The World Needs Women Priests

[antwaniiz]

Prophets are a whole other thing and can be either sex.

Not true.

Women are not and cannot be a prophet.

Prophet is male gender.

Prophetess is female gender.

 

[pescador]

You say they are prophets and I say they are prophetess.

God judge between you and I concerning this matter.

Now it is up to Him.

God judge between you and I concerning this matter? (BTW, poor grammar. "... between you and me") Really?

God doesn't play semantics; the meaning is clear. Women prophesied in the past, prophesy in the present, and will do so in the future.

 

[antwaniiz]

God judge between you and I concerning this matter? (BTW, poor grammar. "... between you and me") Really?

God doesn't play semantics; the meaning is clear. Women prophesied in the past, prophesy in the present, and will do so in the future.

That is why they are a prophetess.

 

[pescador]

What bible are you using to quote these verses?

NIV

 

[antwaniiz]

NIV

Here is the King James which was before the NIV...

Exodus 15:20
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.


Judges 4:4
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

 

[pescador]

Here is the King James which was before the KIV...

Exodus 15:20
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.


Judges 4:4
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

So? Again, why the semantics game? Clearly Miriam and Deborah were women who prophesied. I don't really care how a 400+-year-old translation phrased it.

 

[antwaniiz]

So? Again, why the semantics game? Clearly Miriam and Deborah were women who prophesied. I don't really care how a 400+-year-old translation phrased it.

Good for you.

 

[mmksparbud]

Not true.

Women are not and cannot be a prophet.

Prophet is male gender.

Prophetess is female gender.

LOL! OK! The end result is the same, they speak a word from God. So the question should read, "Does the world need priestesses?" I still say Jesus never ordained either. Only apostles.

 

[Strong in Him]

They were not prophets, they were a prophetess.

And women cannot be a priest.

Prophetesses are female prophets - they prophesy, like the men.
Priest as in Catholic priest; no.
Minister/vicar/Pastor; yes.

 

[antwaniiz]

LOL! OK! The end result is the same, they speak a word from God. So the question should read, "Does the world need priestesses?" I still say Jesus never ordained either. Only apostles.

What did Jesus ordain you?

 

[mmksparbud]

What did Jesus ordain you?

A woman who worships Him and speaks what the scriptures say. And you?

 

[antwaniiz]

Prophetesses are female prophets - they prophesy, like the men.

This is not true. A prophetess is a female that prophesize.
They are not prophets.

 

[antwaniiz]

A woman who worships Him and speaks what the scriptures say. And you?

I am not allowed to tell you.

 

[antwaniiz]

I can tell you this
I minister to the Lord.

 

[mmksparbud]

I am not allowed to tell you.

LOL! By whom?

 

[antwaniiz]

LOL! By whom?

Are you mocking me?

 

[Paidiske]

Whereas in the case of the Catholics and Orthodox, a thorough study of their theology will indicate that the male sacramental priesthood in those churches is not a sexist institution...

I'd have to differ with you there. While the tightly constructed theological arguments in favour of a male sacramental priesthood do not rest on a declaration of sexism, their overall effect is undeniably sexist. They posit that Christ's maleness is more important in his sacramental representation than his humanity; and, by implication, that women are further removed from the humanity that Christ assumed for our sake.

There is also another important issue to consider, and that is whether or not the women of a given church desire the priesthood.

I take it you mean here, whether the women of a given church desire to have women clergy. That said, I don't think that really is such a big issue.

None of this ought to be about what we "desire." It ought to be about obedience to God and God's leading of the Church and of individuals within it. Either God calls women, or God doesn't. Our job is to discern that and act accordingly, not sit about dithering about whether so-and-so is going to be upset by what God is doing in/through/with God's own Church.

Strictly speaking the word priestess is something of an anachronism; it stemmed from the misuse of the word priest, which is an early English contraction of Presbyter, to refer to the sacerdotal priesthood, which @Paidiske referred to. More specifically, the word Priestess was coined to refer to the female sacerdotal religious leaders from the old Greco-Roman, Egyptian, Nordic and Mesopotamian Pagan religions, and other non-Christian religions such as Shinto, Voodoo, and so on. It is not applicable to Christianity, in contrast to Deaconess, which is a valid designation, since the liturgical ministry of Deaconesses in antiquity is slightly different from the liturgical ministry of male deacons (specifically, as I said earlier, Deacons were, and are, ministers of the Eucharist, whereas in antiquity the Deaconess served as a minister of Baptism).

And I would add, the term "priestess" is a slur in Christian circles, since it equates women in the ministry with Pagan religious leaders, and also implies that our ministry is different from/inferior to that of men, and has often been considered a flame when directed at others on CF.

@antwaniiz asked upthread what the priestly duties of a woman priest would be; I would point people towards the ordination exhortations in a given denomination for a starting point for reflection on priestly/ministerial duties.

 

[mmksparbud]

Are you mocking me?

I do not know you well enough to mock you. I can only mock the words being said. I find it humorous that you have been called by a deity who does not let you name it.

 

[concretecamper]

In a secular sense, there are women ministerial priests. In a religious sense, there is no such thing as women ministerial priests and my bet there never will be.

 

[Strong in Him]

This is not true. A prophetess is a female that prophesize.
They are not prophets.

How do you define prophet; if it's not someone who prophesies?