Whether Women Ordination Is an Issue of Concern in the Religious World - Essay Example

Introduction Numerous arguments have been raised regarding the issue of women ordination, and up to the debate is still on among both the Catholics and the Protestants. To begin with, one issue that comes out clear from proponents of this debate is that the issue of ministering the church is a collective responsibility for both men and women. Therefore, proponents argue that both women and men add complementary sensibility to the work of God, and both should be sufficiently equipped, openly commissioned, and wholly accepted in the ministry work. It is worth noting that there are numerous issues in the secular society that require human attention hence the need for everyone to be fully involved in the work of God (Grenz & Kjesbo 1995, p.116). The question, which this paper seeks to answer, is whether women ordination is an issue of concern in the religious world. In addressing the issue of women ordination, this paper will discuss facts that support women ordination in the Anglican Church. In addition, facts that oppose women ordination will be addressed. Today, women ordination is an evident fact in some sections of the Anglican Communion. To add on this fact, women ordination is gaining wide acceptance across the entire Anglican Communion. Schmidt (1996) observes that the Anglican Communion is faced with a challenge of justifying its move to ordain women since this has not been the norm for the Anglican community. For this reason, Anglicans have to justify their move from a biblical point of view. However, Anglicans believe that persons opposing women ordination have their own compelling reasons. Arguments raised by the Anglicans in their defense for women ordination The Anglicans strongly believe that women ordination is scriptural. For this reason, they are strongly convinced that the word of God does not only allow women ordination, but also demands it when it is read carefully, without any bias. Far from keeping off women from ministering the church, the Holy Scripture strengthens on the equality between men and women citing that both are equal in nature and in the roles they play in leadership. This argument is based on the ground that serving the ministry is a calling from God and the person is fully gifted to serve the ministry (Moore 2002, p. 52). The Anglicans caution that the story of creation must be properly understood. In their opinion, there is no any mentioning of “male headship” in relation to governance in Genesis 1. On the same note, the issue is never mentioned in Genesis 2. According to the Anglicans, the only available authority is that of God himself. The Anglicans are of the opinion that equality and mutual submission present in both man and woman is a submission to God and in Him to one another. Further arguments suggest that God never placed men over women during his ordering of creation. The Anglican point out that the initial point where male headship is overheard is after the fall of Genesis 3. This is because of sins committed by man, as well as the reaction towards God’s judgment after man’s disobedience (Moore 2002, p. 58). Between the period of Abraham and Christ, mans leadership as “ruling” was minimal and shaped by legislation in the Old Testament, and later punctuated by selected women who were a calling from God. These women included women such as Deborah who was called to serve to serve various forms of headship and proclamation. Anglicans argument from equality point of view The other issue raised by the Anglicans in their defense for ordaining women is the fact that everyone was created in the likeness of God. In their own view, they find it difficult to deny that we are all created in Gods image; therefore, we are all equal before the eyes of God. Therefore, Anglicans believe that this equality can only be expressed through practice of ordaining women to serve God. By the mere fact that we are all equal before Christ, the Anglicans support that ordination most appropriately based on the ground of calling and giftedness rather than basing it on gender issues. Therefore, when there is gift, calling, and preparedness both men and women have equal opportunities to serve the church ministry (Sumner 2009, p.103). Argument from the point of God’s character and attributes People serving in the church ministry, either as priests or bishops, play a critical role of mediating God’s ministry among believers through the word of God, sacrament, and oversight. Therefore, their key responsibility is to deliver God’s authority and character to believers of Christ. For this reason, Anglicans strongly believe that since God’s image and likeness are manifested in both men and women, then it would be most appropriate if men and women participated in serving God’s people. If this is so, men and women would clearly represent God’s transcendence and power on the side, and God’s immanence and nurturing love on the other side. Anglicans support that both men and women deserve a chance to bring their masculinity and femininity, and varying and complementary gifts into the work of God if the church is focused on remaining faithful to God (Sumner 2009, p. 113). Therefore, for an ordained ministry to resemble the God it serves, men and women must be included in the ministry. However, the question that troubles majority of believers is whether women can represent Christ who was a male, and who revealed the Father. This issue becomes particularly significant during the celebration of the Holy Communion. The Anglican is of the opinion that Christ incarnates and resembles the entire nature of God. This includes God’s attributes of masculinity and femininity, which supports the fact that men and women are created in God’s image and likeness. It is worth noting that the human nature that God assumed was human nature per se rather than maleness. To add on this, Anglicans point out that men and women assume the image of God through the help of the Holy Spirit (Moore 2002, p. 62). Argument from the point of complementarity The scripture and nature in general supports that, although men and women are much alike, they also differ significantly. In this view, men are created masculine while women tend to be feminine. Therefore, these two variations complement each other. The Anglicans are of the opinion that the two variations need to be made part of the ordained leadership of the church ministry. The Anglicans believe that this fact has been neglected altogether. They believe that the major reason for neglecting this fact is due to the lack of clarity in defining masculinity and femininity. This is because masculinity and femininity share similarities in shadings and degrees. In support of this point, there is no any woman who has similar femininity in the degree to another woman. On the contrary, there is no man who is perfectly masculine in a similar way to another man (Jewett 1980, p.72). Argument from the point of church traditions Over a prolonged period, church traditions have denied women the right to serve church ministries. However, this has not always been the case. The Anglicans are of the opinion that existing church traditions can be repealed to allow for women ordination. In support of this fact, Anglicans believe that the way in which church traditions take shape is through practice and consideration over a considerable period. Therefore, there are possibilities of doing away with such practices in favor of women ordination. Addressing this issue critically, Christ believers cannot use the past over 2000 years that have denied women the right to serve the church ministry to justify the continued rejection of women ordination. For this reason, a thorough theological attention is vital in order to define the role of women in church ministries (Jewett 1980, p.79). Arguments against women ordination The first argument that opposes the ordination of women is derived from the scripture, and it forms the main source of argument in the opposition debate. In the scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament, there are clear calls for male priesthood and episcopate, but there are no calls for women to head God’s congregations. Therefore, going by this fact, a committed Christian has no reason to challenge male leadership in church ministries. On the same note, rejection of women ordination by believers is not a sin. This is supported by the statement that says “if God in his plan has a plan, we should all walk in it” (Schreiner & Köstenberger 2005, p.141). Studying the bible critically, there is no single verse that talks of women serving as priests in either the Old Testament or in the New Testament. Looking into the New Testament, Jesus never appointed any woman to become one of the twelve Apostles. Opponents of women ordination argue that Jesus had the ability to appoint any woman to work along with the twelve apostles and after His death and resurrection, appoint the woman to be an apostle. On the same note, the apostles never appointed a woman to replace Judas, but instead chose a man. In addition, the apostles never appointed women to serve in the capacity presbyter or bishop (Grenz & Kjesbo 1995, p.132). The sustained practice of male priesthood and other forms of leadership in church ministries becomes pronounced, especially when one recalls the various ministries that women exercised in the scripture, which include the ministry of prophecy that is considered by St. Paul as the highest gift of the Holy Spirit. During the days of Jesus’ ministries, women were one given the freedom and the invitation to learn and teach. However, this move was a total violation of the norms of those days. The call for women to serve leadership positions in church ministries was done severally. With a good understanding of the Lord, the Apostles, and the early church, the issue of male leadership should be taken with utmost seriousness (Sumner 2009, p. 114). Man’s leadership gives a clear picture of God’s fatherhood in the life of the trinity and through the act of creation. This further serves as an indication of God’s reign in human life. The scripture states that, from God’s Fatherhood, all earthly fatherhood is mentioned. In the Holy Scripture, man’s leadership portrays the Father’s leadership, which also captures the aspects of initiation and governance. This forms the basis for the creation of man as the first human being and then later the female. For this reason, man stands out as the head of humanity. Man came first, and the woman was sourced from man to give the man some company. Therefore, man’s headship at the family level extends further to the church ministry taking into account that the family is a small church within a church, and the church comprises of a family made of families of God (Moore 2002, p. 61). References List Grenz, S. J & Kjesbo, D. M. (1995).Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry, Chicago, InterVarsity Press. p.116-132. Jewett, P. K. (1980). The Ordination of Women: An Essay on the Office of Christian Ministry, Chicago, Eerdmans. pp.72-80. Moore, Z. B. (2002). Introducing Feminist Perspectives on Pastoral Theology, London, Continuum International Publishing Group. p.52-62. Schmidt, F. W. (1996). A Still Small Voice: Women, Ordination, and the Church, New York, Syracuse University Press. Sumner, S. (2009). Men and Women in the Church: Building Consensus on Christian Leadership, New York, InterVarsity Press. p.103-114. Schreiner, T. R. &Köstenberger, A. J. (2005). Women in the Church: An Analysis and Application of 1 Timothy 2:9-15, London, Baker Publishing Group. pp.141- Read More