A chara, – Using Barry Walsh's "entirely reasonable interpretation of the recorded words and actions of Jesus" (June 28th), it would not be just women who should be excluded from ordination, but any man who was not a circumcised Jew. There was no gentile among the 12. Too painful to contemplate? – Is mise,
SOLINE HUMBERT,
Ascaill Abhoca,
An Charraig Dhubh,
Co Bhaile Átha Cliath.
Sir, – When we remember that it took the thick end of some 1,800 years to unpack the concept of human slavery, the retaining of that concept bitterly fought under the banners of tradition and scripture, I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised that many Christians are still trying to work out the full implications of accepting that both female and male were made “in God’s image”.
There are thousands upon thousands of us women priests exercising ministry worldwide in different Christian denominations, our vocations having been discerned and accepted by other (male) priests and male and female laity.
Can we please just be left to get on with our work of God’s kingdom without having to constantly put up with what, from our perspective, is noisy splashing in the shallow end of the theological paddling pool? – Yours, etc,
Canon
MARIE
ROWLEY-BROOKE,
St Mary’s Rectory,
Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
Sir, – In the First Epistle to the Corinthians (14:34-35) Saint Paul teaches that “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church”.
Some may argue against female priests, based on the incongruity of a woman preaching such passages of the New Testament from the pulpit.
These and many other misogynist New Testament scriptures suggest to me that the problem does not relate to women in the Christian priesthood, but rather Christianity’s understanding of womanhood. – Yours, etc,
JOHN HAMILL,
Church Heath,
Castleblayney,
Co Monaghan.