The Idea of Feminism In the Church

A veiled woman lighting up a candle in the Orthodox Church, source: Adobe Stock

Roman Catholic Pope Francis appeared a 60-minute on CBS's live-streaming interview with a female reporter, Norah O'Donnell. She was curious in a question towards on him, 

"I'm curious, for a little girl growing up Catholic today, will she ever have the opportunity to be a deacon and participate as a clergy member in the church?"

Pope Francis simply, saying, "No."

O'Donnell seemed to trying to push on him about her idea of the progressive and reformation in the Catholic Church. But, thanks God, Pope was strong defending his faith. 

This is a 60-minute interview has opened that in fact the pressure of the church reformation has been increasingly happening today. We heard that some churches trying to allow its LGBTQ movement within church life, like the Unitarian church. And, I think some churches have accepted the female ordination, but usually it is Protestant church because Protestant have so many denominations, not just like the oldest Protestantism, like Lutheran, Calvinism, and Baptism. The modern side, Pentecostal and Charismatic, has been evidence of modernism church in this era, where is the nowadays where are living at. Thanks to Martin Luther, who leading the confusion of theology and Christianity in this era, which is the biggest ever mistake is to allow people interpretation its Bible, and even creating new translation versions. However, that's been predicted in its scripture, referring to Matthew (7:15), Galatians (5:7-12), and Corinthians (2 Corinthians 11: 1-5). We do not know either, but we will eventually know what is that.

Moreover, the modernism practices in the church is line with globalization and technology which effects on the way of thinking, how life is, and adapt its society where we are raised in. Every years is changing. Every generation is changing. There is no eternal, however, but how is the world working on its era and generation. We suffered the persecutions, but now we are free and we can go to a church. But, again, we still have to face the modernism trying to justify their teachings in the church. Church is nowadays is not a person, but is a teaching that justified on. So, the question is, what is a church?

So, feminism in truthfully against what's defined the equality gender, since years ago. RA Kartini, in Indonesia, a woman he wanted was to study in where was she wanted to go. Just that was it, but the definition is expanded into the opportunity in the community, like women can work, play football, or even be controlling over men (in secularism, that's okay, but church life is different). However, the feminism has been moving to a church reformation because they know that church is the power influence in the community. So, they use a church as their agenda. Like, what they want for a church reformation?

1. They want a FEMALE PRIEST
2. They want a FEMALE DEACON
3. They want a FEMALE-LED CHURCH
4. They want PROGRESSIVE
5. They want a FEMALE ORDINATION
6. They want a FEMALE BISHOP

Yes, they want women can be ordinated as priests or even bishops. They are Christians who love Jesus and of course, regularly attending in the church, but she isn't just the idea of justification over all church that she's been attended but she wants a reformation in the church. So, what's wrong these women?

However, Hebrews 13: 8 saying that Jesus isn't changing because He remains staying the same way. So, church isn't changing. Church is an unchanged tradition, law, and theology, that's meant an unchanged church. Church represents Christ's life, not the world's life. We can show an evidence, that's history based, not just in the scripture. 

Jesus was man, He chose twelve disciples were men, and Jesus went to Heaven, the first Christianity began all with men, despite recorded in the Bible shown that was any female who served in the ministry, like Priscilla and Aquila. Yes, there was Mary the Theotokos, we have three Marys, like Mary the Theotokos (mother of Jesus), Mary of Clopas, and Mary Madaglene. We honour women and have female saints, like my favourite saint, St. Nina the Preacher, St. Olga, St. Xenia, and other female saints. Yesterday, we honour and pray for Samaritan woman who met Jesus. She was holy and inquiring who was Messiah the Promise of the Arrival, which Jesus said that she herself had been seeing himself in person nearby. She ran and yelled that Jesus is Messiah. The history says that many women have contributed for a church and Christ. We have nuns who live in the monastery. So, yes, we honour women, but in the priesthood, that's complicated, though. Priesthood takes responsibility into bishops. Bishops, who theologists in councils, since 2.000 years ago. A bishop is to teach Christ's life and faith, including church. 

So, women cannot be a priest, even a bishop. That's the end of the story. St. Paul on female roles in the church in 1 Timothy 2: 12. 

"I don't permit a woman to teach or assume authority over a man; she must be quiet." 1 Timothy 2: 12

So, yeah, that's clear, Men, the priest can teach and lead the church, parish, and community, like leading the liturgy. Priest like have 24 hours service, not just in the church but he has to go anywhere, like hospitals, houses, schools, etc., for a blessing, consultation, and another priesthood jobs. That's a busy working. You can see church's schedule, especially Orthodox church. They have five days for liturgy, even the Pascha/ Easter week, they are really busy with attending the liturgy backs-to-backs for nine days in a row! How can imagine that a woman can be a priest, if she has periods, giving birth, breastfeeding, and taking care of her kids? That's stressful! She should be a stay-at-home mother or a career mother if she wants. 

So, if you are awe in the idea of female ordination, you can go to a Protestant church, because you have a choice of where's a church that may fit to your ideas. The Protestant church has many female pastors, even they can lead a church. Why are they okay with that? So, simply, they do not have traditions like Orthodoxy. So, their job is may much easier than Orthodox priests. 

In the parish, women can teach, write, pray, on the choir singing the Psalms, and serve the church, but she cannot be a deacon. She should obey to God, church, and her husband if she's married. That's not patriarchy, but that's how Christ's life is. Women can do everything as usual as other girls, but in Christ's life is different. So, if a woman who committed to following Christ, she must be doing in whether Christ's teaching about women. If she decides to follow secularism, so yes she's fine.  

You can see Jeannie Constantinou. She is a priest's wife, a lecturer, a theologist, and an author. She is an Orthodox Christian who studied at a theology school and is awarded as a doctor's degree. She's globally preaching everywhere, even you can listen to her speech and podcast on Ancient Faith Ministries. But, she still cannot in clergy and priesthood because she is a woman, but she is fine and still supports the Holy Traditions. That's why we need her more to oppose the idea of feminism in the church. You can watch her podcast and speech here on Youtube.

We do not need a reformation in the church. We are church to Christ, which is staying the same way with. Jesus has said that He will be coming again, so we should defend His teachings remain same way for many years. 

We are Orthodox Christians and we are fine. We do not need a reformation. We need Christ and we do not need the world. We are faithful to Jesus, the Salvation. Again, we do not need a reformation, like modernism, progressive, and feminism. We are the church establishment since 2.000 years ago with the same teachings, and we do not need a reformation despite we live in the modern era. End of the story!