Are things looking up for women in the church?

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.]