Should women be allowed to be bishops?

Superman · Fleet Admiral Joined: 06 Dec 2003 Posts: 10220

This may be a sensitive topic, but I hope there will be no tension in here.

Before I post my views, let me say that I am not a member of any Anglican church or the Roman Catholic Church.

There has been a big debate recently about whether women should be allowed to be bishops in The Church of England and The Roman Catholic Church. There has in fact been a debate for years, but it's in the spotlight once again.

I believe in equal rights for everyone. I like women very much. I think they do good in a lot of professions like nursing. I also believe they do well in jobs that used to be male-dominated like the Police and Fire Service, and the Armed Forces. If they were to be ordained as priests and bishops, I am sure they could do a good job, especially as a lot of women are very compassionate.

However, I don't know what the theological reasons are behind women not being allowed to be priests or bishops (women can be vicars in The Church of England, but not bishops, whilst the Roman Catholic Church does not allow women priests). To be honest, I am wondering what the theological answer is.

I look forward to reading people's views.

borgslayer · **Tue Jul 26, 2005 8:28 pm**

Theres already a woman nearing that role her name is Sinead O'Conner the former singer turned Priest.

Superman · Fleet Admiral Joined: 06 Dec 2003 Posts: 10220

That's news to me. Do you have any more information, please?

borgslayer · **Tue Jul 26, 2005 8:32 pm**

You can visit her website and she has info on that.

Superman · Fleet Admiral Joined: 06 Dec 2003 Posts: 10220

I've just had a look at some information about that. It happened in the late 90s. I must have missed that piece of news.

Founder · **Tue Jul 26, 2005 8:43 pm**

How ironic. The women who tore a picture of the Pope in half, while saying "Fight the real enemy", is now trying to be a Priest. The power of forgiveness....

I'm a Catholic. As I understand it, they mirror the choosing of a Priest as Jesus did with the Apostles. Which we all men.

This isn't really discrimination IMO. Women are not seen as lesser beings in the Church. In fact, many women are put on a hig pedestal. For example, Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church is seen as very important.

I think some Churches do allow women and married people. So its not like a 100% ban or anything.

I used to assume that Nuns were the female equivalent of a Priest, but I guess I was wrong.

Superman · Fleet Admiral Joined: 06 Dec 2003 Posts: 10220

Jeff Miller · **Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:51 pm**

CJ Cregg · Commodore Joined: 05 Oct 2002 Posts: 1254

But isn't there an alternative version of the Jesus and his apostles about Mary Magdalene and that she was actually supposed to lead the church but the men didn't like that so they took over and rewrite history by making her seem like a prostitute.

It was in the Da Vinci Code i think

Founder · **Tue Jul 26, 2005 10:14 pm**

Puck · The Texan Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 5596

I don't want them to, but I can't really think of a reason besides that I am a little sexist I suppose. It wouldn't really be a big deal to me if they were allowed to become preists...I think it is just that I am so used to seeing mens as preists it would be weird.

Jeff Miller · **Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:41 pm**

Founder · **Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:49 pm**

Puck · The Texan Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 5596

Jeff Miller · **Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:55 pm**

I'm editing this post because Puck asked me to.

Ok as I said she did what she did because of the churches history with people.

If women want to become priest or whatever I say let them. I don't see what bad it would do.

purple_kathryn · **Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:25 am**

AFAIK one of the reasons Jesus in the bible didn't want women to be "preists" was because men wouldn't listen to them as they weren't men.

Although pretty much all religions have seen women as "lesser"including the various christian religions - women are unclean as they menstruate dontcha know, there's many references in the bible about folks being allowed to sell their daughters and women submitting to their husbands.

On a personal basis, no one should be told they aren't allowed to do something that they're perfectly capable of simply because of their sex.

nadia · cookie Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 8560 Location: Australia

Yes, woman should be allowed too. We should be treated equally!

Seven of Nine · **Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:47 am**

I think that women should be allowed to become bishops. I am a member of the Church of England, where women are already allowed to become priests. I cannot say anything about Catholics, as I don't know enough. I do know that the Church of England tries to promote equality and tolerance though.

Leo Wyatt · **Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:26 am**

I am Pentecostal and I see women preachers all the time.

nadia · cookie Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 8560 Location: Australia

madlilnerd · **Wed Jul 27, 2005 6:14 am**

Paul wrote in one of his letters (bare with me, I'm quoting from a pretty shaking memory): "We are all equal in the eyes of God... men and women."
But in another one of his letters, he wrote that only men should be priests!

The Catholic church in Britian has a shortage of priests at the moment, so they have started advertising on beer mats (I kid you not). They are also thinking of allowing priests to marry, which I think is quite a good idea. I live next door but one from the local vicarage, and two vicars that have lived there are both married (well, one of them had an affair and left in disgrace, but the new one is a lot better). I think it's best for vicars or priests to be married with children, because it gives them a better view on family life and might make it easier to understand family problems within their parish.

As for women bishops... tricky. I'm thinking that it's not going to happen in the Roman Catholic church. They're very traditional, and I salute them for sticking to their metaphorical guns. Maybe, in the Anglican church, after all, the bishop of cantabury is that crazy druid guy (he's really nice) and we soon might have gay bishops.
I, myself, have not given my life to God and do not plan to become a vicar, high priestess, druid, oracle or bishop. For a while, I wanted to be a monk or a nun. Being a Monk looked cool... thats all. But then i learnt all this stuf about them having to put marbles in their shoes as punsihment, and it put me off.
But being a nun would still be good... because i read this article about nuns living a very long time because of their righteous regimes.

purple_kathryn · **Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:08 pm**

Um their "metaphorical guns" are that women are worth less than men. Just because something is traditional doesn't make it right. Slavery was "traditional" for thousands of years.

Jeremy · **Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:57 pm**

Actually, if you read about the bits where it says a woman should be under a man you'll find that it's in certain contexts.

For example "I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:3)

That may seem like a pretty unpolitically correct thing to say. But let me quote from a book called "Tender Warrior" by Stu Weber. It's quite Christian based, so sorry if it seems like preaching to people who aren't. Just it has to be to explain the context.

Superman · Fleet Admiral Joined: 06 Dec 2003 Posts: 10220

Thank you for posting that, Jeremy. It's very informative.

Founder · **Thu Jul 28, 2005 2:03 pm**