Tag Archives: theology

Women in the Church

I generally find that women don't appreciate being instructed about their proper roles from men. That's understandable. I'd imagine most men don't like being told their roles by women, either (though my gut tells me women hate hearing about womanhood from men more than the reverse). The author of the following defense of the all-male priesthood is a women. Even cooler, she's an ex-Lutheran minister (I'm an ex-Lutheran as well).

Former Lutheran Pastor Debunks Women's Ordination (Part 1)
Jennifer Ferrara Was Won Over by the Pope's Theology of the Body

SPRING CITY, Pennsylvania, JUNE 21, 2004 (Zenit.org).- When she was younger, Jennifer Ferrara never would have foreseen the day when she became a sort of apologist for the all-male Catholic priesthood.

Former Lutheran Pastor Defends All-Male Priesthood (Part 2)
Jennifer Ferrara on Proper Roles in the Church

SPRING CITY, Pennsylvania, JUNE 22, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Women can find innumerable opportunities for service in the Church if only they embrace their proper role, says a former Lutheran minister who now extols the all-male Catholic priesthood.

Also regarding women in the Church:

Scholars rethink image of biblical figure
By Mary Kaye Ritz, The Honolulu Advertiser

How did Mary Magdalene, who has inspired legions of the faithful, gnostics and scholars, and even affected pop culture, come to be so popular — and so misunderstood?

Busted

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Wow. Reading this entry at Jollyblogger really got me thinking. Righteous indignation is one thing. Self-righteous snobbery is another. I think I tend toward the latter and I need to work on that (no need to comment, John).

Advice to Christian Bloggers from G. K. Chesterton

This month's Gilbert Magazine (a magazine devoted to G. K. Chesterton) has a good little short piece called "Bad Christian Journalism and the G. K. Chesterton Remedy," by J. Fraser Field. Field starts with an example of what he considers "Bad Christian Journalism."

Swallowing Camels

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Another
aren’t we wonderful? parish

From Richard John Neuhaus’ May “Public Square”

It is no little thing when one Sunday’s church bulletin can reflect the innumerable
wonders of renewal. A friend picked up the other day the bulletin of St. Francis
Xavier Church, which is around the corner on West 16th Street. It includes the parish
mission statement: “We, the Church of St. Francis Xavier, are a prophetic Roman
Catholic community. . . .” Not any old Roman Catholic Church, mind you, but a community,
and a prophetic one at that.

I doubt parishes like this actually bother to strain gnats, but they’re apparently
swallowing camels like crazy. Inclusiveness isn’t an object good. If it were, the
Church would be inclusive of pagans, secular humanists, feminists, third-rate liturgical
composers, and other un-Catholic types. Oh, wait…

In, But Not Of

Scripture tells us to be in the world but not of it. Obviously somebody forgot to tell the Anglicans. The implication of these actions is that if it’s legal in man’s law, it should be legal in God’s law. "It has the state’s blessing. Why shouldn’t it have ours?" Oy. I bet this kind of thing drives Pontificator nutty.

Liturgy for Gay Marriages Developed in Vt.
Fri Jun 18, 4:26 AM ET
By DAVID GRAM, Associated Press Writer

BURLINGTON, Vt. – Vermont’s Episcopal Diocese has become the first in the country to develop a liturgy – a script for a religious service – in response to a state law making same-sex unions legal.

Honest Enquiry

Pam, the Catholic blogmistress of “A
Bird’s Melody“, sincerely wonders why homosexual acts are sinful. Anybody
out there want to field this one? I suppose we could point her to the relevant parts
of the Catechism, but I suspect that would be unsatisfying for her.

the church
and homosexuality

A sin is either an act that is harmful to God, oneself, or others, or simply an act of turning away from God. How then exactly are acts of homosexuality harmful? I’m asking this question seriously, not rhetorically. If they are not harmful, how are they turning away from God? Please do not point to the Bible and say “there, in this verse, it says that it’s sinful.” I know the Bible says that. I want to know how, exactly, acts of homosexuality are sinful.