New Series - Women as Ordained Priests or Not
Editor | Tuesday, October 11, 2011 Whether or not to ordain women into priestly leadership has been one of the most significant organizational questions facing churches over the last century. In some ways, the movement by now is a mature one in which many churches have already answered the question and drawn lines in the sand. But in other ways, just like in the romantic relationship between the sexes, the balance of role division and mutual respect remains elusive and dynamic.
Though the majority of New Church organizations now make no distinction between the sexes with regard to ordination into the priesthood, several continue to distinguish the role as a uniquely masculine function.
The essays published over the next several weeks give special attention to the General Church of the New Jerusalem as one of the organizations which retains an exclusively male priesthood. It is our hope that the topics of appropriate spiritual leadership and role division between the sexes are universal to all worship groups. Presumably the attention given to the General Church as a case study will have relevance and interest even to those in other traditions and organizations.
Certainly these topics are likely to hit readers at a gut level and raise deep emotional responses. Please join the conversation and add your perspectives. But use this as an opportunity to exercise and develop your ability to listen. Allow for the possibility that other people are sincere and well intentioned. You can remind yourself of our comment guidelines. Enjoy the series!
Looking for even more on the topic? We've compiled a collection of additional papers and studies.
Entries in the Series:
1. The 21st-Century Debate on Women in the Priesthood Part I: Dangerous Feelings by Alaina Mobaso.
2. The 21st-Century Debate on Women in the Priesthood Part II: “Side-Notes” and Tradition by Alaina Mobaso.
3. Women in the Ministry by Joel Glenn.
4. A Home for Love by Ronnie Schnarr.
5. A Dialog about the Ordination of Women in the General Church by Kristin Coffin and Brian Smith. PART: 1 2 3 4 5
Wondering about the inspiration for this article? Look up the New Church, which is based on the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.
Reader Comments (42)
(The collection is also linked above at the end of the introduction to the series on women in ministry).
We are almost at the end of this year's clergy meetings. Several people have suggested that we discuss this topic at some point. But there hasn't been much discussion of it at these meetings.