Of all the divisions plaguing Protestantism today, perhaps none is more hotly debated than the ordination of women.
All seven major Protestant denominations have adopted this practice, but evangelical and fundamentalist denominations adamantly refuse to accept the idea on Biblical grounds.
Even the progressive wing of the church feared that this direct attack on the “patriarchal” status quo would undermine the church's legitimacy.
The Bible seems to speak very clearly about women's leadership abilities in 1 Timothy 2:12. As St. Paul writes, “I do not permit women to teach or assume authority over men.”
However, as proponents of women's ordination argue, New Testament women religious leaders such as Phoebe, Priscilla, Lydia, and Mary held more respected positions than St. Paul suggests. It seems so. Many have pointed out that Phoebe is depicted as a butler or butler (Diakonos) Romans suggests that there was a model of female authority within the church.
However, the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, which insist on apostolic succession and direct ecclesiastical relationship with the apostles, firmly oppose this practice and defend the all-male clergy as the canonical teachings of the church. There is.
On July 29, 1974, 11 women priests were ordained in the Episcopal Church. Although this act was primarily symbolic, real changes soon occurred. These ordinations were made valid by conditional approval by the House of Bishops in 1976.
In response, hundreds of dioceses broke away from the Episcopal Church as part of the Continuing Episcopal movement, paving the way for the creation of a rival Episcopal church in North America in 2009. Ironically, the denomination is currently divided over the ordination of women.
Margo Guernsey's new documentary, Philadelphia Eleven, commemorates the 50th anniversary of this turning point through interviews with several of the 11 survivors.
It is clear that Guernsey views the ordination of women as a righteous act of liberationist defiant progress. These women, she writes, “offer a vision of what a just and inclusive community actually looks like.”
The women in this film are inspired by the civil rights movement and portray their push for greater women's participation in the church. It was also an act of “obedience to the Holy Spirit” that took precedence over adherence to tradition.
The film acknowledges how radical this was. Even the progressive wing of the church was concerned about this direct attack on the “patriarchal” status quo and feared it would undermine the church's legitimacy.
In retrospect, it is clear that their concerns were valid.
This ceremony caused widespread confusion within the Anglican Church. Some of the clerics involved had their careers severely damaged. Despite the women publicly defending their ordination as valid, dozens of bishops and priests denounced the ceremony as an illegal farce. One person quoted St. Paul during a television appearance. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
It had little effect in the short term, as no woman could find a position. But in the end they won. By 1988, the Anglican Church had appointed its first female bishop.
“Half of humanity has been recognized as important enough to stand up to one of the most powerful organizations in the world,” said Nancy Wittig, a member of the Philadelphia 11.
That's certainly one way to look at it. Another option is to accept that the organization that Wittig and her allies defeated is now just a vestige of its former self.
The Episcopal Church continued on the path set by the Philadelphia 11, abandoning traditional Christian teachings on other issues such as sex and abortion. The canons were amended to the point that bishops were not allowed to refuse to ordain women.
The Church is currently deeply committed to social justice and tolerance, and is doing many admirable efforts to address the world's many wrongs. But it's also on the edge of a cliff. population collapse And by 2040, it will no longer be functional.
The Philadelphia 11 may have opposed patriarchy within the church and allowed women to become priests, but the resulting schism is too much for this generation to celebrate their victory. It may turn out to be a deep wound. That leaves movies like;“Philadelphia Eleven” balancing awkwardly on the abyss.
