do. | |||
::: It is true that "men and women are equal" ''in their participation in human nature'' and ''in their resemblance to God." | |||
::: It is not true that "Men ''are'' women" or that "Women ''are'' men." | |||
:::; Counter-example: | |||
:::: A = C -- Black is a color. | |||
:::: B = C -- White is a color. | |||
:::: A = B -- Black and white are the same. | |||
::::: This is simply false. Black and white are opposite colors; you cannot substitute one for the other. It is true that both are colors, and both are members of the same category, but from that kind of sameness, it does not follow that they are the same in all other respects. | |||
=== Women clerics could solve the priest shortage === | === Women clerics could solve the priest shortage === | ||
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=== Women cannot love God as much as men can === | === Women cannot love God as much as men can === | ||
=== God wants women to be priests === | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
Revision as of 02:14, 14 April 2015
Restriction of ordination to men
- The masculinity of the priesthood reflects at least two dimensions of masculinity: the masculinity of God, the Father, and the masculinity of Jesus, true God and true man.
- The Church judges that it cannot ordain women because Jesus did not ordain women.
- October 28, 1995
- Dubium: Whether the teaching that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women, which is presented in the Apostolic Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis to be held definitively, is to be understood as belonging to the deposit of faith.
- Responsum: In the affirmative.
- This teaching requires definitive assent, since, founded on the written Word of God, and from the beginning constantly preserved and applied in the Tradition of the Church, it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium.[1] Thus, in the present circumstances, the Roman Pontiff, exercising his proper office of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32), has handed on this same teaching by a formal declaration, explicitly stating what is to be held always, everywhere, and by all, as belonging to the deposit of the faith.
- "If they can indeed 'reject' Magisterial authority, that same authority is, logically, powerless to ordain them in any real and meaningful way."
Arguments for the Ordination of Women
The argument from "injustice"
When I entered the Jesuits in 1973, I was in favor of women's ordination. I paid dues to some national organization (perhaps N.O.W.?), and attended a conference that favored women's ordination circa March 27, 1976. As the conference began, I supported the idea; by the end of the conference, I opposed it.
All of their arguments were based on treating the priesthood as something that is the property of the ordained. I saw that if this was true, and if women were included in the propertied class, the basic injustice of having first- and second-class (or privileged and underprivileged) Catholics would remain.
The argument that the ministerial priesthood is an injustice to women, because the ordained hold powers and property that the unordained do not, is not an argument in favor of the ordination of women but an argument for the abolition of the priesthood.
If it is unfair for some to possess a kind of property that others do not, it does not matter whether the elite are an all-male bastion or whether the club is open to both sexes. The argument for the ordination of women on the grounds of injustice are really arguments for the abolition of the priesthood altogether, as has been done in the vast majority of non-Catholic Christian sects.
Priesthood is not a piece of property that benefits the property holder at the expense of others. The powers that are given to priests to administer the sacraments and to rule as Vicars of Christ do not enrich them personally at the expense of the unordained. God does not love priests more than the laity nor are priests exempt from any of the standards applied to all of the disciples of Jesus.
Mary Magdalene was an apostle
Men and women are equal
Galatians: no slave or free, no male or female, no Jew or Gentile.
Transitive Fallacies
In mathematics, the transitive property of equations means that two variables that are both equal to a third are equal to each other:
- A = C
- B = C
- A = B
I endorse this wholeheartedly in the realm of mathematics. It is a purely logical deduction from the understanding of what "equality" means in the abstract.
We can be led astray by constructing a sequence of ideas that resemble the mathematical equations but do not work as reasonable arguments.
- All humans are created in "image and likeness of God."
- A = C -- Men are human beings.
- B = C -- Women are human beings.
- A = B -- Men and women are equal.
- Therefore, whatever a man can do, a woman can do.
- It is true that "men and women are equal" in their participation in human nature and in their resemblance to God."
- It is not true that "Men are women" or that "Women are men."
- Counter-example
- A = C -- Black is a color.
- B = C -- White is a color.
- A = B -- Black and white are the same.
- This is simply false. Black and white are opposite colors; you cannot substitute one for the other. It is true that both are colors, and both are members of the same category, but from that kind of sameness, it does not follow that they are the same in all other respects.
Women clerics could solve the priest shortage
Lack of acceptance proves the practice is invalid
If the male priesthood were from GOD, then all Catholics would agree with the teaching.
Not all Catholics agree with the teaching.
Therefore, the teaching is not from God.
Women cannot love God as much as men can
God wants women to be priests
References
- ↑ Ratzinger's footnote reads: "Cf. Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium 25, 2." The first paragraph of #25 says: "This religious submission of mind and will must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra; that is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will. His mind and will in the matter may be known either from the character of the documents, from his frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or from his manner of speaking" (LG 25). The second paragraph says: "Although the individual bishops do not enjoy the prerogative of infallibility, they nevertheless proclaim Christ's doctrine infallibly whenever, even though dispersed through the world, but still maintaining the bond of communion among themselves and with the successor of Peter, and authentically teaching matters of faith and morals, they are in agreement on one position as definitively to be held" (emphasis added).