Two women will receive the ordination vows and the laying of hands in the Catholic diocese of Philadelphia.
The impending ceremony – the first of its kind in Philadelphia – elicited a one-page denunciation from Philadelphia's archbishop. "I am concerned pastorally for the souls of those involved" in "this pseudo-Ordination," Cardinal Justin Rigali said in a statement released Friday. It "denigrates the truth entrusted to the Church by Christ Himself."
via Risking heresy to serve as priests | Philadelphia Inquirer | 04/26/2009.
What is most interesting here is not that two women are seeking to break the "infallible law" of male-only ordination to priesthood. What is most fascinating the the rigidity and the sectarian tone of the archbishop's response and then comparing this to the truth of Christ. It was Pope VI who made the assertion that since jesus did not choose any female disciples that this formed an immutable pattern for the church. It also distorts the ministry of Paul which included women essentially in positions of church planting in his missionary ministry. It also ignores that Christ himself was a radical in his view of women lest we assume that his breaking of the law then for the sake of women in several cases cannot, by immutable law, extend to female leadership in an as yet unformed church.
This is sectarianism super-style and is relying on an immutable law proscribed with an interpretation of Scripture than has become immutable. Orthodoxy is no more than social control with theological window dressing to allow one to place blame and agency outside of one's self. The hierarchy can say, "It's not us who made this law, it's Christ!" Yet Christ did not intend to make new laws, he only intended to fulfill the one's that were already in the books, so to speak.
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Great post, Drew! When you said, 'Orthodoxy is no more than social control with theological window dressing to allow one to place blame and agency outside of one's self. The hierarchy can say, "It's not us who made this law, it's Christ!"', it reminded me of the guy over at Emergent Village Facebook group talking on the role of homosexuals in the church. He always said, 'It's not me saying it, but G-D and His Word.' No one takes responsibility and puts it all on G-D and this pisses me off to no end!
in the mystical world of many an evangelical apparently there is no human agency in anything. that's a nice way to absolve oneself from lying.
Books could be written about the Cardinal's statement… Sheesh, the kind of language that asserts defense of the truth and the message of Christ displays a frightening absolutism and inability to reckon with the complexities of biblical interpretation.
It comes from a recapitulation of the current see on the immutability of church dogma. The theological issues with that position are paramount.
Books could be written about the Cardinal's statement… Sheesh, the kind of language that asserts defense of the truth and the message of Christ displays a frightening absolutism and inability to reckon with the complexities of biblical interpretation.
It comes from a recapitulation of the current see on the immutability of church dogma. The theological issues with that position are paramount.