Are you offended/disturbed by female clergy in Protestantism?

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I wasn’t sure where to put this topic but it seemed to fit here I guess.

Anyway, I was walking through the shopping mall recently and saw a woman wearing a Roman collar and walking with a Bible and I remembered that my local Anglican church has a female Vicar (think thats what they call her, maybe Reverend). I must admit, I was taken aback and felt… odd. It made me feel odd because, well, the Priesthood is what it is and a woman attempting to fill that role is unnatural. I don’t know if that makes sense.

This is besides those female clergy who are openly lesbian and have partners. I remember watching an American show with 2 female vicars who were married lesbians and one shot of them had them up on the altar with bread and wine and it gave me the chills.
 
I agree it is a bit of a shock to see at first. After a moment I conclude it is a clever way for the devil to divide us. The devil can leverage the feminist agenda to work a wedge (another wedge and one of many) into the Church.

I am reminded how painful it was for the people of Israel in the old testament to lose their identity during the Babylonian captivity. These people of God were feeling mighty low. They had no temple, no sacrafice to offer, etc.

Today, I believe our good women have also been coaxed into losing their true identity. They are stripped of what makes them perfect. In their emptiness they look around for a model to follow. There, right next to them, is man. They proceed to require from that point forward all the traditional roles men have held. They are trying to find a role to fill, a puropse for living.

What has stripped them of their identity? I think of the sacraments that have form and matter and unlock supernatural graces. In the last century, women have followed form and matter to remove their fertility and ability to bring forth life. They follow this form and matter either chemically or surgically and in the process lose their identity, which is their way to gain perfection and a supernatural end.
 
No, I’m not bothered by it at all. Maybe that’s because my church (Assemblies of God) ordains women and I’m in full agreement with that. And further, after I finish college (Ministry Leadership major, middle-aged adult returning student) I’m likely to seek ordination myself. I do think I have a call to full-time ministry, though God hasn’t yet made it clear to me in what role.
 
NewsTheMan said:
I wasn’t sure where to put this topic but it seemed to fit here I guess.

Anyway, I was walking through the shopping mall recently and saw a woman wearing a Roman collar and walking with a Bible and I remembered that my local Anglican church has a female Vicar (think thats what they call her, maybe Reverend). I must admit, I was taken aback and felt… odd. It made me feel odd because, well, the Priesthood is what it is and a woman attempting to fill that role is unnatural. I don’t know if that makes sense.

This is besides those female clergy who are openly lesbian and have partners. I remember watching an American show with 2 female vicars who were married lesbians and one shot of them had them up on the altar with bread and wine and it gave me the chills.
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I have always been bothered when seeing this type of thing. It saddens me. There is a place for women just as their is a place for man, but neither makes a good imitation of the other. This confusion of genders is pervasive and attacks the very foundations of the family unit and the body of Christ iteself.
 
Yes.

I grew up in the Conference Baptist denomination, and I was taught that the Bible does not support ordaining women as pastors.

My husband was raised Assemblies of God, and he believed the same thing I believed–that the Bible does not support ordaining women as pastors. He actually left his church while still a teenager to attend church with me, not only over this issue, but over the issue of the “sign” of speaking in tongues to indicate baptism with the Holy Spirit.

After we were married, we attended several Protestant churches over the years (this is common in evangelical Protestants). While we were still Protestant, we left a church (Reformed Church in American, or RCA) because they fired their (male) pastor and hired a female pastor in his place. The awful thing was, the female pastor’s (male) husband was a pastor in another church of a different denomination! So obviously, pastoring was just a “gig” for them.

When we left that church, we informed the consistory (their elders) that we were leaving because we didn’t believe that women pastors were Biblical.

The last Protestant church we were members of had a woman pastor as the Children’s Pastor. It was because of her that we were kicked out of that Church. She was jealous of me because of my success with a children’s choir (it grew from 24 to over 60 children in two years) and other children’s ministries. She spread awful, disgusting rumors about me, telling the pastors and elders that I was frightening the children (I guess that’s why so many of them joined my choir), and she implied other more despicable sins. None of this was true–I always had parents in attendance at my various rehearsals and other times with the children, so I had witnesses. But it didn’t matter. The church believed her. They convened a tribunal which included several people that my husband and I didn’t even know, and did not include any of the parents. This tribunal accused me and my husband of being subversive and devisive, and refusing to yield to pastoral authority, and then they told us to leave their church. It was horrific. I still have trust issues with clergy and church people, even though it’s been ten years now since this happened. In fact, the ten-year anniversary was yesterday.

The parents of the children in the choir were not told what happened. They were told only that I chose to leave the church. A year later, at the suggestion of a wise pastor that I still trusted (not in that denomination) , I wrote a letter to all those parents explaining what had happened (without mentioning this woman pastor, BTW–I used very general terms). Within a few days, I received a lot of letters from parents who told me that they were never told and that they were sorry this had happened.

One of those parents continued writing to me and keeping me informed. She told me that the woman pastor was fired after the church deacons uncovered a lie that she had told (about a different issue). So apparently this woman had some big problems with bearing false witness.

I realize that her sins against me and my family had nothing to do with the fact that she was a woman instead of a man pastor. But nevertheless, the horrific incident enforces what I already believe to be true–the Bible does not support the ordination of women pastors.
 
Honestly, I don’t see why it matters. A Protestant minister does not fill the same role as a Catholic priest.
There are many Catholic women who are involved in ministry in one way or another and this is perfectly appropriate and encouraged within the Catholic faith.
 
It doesn’t bother or offend me that many Protestant denominations have female pastors. For one thing they aren’t Catholic and don’t pretend to be Catholic. If the only issue between Catholics and Protestants was with the ordination of women then maybe it would be a problem, but as any quick search of the internet can tell you it’s way more than this one thing. As another poster mentioned they aren’t priests nor do they assume the same roles in their congregations as priests do for us.

What really offends me and bothers me is seeing priests distort Catholic teachings, seeing priests lead parishes astray and set up alternate worship sites without the Bishop’s permission and a whole host of other things that water-down the Catholic faith. So, no I won’t let a female pastor offend me.

ChadS
 
Not in the slightest.

Our local Church of Ireland (Anglican) rector is a woman as is her assistant and they are both wonderful Christian women.

Why on earth would I be offended/disturbed by that?
 
I’m with those who are not offended because they are not Catholic.

I have a lot of experience with female clergy. I hold a professional position in an Episcopal church choir - have been there 22 years. I have seen a number of female clergy come and go, and I would say that most of them are better at their jobs than the men. They are more sensitive pastorally and often better preachers as well. The new lesbian bishop in Los Angeles was a frequent visitor and preacher at the church where I sing before she was elevated, and I will say without hesitation that she is one of the best preachers I have ever heard in any church, Catholic or Protestant.

That said, it does make me shudder a little when the ladies put on the chasuble when it’s time to celebrate Eucharist, especially when they are pulling their long hair out of the way. I just shake my head.

I guess I’m so peaceful about this because I have confidence that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Catholic Church will never, ever ordain women. Non-Catholic female clergy are no threat.
 
The whole world and all denominations are not obliged to follow the rules of one religion. I do not see why this is an issue. After all, we would not comment on female ministers in other (non-Christian) religions.

I find it a little immature when people act outraged by something they are in no way forced to witness or participate in.

I recall being a little girl in the Catholic Church and wishing I could be a priest when I grew up - after all, the apostolic letters mention female deacons, and it is safe to assume that this covered a priest-like position. I believe personally that the only reason for Jesus not appointing female apostles was that back then, women were not respected enough to have any kind of influence on the world around them. I am glad, if anything, that this is slowly changing.
 
He would do so if He had a compelling reason to do so. Clearly Jesus did not think that establishing gender equality was His immediate mission on earth. But then, He didn’t do anything to abolish slavery either. It baffles me when Catholics say that Jesus went around routinely ignoring or overturning cultural norms. This is not the Jesus I see in the Gospels, nor would such a Jesus be truly incarnate.

I cannot see that the maleness of the Twelve is relevant to the question of whether women should be ordained, and the continual Catholic recourse to this weak argument does little to help me overcome my disagreements with the Catholic position.

The maleness of the Twelve is only relevant if you have a pre-existing theological/philosophical reason why it should be relevant. In and of itself, it’s just a historical fact which can easily be explained by the cultural context.
 
Not really. The protestants do not recieve the sacrament of holy orders. The only time I a offended by women clergy is the “Liberal” or “Reformed” churches that call themselves catholic when they have been excommunicated by the Vicar of Christ (and Anglicans to a certain extent, although as I mentioned it doesn’t anyway they are not recieving the sacrament validly and legally anyway).

But still, women pastors do sound a bit meh to me.
 
NewsTheMan said:
I wasn’t sure where to put this topic but it seemed to fit here I guess.

Anyway, I was walking through the shopping mall recently and saw a woman wearing a Roman collar and walking with a Bible and I remembered that my local Anglican church has a female Vicar (think thats what they call her, maybe Reverend). I must admit, I was taken aback and felt… odd. It made me feel odd because, well, the Priesthood is what it is and a woman attempting to fill that role is unnatural. I don’t know if that makes sense.

This is besides those female clergy who are openly lesbian and have partners. I remember watching an American show with 2 female vicars who were married lesbians and one shot of them had them up on the altar with bread and wine and it gave me the chills.
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im not offended or annoyed. its just another instance where these “BIBLE” christians, totally ignore, or make null and void, the book which they consider to be the rule of all faith. apparently not…😉 just makes me praise God, that he opened my eyes to the Truth of the Catholic Church. what protestants do, does not really affect me one way or another. let them stand before God on the last day, and explain things to Him. then they can tell Him where He got it wrong. Peace 🙂 oh, and a woman trying to fill that role, is unnatural. just like homosexuality is unnatural. im not even going to comment on what i believe they are going to try to push down our throats next as to what should be permitted.
Holy Mother of God pray for us. :signofcross:
 
Smugleaf said:
The whole world and all denominations are not obliged to follow the rules of one religion. I do not see why this is an issue. After all, we would not comment on female ministers in other (non-Christian) religions.

I find it a little immature when people act outraged by something they are in no way forced to witness or participate in.

I recall being a little girl in the Catholic Church and wishing I could be a priest when I grew up - after all, the apostolic letters mention female deacons, and it is safe to assume that this covered a priest-like position. I believe personally that the only reason for Jesus not appointing female apostles was that back then, women were not respected enough to have any kind of influence on the world around them. I am glad, if anything, that this is slowly changing.
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Good show, Smug.

It is my impression that women are often very effective as ministers, priests and rabbis. They participate in and contribute in ways that I have never seen men do. They often have natural pastoral abilities. A number are excellent preachers. The denominations that have women in their ministries often are thriving, and have generally no shortage of ministers. As Smugleaf has indicated, there is no obligation to have strong opinions about situations that you do not have to participate in, and which therefore do not affect you.
 
No, not at all. “In Christ there is neither male nor female…” Since ALL are called to share in the Priesthood of Christ as believers…and all who respond in faith possess the “priesthood of all believers”…some of those are women…and their gift of ministry is very much recongnized and embraced among the Society of Friends…I believe we were probably one of the first communities to recongnize the gift of ministry and recorded those gifted women as "ministers’.
 
I don’t think there is anything wrong with female ministers. My mom’s family has all been members of the Disciples of Christ Denominational Church congregation. I grew up going there from time to time. With that said, I think a minister’s role is slightly different than a priests. So, as I’m catholic from a protestant background I think female ministers are fine for those ecclesial communities. However, I’m not a fan of female priests per say and hope the Catholic Church doesn’t ever bow to worldly pressure and get them.
peace be with you.
gmcbroom
 
I am neither offended, nor am I disturbed by female clergy in various sects.

Why should I be? I am not a member of any of those sects, so I do not have any say about what they choose to do.

All I know is that all, and I do mean ALL, of the sects that ordain females are losing membership. They have gotten more and more liberal, in virtually every aspect, and they can’t figure out that this is costing them their membership.

Oh well, that’s their problem, not mine.

I left Protestantism back in 1953.
 
phoooiee said:
Honestly, I don’t see why it matters. A Protestant minister does not fill the same role as a Catholic priest.
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I probably don’t view the role of my pastor very differently than you do your priest. For starters, I receive the Eucharist from him, and I receive absolution from him. He alone in my parish, through his ordination, has that role.
There are many Catholic women who are involved in ministry in one way or another and this is perfectly appropriate and encouraged within the Catholic faith.
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Similarly in the LCMS, where ordination of women is not practiced.

Jon
 
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