Women Clergy

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MaryT777

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I am Roman Catholic so therefore we have no women priests of course. For those of you in denominations with Women Clergy/Pastors do you feel they are treated equally to men.

I ask this because I have read several times that there is discrimination in this way; that women are some times called to less desirable assignments/parishes men did not care to take due to location, member numbers, or other reasons.

What’s been your experience with women Clergy.

Mary.
 
Hi Mary,

I am an ordained priestess in my Druid Order. We obviously don’t have parishes or assignments, I work in my community, performing marriages and baby blessings, things of that nature. There aren’t many of us, so I have no competition, LOL. 🙂

I’ve never felt any discrimination at all, being a woman. In many cases, we’re sometimes looked upon a bit more highly for certain matters, such as healing or prophecy, or work specific to women’s issues.
 
MaryT777 said:
I am Roman Catholic so therefore we have no women priests of course. For those of you in denominations with Women Clergy/Pastors do you feel they are treated equally to men.

I ask this because I have read several times that there is discrimination in this way; that women are some times called to less desirable assignments/parishes men did not care to take due to location, member numbers, or other reasons.

What’s been your experience with women Clergy.

Mary.
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Pentecostal churches have had women clergy since the early 1900s. At times there has been forms of backlash against it, but the trend seems to be swinging back towards Christian egalitarianism.

Some denominations place restrictions on how high women can progress. For example, in the Church of God (Cleveland), women can be ministers but they can’t be bishops, which essentially means that leadership above the local level is exclusively male.

In other denominations, like the Assemblies of God, women ministers are theoretically allowed to be district and national leaders. However, they have never really been elected to those positions. A couple of years ago, the AG’s General Council created a seat on the denomination’s top governing board specifically for an ordained woman.

On the other hand, one Pentecostal denomination (the Church of the Foursquare Gospel) was started by a woman, Aimee Semple McPherson.

Many women co-pastor with their husbands or work as associate pastors. Most Pentecostals don’t think twice about a woman preaching or conducting baptisms or communion. However, I think some might be uncomfortable with a woman being THE PASTOR of a church on her own.
 
MaryT777 said:
I am Roman Catholic so therefore we have no women priests of course. For those of you in denominations with Women Clergy/Pastors do you feel they are treated equally to men.

I ask this because I have read several times that there is discrimination in this way; that women are some times called to less desirable assignments/parishes men did not care to take due to location, member numbers, or other reasons.

What’s been your experience with women Clergy.

Mary.
Click to expand...
There are priestesses in Traditional Wicca (which is much different from the eclectic non-initiatory practices often labeled “Wicca” as well). Trad Wicca is a priesthood, women and men are treated equally. Though often when there is both a High Priestess and High Priest of a coven, she is the primary elder and he the secondary elder (but is not seen less than she).
 
mlamg said:
Hi Mary,

I am an ordained priestess in my Druid Order. We obviously don’t have parishes or assignments, I work in my community, performing marriages and baby blessings, things of that nature. There aren’t many of us, so I have no competition, LOL. 🙂

I’ve never felt any discrimination at all, being a woman. In many cases, we’re sometimes looked upon a bit more highly for certain matters, such as healing or prophecy, or work specific to women’s issues.
Click to expand...
May I ask what requirements there were to be ordained?
I like your sense of humor; not much competition LOL 🙂
Thanks for the response.
 
Itwin:
Thanks for the response. Good grief; I wonder why a woman could be ordained and then not allowed to be a Bishop; sounds like a good ole’ boy network. As far as national leadership roles that does not surprise me given the woman President issue. Some might say they just don’t have the experience yet depending on how long women have been allowed to participate in these Clerical roles.

Thanks for the Pentecostal info.

Peace in Christ,
Mary.
 
I have weighed in on this subject several times. When I was a young seminarian, the concept never crossed my mind even though I became friends with remarkable female religious. The first female was an assistant pastor in my parish many years ago; she also taught in a Lutheran high school. The number of women priests in the ELCA is growing considerably; we don’t have any female bishops yet but I am sure the day is coming soon. And I welcome it.
 
We have women purporting to be priests but not women bishops. Many Anglicans do not appreciate this innovation, and the Church of England provides alternative bishops if the parish is strongly opposed to their diocesan “ordaining” women.
 
MaryT777 said:
May I ask what requirements there were to be ordained?
I like your sense of humor; not much competition LOL 🙂
Thanks for the response.
Click to expand...
Probably much the same for anyone entering into ordination in any church recognized in the US: years of study, rigorous exams and written papers, a period of reflection and meditation (mine was 3 months), following a daily set of prayers and rituals (mine was 5 times a day, very much like the Holy Hours). Then final examination by the order’s head, and if you are found competent, ordination. It’s a lot of work. I can’t imagine anyone who is not fully committed would go through it.
 
ltwin said:
Pentecostal churches have had women clergy since the early 1900s. At times there has been forms of backlash against it, but the trend seems to be swinging back towards Christian egalitarianism.

Some denominations place restrictions on how high women can progress. For example, in the Church of God (Cleveland), women can be ministers but they can’t be bishops, which essentially means that leadership above the local level is exclusively male.

In other denominations, like the Assemblies of God, women ministers are theoretically allowed to be district and national leaders. However, they have never really been elected to those positions. A couple of years ago, the AG’s General Council created a seat on the denomination’s top governing board specifically for an ordained woman.

On the other hand, one Pentecostal denomination (the Church of the Foursquare Gospel) was started by a woman, Aimee Semple McPherson.

Many women co-pastor with their husbands or work as associate pastors. Most Pentecostals don’t think twice about a woman preaching or conducting baptisms or communion. However, I think some might be uncomfortable with a woman being THE PASTOR of a church on her own.
Click to expand...
Among non-Pentecostals both the Seventh-Day Adventist and the Shakers were started by woman (Ellen G. White and Mother Ann Lee). 🙂
 
tabycat said:
Among non-Pentecostals both the Seventh-Day Adventist and the Shakers were started by woman (Ellen G. White and Mother Ann Lee). 🙂
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That’s an interesting point. I am very familiar with Ellen White as I had a friend SDA.
 
When I was a Methodist I attended churches that had both male and female clergy. I didn’t see any difference in treatment or assignments. Also participated in a pretty intensive Spiritual Direction program at an Episcopal Cathedral. Both male and female clergy there as well and I could see no difference although at the time the Bishop was male. However the “main” Bishop whatever the Episcopal Church calls it, is a female. So I think they have the same opportunities as men.

FWIW now that I’m Catholic, even though I experienced female clergy in other denominations I am no supporter of having female clergy in the Catholic Church.

Lisa
 
MaryT777 said:
Itwin:
Thanks for the response. Good grief; I wonder why a woman could be ordained and then not allowed to be a Bishop; sounds like a good ole’ boy network.
Click to expand...
The basic idea is that men should ultimately be in authority; i.e. “male headship.” I don’t really understand the argument, since having female pastors already puts women in authority over men at least at the local level. This article from Charisma Magazine gives the background:

Opponents of the changes in women’s roles cited biblical passages such as 1 Timothy 3, which they say promotes male headship in the church and the home. The Church of God’s first general overseer, A.J. Tomlinson, taught that women could preach but interpreted Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 14 for women to keep silent in the church to mean they should refrain from church business. The denomination also affirms male headship in the home.
​
MaryT777 said:
As far as national leadership roles that does not surprise me given the woman President issue. Some might say they just don’t have the experience yet depending on how long women have been allowed to participate in these Clerical roles.
Click to expand...
In the Assemblies of God’s case, there is a longstanding tradition of women ministers. Since 1914 women were approved as missionaries and evangelists. In 1935, women were officially allow to pastor churches. However, there were already some women pastoring churches that were too poor to hire a male pastor.

I think for many Pentecostals its more of a cultural thing. They are used to seeing men in the highest position, so that is who get voted in.
 
ltwin said:
The basic idea is that men should ultimately be in authority; i.e. “male headship.” I don’t really understand the argument, since having female pastors already puts women in authority over men at least at the local level. This article from Charisma Magazine gives the background:

Opponents of the changes in women’s roles cited biblical passages such as 1 Timothy 3, which they say promotes male headship in the church and the home. The Church of God’s first general overseer, A.J. Tomlinson, taught that women could preach but interpreted Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 14 for women to keep silent in the church to mean they should refrain from church business. The denomination also affirms male headship in the home.
​

For those who cavil at the idea of a female priesthood, thie issue between a episcopacy, and a priest, lies in the idea of the

In the Assemblies of God’s case, there is a longstanding tradition of women ministers. Since 1914 women were approved as missionaries and evangelists. In 1935, women were officially allow to pastor churches. However, there were already some women pastoring churches that were too poor to hire a male pastor.

I think for many Pentecostals its more of a cultural thing. They are used to seeing men in the highest position, so that is who get voted in.
Click to expand...
It is not merely the idea of authority. Within Anglicanism ( for example) many of the jurisdictions who consider that they have validly ordered female priests, also have gone on to consecrate (as they see it) female bishops. Within the Church of England, this battle is still on-going. The distinction is that the CoE made provisions for alternate episcopal oversight (the Episcopal Visitors, or Flying Bishops) to minister to those parishes who could not accept a female priest, back when that was instituted. If there is a change to that policy (and I suspect there will be) there is no provision for those in the CoE who cannot accept the idea of females in orders. And no provision to protect the entirety of the priesthood from becoming invalid, as female bishops began to lay hands on ordinands.

One can avoid a female in vestments in the CoE, if there are no female bishops. If there are, the orthodox are lost.

GKC
 
GKC said:
For those who cavil at the idea of a female priesthood, thie issue between a episcopacy, and a priest, lies in the idea of the . . . . .
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GKC, was there more that you were going to add this?

I understand the argument from the Anglican point of view and how there is more at stake for those who cannot in good conscience affirm the ordination of women. However, when it comes to Pentecostals it is very different because our ideas of ordained ministry and bishops is kind of different from Anglicans.
 
ltwin said:
GKC, was there more that you were going to add this?

I understand the argument from the Anglican point of view and how there is more at stake for those who cannot in good conscience affirm the ordination of women. However, when it comes to Pentecostals it is very different because our ideas of ordained ministry and bishops is kind of different from Anglicans.
Click to expand...
Ah, me. More odd happenings when I type a reply. Something odd happens, from time to time, resulting in my typed words jumping randomly into other parts of the message, mine or the post I’m replying to. I usually catch it, before posting. Wastes a lot of time. What that fragment was, originally, was the opening line of my reply. I didn’t like the way it was going, and thought I had deleted it. And mostly, I did. But there the little devil is.

As to the 2nd part, yes, I understand. But I have to beat the drum for what is causing the Anglicans such anguish.

GKC
 
EvangelCatholic said:
The number of women priests in the ELCA is growing considerably; we don’t have any female bishops yet but I am sure the day is coming soon. And I welcome it.
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I thought y’all already had female bishops? I heard of one in Minneapolis, MN, and I thought there was another in La Crosse, WI? 🤷 Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong…
 
MaryT777 said:
I am Roman Catholic so therefore we have no women priests of course. For those of you in denominations with Women Clergy/Pastors do you feel they are treated equally to men.

I ask this because I have read several times that there is discrimination in this way; that women are some times called to less desirable assignments/parishes men did not care to take due to location, member numbers, or other reasons.

What’s been your experience with women Clergy.

Mary.
Click to expand...
I imagine women in those churches which ordained women priests or ministers but not women bishops are bound to feel they are not treated equally (and I know the special problems the ordination of women bishops brings to those who honestly dissent, as GKC has pointed out). In fact I would be very surprised if there were any mainstream churches where women feel they are treated equally: not many organisations, religious or secular, have achieved that yet. It would be interesting to get the opinion of women Salvation Army officers, who have a long history of admission to the ministry of that missionary church, including election to the Generalship (the just-retired international leader is General Linda Bond, for example) – despite that I would be surprised if misogyny is absent even in the SA.
 
LisaA said:
When I was a Methodist I attended churches that had both male and female clergy. I didn’t see any difference in treatment or assignments. Also participated in a pretty intensive Spiritual Direction program at an Episcopal Cathedral. Both male and female clergy there as well and I could see no difference although at the time the Bishop was male. However the “main” Bishop whatever the Episcopal Church calls it, is a female. So I think they have the same opportunities as men.

FWIW now that I’m Catholic, even though I experienced female clergy in other denominations** I am no supporter of having female clergy in the Catholic Church.**Lisa
Click to expand...
👍
 
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