Where there women deacons in St Paul's time or did he get it worng then?

Question

Clearly there where women deacons in St Pauls time. In Rom16:1 he recomends Phoebe the diaconess to the community; in 1Tim 3:1-13 Paul advises about what attributes are needed to the various ministries, from bishops to deacons; women deacons included. He also states that in Christ there is no Jew or Gentile nor slave nor free no women nor men etc. Why then, subsequently, did the tradition drop the women from ministry? Was it because of how the Jewish and Greco /Roman culture regarded the place of women at the time, or was it something negative in the Gospel's or in Jesu;s attitude towards them? Or was it expedient to the men in those times? Where any women present at any of those important councils?

In the end what is the most supreme norm, the Gospel or the Tradition? Which of these is subject to change? I feel that this is not the sort of issue that can be solved by simply reading the Catechism but by reading into the Gospel with fresh eyes, perhaps, dont you think?

Answer 1

Yes, there were women deacons but there were not women in the position of elders (bishops). Their basic function was to educate the young and also to instruct the women who were converting. They also took care of the "widows and orphans" and were an integral part of the early church.

There are at least two specific early examples of women being priests as well (presbyters), one as the other commentary mentions is in Ireland where St. Brigit was not only a priest but was ordained a bishop by one of the disciples of St. Patrick. In the 7th century Rome actually had to send a stern letter to the church in Ireland telling them to stop ordaining women as priests.

The other example is in Byzantium at the time of Constantine. There was a significant effort to make sure that they message of Christianity and of the Empire of Constantine was spread to all of the people, and women priests were very much a part of this effort, again, teaching women in the church and even serving the mass or liturgy for women and children in the community.

Answer 2

The traditions of the Roman Catholic Church were very much built on the traditions of the Roman Empire where women didn't count for much. The Celtic Church was much more accommodating and one very important synod, that of Whitby, was held under the aegis of a woman, Abbess Hilda. The church is hidebound by tradition. No one follows the gospels.