Here's another article related to the matter, but from a different perspective. (The bolding is mine.)
October 27, 2002 - 7th Luke: Woman with the Flow of Blood
by Fr. Demetri Tsigas, St. Gregory of Nyssa, El Cajon, CA
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In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Growing up in the 60's, I remember we had a sign in church that was posted by the entrance to the nave. The sign read, "women are requested to cover their heads in Church". Those signs didn't last long, because it was in the early 70's that most Orthodox faithful understood St. Paul's instructions to be culturally motivated and not "Gospel". (1 Cor. 11:3-16)
Interestingly today, some of our parishes are again moving to veils or hats for women. My own understanding is that it is a cultural interpretation and not a theological one. If however you believe it to be a theologically sound directive, you are certainly free to cover your head in church. I do not impose one or the other, but allow each person to have their conscience be their guide.
Today's gospel reading about the woman with the flow of blood has been used at various times in our church either to argue for or against a woman's "cleanness of uncleanness" during certain times of the month (code for menstruation). During much of our Church history, women were disallowed from receiving Holy Communion, coming to church, kissing an icon, or even serving in holy orders during certain times of the month. The real question is whether or not Jewish ritual laws apply in the New Covenant, in the Christian Church.
According to Jewish law, a woman with a flow of blood was unclean, and anyone who touched he also became unclean. In Leviticus 15, we read first about what makes men unclean, then what makes women unclean. How many of you knew that a man could also be unclean at certain times? According to Jewish law, by touching Jesus, this woman ritually defiled him and made him unclean.
The Canons, the rules of our church, which are an interpretation of the Gospel in time, place and situation, are contained in "The Rudder".
Dionysios the Alexandrian, writing during the third century, argues in his Second Canon that a Christian woman is unclean during her "flow of blood". He uses a merely practical argument regarding a woman's physical and mental state during certain times of the month. My guess is that he must have been married to a very hormonal woman. Dionysios' excuse for the woman in today's gospel reading not being unclean is that her flow of blood was not normal but continuous and therefore did not fit the Jewish law exactly. However, if we examine Leviticus 15, we see that there was a specific case of a long menstruation described that would make a woman continuously unclean. Dionysios would have made a very poor Jewish lawyer. His argument seems to betray a bias, arguing to support his personal, culturally derived belief rather than looking objectively for the truth.
In the commentary, it discusses that many women actually thought they were "devoid and destitute of the Grace of the Holy Spirit of God" during such times. They were afraid that if they died during that time, their destination would not be to Heaven. This Canon was meant to assure them that they were merely unclean, but still had the Grace of the Holy Spirit, and could and should pray at home (but not in church). The commentary also goes on to say that Deaconesses were done away with because of this issue of uncleanness. Deaconesses exist in the New Testament. Using this excuse to do away with them, again seems to me a clear and unjust bias by churchmen.
Interestingly, when I've had this conversation with older women, they often come close to biting my head off, saying that they don't even want to go out of the house during such times. Most younger women feel very differently. It's not unlike the discussion of Holy Communion. Those of the older generation who were taught (programmed) to receive infrequently, even when they understand that frequent prepared reception of Holy Communion is the older and more correct tradition, have a hard time, at best, receiving Holy Communion regularly. Of course, this is only complicated further by the issue of uncleanness.
It seems to me that that bias has been continued for a very long time in the Church. How many of you even knew that a man could be unclean? Leviticus 15 actually starts with men and calls them unclean without exception if they have an emission. Dionysios covers this in his Fourth Canon, though you can see that he clearly has a double standard, giving an out to men that doesn't exist in the Old Testament. He says that if it's "natural" and not due to lustful thoughts, overeating or too much drinking, then you're cleared to receive Holy Communion. Is not a woman's situation also natural?
Tertullian, also writing in the third century, takes for granted that the woman is clean, with her faith, her humility, God's grace and her Lord, Jesus Christ, excusing her. Indeed, he writes that Jesus was using this and many other instances as preliminary proofs that it is the heart and the mind and not the body that makes us spiritually unclean. Jesus touched and was touched by many sick, many sinful and many dead people, any one of which would have made Him unclean and required ritual sacrifice - one a sin offering and one a burnt offering, for atonement.
In the book of Acts (10:1-33), St. Peter has a dream in which God clearly reveals to him that what was formerly unclean was now clean.
Canon 51 of the Apostolic Canons makes it clear that there is no longer "clean" and "unclean", but that all things made by God are inherently good. It goes on to say that if any bishop or priest treats "unclean" foods or sex in marriage with loathing (as though they were unclean), that he should be deposed.
I realize that I setting myself up here. I am not imposing one position or the other on any of you. I am simply striving for truth as best I understand it. Both positions have viable support in the Church today. If you feel "not right" to receive or even come to church, that's fine. If however you have prepared spiritually and feel the need to receive, far be it from me to turn you away.
We see in the woman's touching the garment of Christ an analogy for the sacraments, the mysteries of the Church. The garment of Christ is not intrinsically holy or a bestower of God's grace. It is because of the relationship of the garment to Christ that it had the power to heal. Likewise, it is not the wood, paint or canvas of an icon that is holy. It is not the oil, the water, the incense, the bread or the wine that are in and of themselves holy.
It is due to their relationship with God that they become visible means of invisible grace. It is Jesus Christ who consecrates these things and us for our sanctification.
Let's be careful however no to go to the opposite extreme and fall into a magical or superstitious understanding of God's grace. Though God's grace is indeed bestowed on us through the sacraments, this does not free us from the responsibility we have to obey God's moral law.
We are not freed from working out our own salvation "with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12).
We are still called to love God with all our mind, heart, soul and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are still called to keep the Sabbath, treat God's name as holy, honor our parents, not lie, not cheat, not steal, not be jealous, not fornicate nor commit adultery and not murder. We are still called to pray to God, to worship Him, to study His law and to seek perfect union with Him.
It's not enough just to be baptized and buried in the Church, while attending a few weddings, baptisms and Pascha services in between.
We need to actualize God's grace in the sacraments through a strong moral life and a strong Church life, both publicly and privately.
We need to gather often in the nave, the ship of the Church, that together with our fellow believers, we may move forward through the rough seas of this life and arrive at the destination of God's kingdom together. Only God ultimately knows what you do in your private prayer life. It is your private life, your relationship with God in prayer, fasting, study and good works that builds you up spiritually and prepares you, for a safe and sure journey, to your desired destination. Otherwise, who knows where you'll end up!
To God be the glory, now and forever, and to the ages of ages, Amen.
-Fr. Demetri Tsigas
God is love.
We are created in God's Image.
We are created to love
