Theo 202 Se3

Women played a diverse role during early Christianity. At some points during history they were celebrated for assisting in the spread of the religion and at other times they were silenced by society and their male counterparts. Disciples of both sexes traveled with Jesus to Galilee but it was the women followers that provided financial assistance along the way. Although many of his female followers left their homes and chores behind this was a right that Jesus felt women should have. In the book of Luke Jesus says of Mary sister of Martha, “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (New International Version, Luke 10:42). Clearly Jesus felt that what women contributed to the spread of the Gospel was significant enough to

Professor of religious studies Karen Armstrong finds in the early Christian Church examples of hostility toward women and fear of their sexual power, which she contends led to the eventual exclusion of women from full participation in a male-dominated church.

As early as the beginning of the Christian Church women had some important but very defined roles within the church. There were roles women could not play, of course, but that does not mean they did not have value to the Christian movement. Unfortunately, there have also been a lot of things overlooked that have been done by women, especially in the New Testament. There have also been arguments that the Christian Church is a "man's church" because men wrote the books of the bible and women did not have much say, apparently, in what happened during that time and how it was recorded. Even though not everyone was certain of the way women were treated in Christianity and whether they were accepted and applauded the way they should have and could have been, there were still many mentions of women doing great things. Scholars have begun to look into what women did during Old Testament and New Testament times, in an effort to have a better understanding of Christianity and the role women played in it in the past.

When discussing the Bible’s New Testament, there are several individuals aside from Jesus that gander a lot of attention. It is not uncommon to hear pastors and priest preaching about the disciples that walked with the messiah during his time of great works during a Sunday service. There are many lessons to be learned from the experiences of and trails faced by the men that knew best. However, even though the Bible is considerable a masculine text, there are many notable women sprinkled throughout it. Most notable, of course, would be the mother of Jesus, Mary. She made several appearances throughout the Gospel from the moment the angel came to her and said “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28) to let her know that she was going to be the mother of the “Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32) to the moment she stood witness to the crucifixion of that Son. Today, after Jesus, Mary – sometimes also called The Virgin Mary – is among those most revered in the Bible. However, she is not the only Mary to have close ties to the Biblical savior. There are actually at least three other Marys to walk along side with Jesus at some point, but none more conversational than Mary Magdalene.

As there is much debate about the role of women in the church, I believe that we should, as in all circumstances, rely on the Word of God to instruct us as to God 's will. In many religious circles, this is a hot-button subject and everyone will not easily accept this teaching. Nevertheless, because it has become a church dividing issue, it demands an appropriate review.

She has been blessed to teach and mentor 7th grade girls, write various Bible Studies for the middle school student ministry at her home church, speak to women’s groups of various ages, plan and help lead women’s retreats, and write women’s Bible Studies. Over the past several years Jenifer has been heavily involved in women’s ministry.

For centuries, women have brought their gifts, talents and service to church. Their presence and service goes further than getting things done. For instance, Elizabeth Hernandez who serves at my home parish. She is a leader of the Hispanic Ministries and she oversees all liturgical ministries. Elizabeth works together with Antonio, her husband, but her female qualities make the difference in her performance with the people. Being the bridge between the pastor and all of the lay ministers, she is able to lead with complete authority, yet in such a gentle way. Most importantly, she is not a micromanager, but a woman of faith, which has made it easy for all ministries to relate to.

There is nothing inherent in the character of Christian ministry as it is presented in the writings of the New Testament which would give reason for the exclusion of women. On the contrary, the New Testament portrays Jesus treating women as equal human beings. It also portrays women and men serving side by side in the various ministries of the early church . . . According to the evidence, the exclusion of women from ecclesiastical ministry is neither in accord with the teaching or practice of Jesus with that of the first century church” (Bacchiocchi, 1987).

In today’s society the controversial subject of what positions in the church a woman can hold; has become incredibly debatable among the nation. Some people believe that women have equal rights with men and can uphold any position that a man can. Today’s society also believes that because a woman can be in political and business power, then a woman can also be in authority in the church. However, that could not be farther from the truth a women’s positions in the church are defined by God.

She did the ministries like women in the Early Churches women were clearly involved in the spread of Christianity and in

In A. L. Cook’s 2010 study,36 The Denied Calling: A Look at the Role of Women in the Southern Baptist Church (SBC), she discusses the uneven history of the church in regard to its female members. In earlier years of the SBC, women were ordained to preach and ordained as deacons. Beginning in 1984, this act was rescinded with the caveat that women leaders ordained earlier than 1984 can retain their ordination. This has resulted in women leaders leaving the church.36 After the1984 resolution, opposition began to build both within and outside the Southern Baptist Convention. Scriptures opposing the views presented by the Convention were cited, and women’s organizations began to research the issue.36 The SBC claims that I Tim 2: 11-15 is their authority to deny female leadership in the Convention. The SBC also passed a resolution

Gender roles, and the mere existence of a gender binary, has been a recent topic of conversation for many churches, theologians, and individual believers. As the cultural pressure to remove gender-specific limitations builds, many of those aforementioned have turned to scripture for answers. Seldom are women’s roles in the Old Testament characterized by decision making or personal merits. Rather, a woman’s capacity to produce an heir for their husband complements his dominance and responsible faithfulness and allows God’s plan to be fulfilled through their combined efforts. In the New Testament, through the transformative power of Christ, prominent women became less of an anomaly, but were still held to a different set of standards and expectations than men and were usually still praised according to their actions and their faith. The Pauline epistles, written in the context in which the Church still exists today: the age to come, provide a basis for today’s understanding of women’s roles in marriage and in church leadership. Although there are many instances of women fulfilling God’s plans and proving their worth among the community of Christians, the biblically normative role of women is to avoid authoritative church leadership positions and remain submissive in situations of teaching and interpreting the Word.

The purpose of this brief is to provide you with an overview of how the Catholic Church view women being ordained in the church. The views are based on the traditional and doctrinal references that the Catholic religion is based on. The views are from various resources such as the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, Pope John Paul II, and the newly elected Pope Benedict XVI. The views described in this brief are based on the traditions of old and their refusal to change the traditions to fit for the twentieth century.

When Jesus gave Mary to the Apostle John at the end of John's gospel, He gave her to the Church. She is now our mother, and her heart burns with love for us. I had a good friend once ask me, “ Why are you so into Mary? ” My response was, “ The real question is: Why is God so into Mary? ” He chose her. I don't think any of us would have complained had Jesus just appeared at the age of 30 and began His public ministry. But He chose Mary to participate in His saving work, and He still does today. Since the time of Christ, she has appeared throughout history and proclaimed the need to repent and embrace God's love. I'm not talking about the ink stains on the sides of buildings, or her face in a potato chip- that's stuff for the tabloids. I'm talking

Until recently, women were not allowed to preach or even speak in the Christian Church, but in modern times women are beginning to play a more significant. While sects of Christianity still hold the traditional teachings about women, others have given them equal status within the church, an increasingly accepted interpretation.