• 08:47
  • Tuesday ,01 August 2017
العربية

There is no priesthood for women in the Orthodox Church

Father Asanasius

Article Of The Day

00:08

Tuesday ,01 August 2017

There is no priesthood for women in the Orthodox Church

God has created men and women as equal human being. This emphasis the company, unity and adherence between them as the essence of humanity. Adam was created from dust and Eve was taken from his rips to be made equal to him. 

This equality does not cancel that both Adam and Eve had different role and function. Therefore, Christ didn t choose a woman among his disciples and messengers. Neither the apostles nor their successors have ordained women as priests. 
 
St. Peter called men to (be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life). However, women had no priestly work in the Tent of Meeting of the Old Testament.
 
This is the biblical and theological basis that modern law and constitution cannot change. The fact is that: women are not permitted to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. (1 Timothy 2:12) Even St. Mary had nothing to do with priesthood.
 
We can t exaggerate and claim that women nowadays have better situation and rights than the saintly women of the early church including the Virgin Mary, Mary, the sister of Moses and Aaron, Deborah the Judge, Khaldah and Hanah the Prophets, Esther the Queen, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of Mark, Persila the wife of Aquila or the daughters of Philip the evangelist!
 
Moreover, priesthood is not a job, but a call and service that not even all men are fit to. Jesus Christ founded the holy sacrament and delivered the eucharistic supper to the twelve disciples when no woman was among them. Throughout history, there was no woman among the priests who served the church. Jesus hasn t ordain a priestess or appointed a woman messenger.
 
 The question of the priesthood of women is now brought up with the motives of curiosity, and modernization ignoring the facts of the Christian faith.
 
The issue of the priesthood of women cannot be seen from a revolutionary or liberal standpoint.  It is not a fashion, but it is a matter of faith and belief in the holy bible even if it has not granted priesthood for women.