Do you think a woman should be able to become Rabbi or a Minister?

Question

I believe in Reform Judaism you are allowed to but not in the Orthodox thinking. If many Protestant sects of Christianity, a woman can become a Reverend or Minister, but I don't think this is true for Baptists. Why doesn't the Catholic Church allow women to become priests?

Answer 1

Some people don't want to lose their jobs! Some people are reluctant to change. Probably because they never had a pope who supported it. People ganna have to wait till this one dies and so on till one pope says "OK!"

Answer 2

I am not Roman Catholic but the answer that I heard them give for not ordaining women to the priesthood was that Jesus didn't make any women Apostles. As a member of The Episcopal Church we not only have women priest but also women Bishops with the installing of the first women Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church on November 4th, 2006.

Answer 3

For traditional Jews the Levitical priesthood was dominated by males but the Torah (Old Testament) says that God has no respect of person. Leviticus 19:5

I can only speak from my own studies. For Christians Romans 2:9 there is no respect for person in Christ...no regard for race or gender. Jesus often clashed with the Pharisees over the "letter of the Law" and not the "spirit of the law." Women loved Jesus, because He stepped away from the tradition of Judaism, He addressed women directly.

During St. Paul's time, he was urging people to remain single if they were entering the ministry, because the persecutions were occurring. He only suggested that they remain single, if they could. See Foxes Book of Christian Martyrs by John Foxe. It was hard enough being Christian, without watching your family be ripped to shreds by lions or burned alive.

The book of Timothy acknowledges that women founded the early churches, were deacons and teachers. (This included his own grandmother, Lois and his mother was named Eunice. ) Other women in the New testament that were church founders and disciples Tabitha, Dorcas in Acts 9. So what part of the New Testament did anybody miss?

In Acts 10 God addressed Peter about calling the people of God unholy for predjudicial reasons. People that attempt to stop women from becoming ministers because they are female are wrong. It is rooted in the Eve made Adam eat the apple, but they forget that Jesus was born of a woman.

If you read Matthew 1, there is a whole list of people in His own genealogy that were not absolutly perfect. David was not perfect, and neither was His great-grandmother Rahab the harlot of the Old Testament. They tend to forget that the "law" was given to Adam first and was his priority and responsibility to make sure the law was kept. Adam then blamed God for giving him the woman and she blamed the serpent in Genesis chapters 2-3. God only gave them one rule. Talk about passing the buck.

Women are no more flawed than men. Each denmomination seems to be stuck in their own traditions, just like the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus' time on earth. They have pandered to erroneous theology that observing only the letter of law and not the spirit of it is the only way to being holy or to enter ministry. That is why there are divisions or denominations.

I hope this answers some of your questions.

Answer 4

All who dedicate their lives to Jehovah God and accept Jesus Christ as their savior and get publicly Baptized to show their dedication become ministers of the Good News of God's Kingdom, ordained by God, just as the Apostles and early disciples of Jesus were. But the Scriptures show that women are not allowed to teach in the congregation. 1 Corinthians 14:34 1 Timothy 2:11-14

Answer 5

Should they be able?
A clear YES!

Why doesn’t the Catholic Church allow it?
Because the church as an organisation is run by old men who think there is something to lose!

Which emancipated woman would ever want to become a priest in this club?

Answer 6

I can not answer as far as the Jewish opinion but the Bible does say that a man shall not be placed under the authorty of a woman during worship. I do believe however that many wonderful opportunities exist for a woman that has answered the call to minister to women and children. Beth Moore comes to mind, as well as Stormie ( cant remember her last name)

It is not denial of service to God, its providing His word and teachings to those that might feel uncomfortable under a man's teachings, as well as not placing men in the uncomfortable spot of having to deal with a womans authorty over him in worship.

If you get off your high horse, and stop the thoughts of "sexist",..you might realize that this works well,....there are issues and weaknessess that only another man can understand and help deal with. It is the same for women. You have to be able to trust God and his wisdoms in these affairs,...and not rely upon your own understandings.

Remember "My Ways are not your ways, and My Thoughts are not yours".

Answer 7

This is a thorny question that is guaranteed to offend some. So, instead of a short answer, here are links to studies by men more learned than I.

http://www.raystedman.org/leadership/women.html
http://www.raystedman.org/misc/woteach.html

DO a little research here and see what you think.

Answer 8

Yes, some denominations allow it. The Catholic Church does not because of the pagan practice of priestesses who were prostitutes.

Answer 9

Acts 2: 16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

19And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Answer 10

The Catholic church maintains that a woman is too unclean to perform the rituals of mass. What they mean by unclean is a woman's menstruation.