Church In Controversy - Essay Example

Religion and Theology 2nd May, Church in Controversy This paper analyses the article, “Catholic “Women Priests”: Can There Be a Discussion?” by Fr. Dwight Longenecker. The analysis of the article is done using the given questions. This article was written to the Catholic faithful who do not realize the main theological and historical reasons behind Catholic Church’s opposition to women ordination; the main audience of this article, therefore, are the Catholics who thinks that women ordination is a debatable issue, and the Catholics who are of the view that women should be ordained in the Catholic Church.

The main reason why the author has chosen to write this article to allay the misunderstandings that are there concerning the controversial issue of women ordination; the author, therefore, has written this article to explain the main reason why the Catholic Church is opposed to women ordination. The following are the three key points that the author has chosen to convince his author of his thesis. Firstly, the author has demonstrated, clearly, that the arguments of the proponents of women ordination are utilitarian and sentimental arguments, and that the arguments are not based on the correct interpretation of the scriptures.

Secondly, the author has compellingly and convincingly argued that the ordination of women would change the iconography of worship, and as a result have far reaching consequences on the Christian understanding of God and the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Church. Thirdly, the author has compellingly argued that women ordination is contrary to the” sacramental nature” of priesthood. The structure for the author’s argument is as follows. First, the author lays bare the flaws in the arguments for the proponents of women ordination; to do this, the author clearly explains how the arguments of the proponents of women ordination in the Catholic Church is not based on Scriptures, or any Theological knowledge.

Secondly, the author explains how women ordination would change the iconography of worship, making Christians to have a different view of God and a different understanding of the relationship of Jesus Christ with the Church. And lastly, the author explains how the priesthood of women is opposed to the sacramental nature of priesthood. The author has really convinced me to accept his thesis. The main reason why I am convinced that the author’s thesis is true is that the author’s arguments demonstrate, in very clear terms, that the ordination of women is inconsistent with the Christian understanding of the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Church; also, the author has demonstrated in this article that ordination of women is, indeed, not compatible with the sacramental nature of priesthood.

In my view, the author has not left out any important point, or any important fact or argument that is opposed to his viewpoint on this topic. The following two relevant historical and cultural circumstances can help us to understand the author’s point better. First of all, the author is writing in the contemporary world where the culture of relativism and scepticism seems to characterize the people’s general approach to life. For this reason, therefore, the author has to make strong arguments based on facts and right reason to prove his point.

Secondly, the author has written this article in an historical time when the debate of women ordination is raging and when some women have left the church because of this controversial issue. For this reason, therefore, the author had to critically review the arguments of the proponents of women ordination, so as to persuade the proponents of women ordination in the Catholic Church to understand that women ordination is not in conformity with the teachings and the will of Jesus Christ. This reading, however, does not discuss one of the life’s big questions.

Father Longenecker’s statement in this article would help, but not hinder, when responding to the twenty-first century controversy in the Catholic Church. This is because the author’s argument is supported by strong arguments that demonstrate that the author is, indeed, right on this issue. Work Cited Father Longenecker, D. ” Catholic “Women Priest”: Can There Be a Discussion?”. The Catholic World Report. Dec, 10, 2014. Web. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source= web&cd=8&cad =rja& uact=8&ved=0CEsQFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fww>