Arguments from Scripture

The Arguments from Scripture

Rome's Arguments based on Scripture Throughout, I use the term Rome to indicate both the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Holy Father.		Counter Arguments based on Scripture
.		Scriptural Overview
1. Jesus Christ did not call any woman to be part of the twelve apostles. His openness to women shows that he did not yield to social opinions of the time. Rome's texts! 2.Thus he established a permanent norm. Rome's texts! 3. Even Mary was not invested with the apostolic ministry. Rome's texts!		1. The reason why Christ did not choose women to be part of the Twelve was the social predominance of men in his time. 2. It is invalid to argue from something Jesus did not do, to his establishing a permanent norm. 3. However, he made women equal partners in the priesthood imparted through baptism, which disposes women to share in the priestly ministry. Mary is the supreme example of this. 4. And, do not forget, women were present at the Last Supper when Jesus said: “Do this in commemoration of me!” Read: Suzanne Tunc and Marjorie Maguire.
Further Readings!		Further Readings!
4. Rome admits that 1 Cor 11,2-16 does no longer have a normative value, but overlooks the negative influence faulty exegesis has had on Fathers and scholastic theologians. Rome's texts! 5. Paul distinguished between his female co-workers and male colleagues in the ministry. Rome's texts! 6. Paul excluded women from teaching and presiding in the assembly. This established a permanent norm. Rome's texts!		5. Paul imposed prohibitions on women inspired by local custom, such as wearing a veil: 1 Corinthians 11,2-16. Paul's rationalizations here have misled many Fathers and theologians in the past. 6. Paul taught the fundamental equality of men and women in Christ: Galatians 3,27-28. This disposes women as well as men to share in Christ's ministerial priesthood. 7. Some disciples of Paul forbade women to speak in the assembly: 1 Timothy 2,1-12 and 1 Corinthians14,34-35 . This did not establish a permanent norm.
Rome admits the inadequacy of such Old Testament exegesis, but conveniently forgets that this faulty exegesis invalidated the judgement of many Fathers and theologians who rejected the ordination of women.		Old Testament passages have been used in past centuries to declare women incapable of ordination. 8. God was thought to have created woman as an inferior being: Genesis 2,18-23. 9. God was thought to have subjected woman to man as a punishment for original sin: Genesis 3,16. 10. Man was thought to be superior to woman in intelligence and character: Sirach 25,13-24. Read also: John H.Otwell, And Sarah Laughed. The Status of Woman in the Old Testament, 1977
		Conclusion: Sacred Scripture cannnot validly be appealed to regarding the ordination of women.

For related online Libraries see:
The ORDINATION OF WOMEN in the Catholic Church	Catherine of Siena VIRTUAL COLLEGE
THE BODY IS SACRED	MYSTERY AND BEYOND

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