Community of St. Bridget
  • Home
  • About
  • Inspiration
    • Ann Klonowski
    • Mary Eileen Collingwood
    • Beverly Bingle
  • Links

Are things looking up for women in the church?

5/11/2015

 
From NCR: Are things looking up for women in the church? by Christine Schenk 
...Right now, the church has contradictory teachings about women's roles. It teaches that women are equal but that they are forbidden to exercise that equality in church decision-making. If this crazy-making cognitive dissonance prevails, women will forever be deprived of full participation in church life and leadership, not to mention the selection of pastors, bishops and popes.

We have two possible ways out of this debacle. We ordain women, or we change canon law so that governance rests with baptism rather than with ordination.

I personally favor the latter option. The church will make better decisions if the great diversity of voices, lay and ordained, is brought to bear on decisions that affect all of us. Plus, clericalism is an equal-opportunity affliction, and feminist Catholics often caution against an "add women and stir" mentality that does nothing to change oppressive top-down structures.

That said, I also favor anything that provides women with greater leverage in decisions affecting them and their families. If ordination -- beginning with women deacons -- is the only practical option right now, then I'm for it.   read full essay

[A Sister of St. Joseph, Sr. Christine Schenk served urban families for 18 years as a nurse midwife before co-founding FutureChurch, where she served for 23 years. She holds master's degrees in nursing and theology.]

Comments are closed.


    Categories

    All
    ARCWP Newsletters
    Call Stories
    Ordinations
    Take Action

    Archives

    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    Picture
Photos used under Creative Commons from torbakhopper, Muffet, OliBac, comedy_nose, edenpictures, RAYANDBEE, Edsel L, blacklord
  • Home
  • About
  • Inspiration
    • Ann Klonowski
    • Mary Eileen Collingwood
    • Beverly Bingle
  • Links
✕