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From: sdyer@bbnccv.UUCP (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Marchionni's OPINIONS on female priests (Dyer and Tinkham)
Message-ID: <52@bbnccv.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 27-Feb-85 01:24:19 EST
Article-I.D.: bbnccv.52
Posted: Wed Feb 27 01:24:19 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 3-Mar-85 02:56:44 EST
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> Female priests:
> 
> I agree with the Church here.  Christ had the opportunity to "ordain" women
> when He ordained the Apostles. The Early Church also had ample opportunity
> to ordain women.

Come, now, Vince.  The role of women at that time was tightly circumscribed.
Christ worked within the conventions of society.  This is hardly a renegade
opinion.  What seems unfortunate to me is the importance you (and the
R.C. Church hierarchy) ascribe to a legitimate (for that time) omission.

> Why is Tradition so IMPORTANT?  Precisley because not all contingencies could
> be written down.  Can you see it now?? Something out of "Foundation"
> where Christ would appear every so many years in pre-recorded form to tell us
> what to do.
> Since Christ wasn't stupid He left the Spirit to guide the Church. And it is
> the Spirit which helps the Church UNDERSTAND Revelation.  As of this writing
> the Church understands it to mean only male priests.

I wasn't saying that Tradition isn't important, only that it isn't the
last word by any means.  In a sense, Tradition has no power unto itself--
rather, it is fallible evidence of the Spirit working within the Church.
You seem to have rather conveniently sidestepped my other examples, such
as the reforms which were introduced into the Church subsequent to Vatican II
which demonstrate the Spirit working in a rather anti-Traditional fashion
(at least as seem by the ecclesiatical Luddites.)  An appeal to tradition
should be respected AS SUCH, but it alone is a very very weak prop.

If we look at work of the Spirit in the Church writ large, there is
significant evidence that our fellow Churches, such as the Episcopal
and Lutheran, have a Prophetic role to play in the eventual ordination
of women by the Roman Catholic Church.  The Church comes to UNDERSTAND
Revelation through the working of the Spirit.  Some of the ways in which
the Spirit works are in the aspirations of millions of lay and religious
women in the Church, through the discussion of this topic by people
of good will, and by the examples of our sister Churches.  Out of what
looks like controversy will eventually arise consensus.

> I know of no infallible teaching on it YET but if it is allowed then I'll
> abide by it  (GRUDGINGLY)  since I look at the priesthood as the last
> masculine role model intact; it being the perfect example of fatherhood.
> (NO I don't feel like explaining it)

A testament to Vince's faith in the Church, I suppose.
-- 
/Steve Dyer
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