Pages

Monday, June 9, 2008

Women as Clergy

Women in religious office seems to have piqued my interest over the past week or so. As such, I would like to post a couple more articles pertaining to women in religious ministry.

"When Churches Started to Ordain Women"
"In 1660, Margaret Fell (1614 - 1702) published a famous pamphlet to justify equal roles for men and women in the denomination. It was titled: Women's Speaking Justified, Proved and Allowed of by the Scriptures, All Such as Speak by the Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus And How Women Were the First That Preached the Tidings of the Resurrection of Jesus, and Were Sent by Christ's Own Command Before He Ascended to the Father (John 20:17)."

There follows a time-line of womens' role in religious ministry globally.

"Are There Female Ministers In the Bible?"
"But being a servant in these churches was understood. Everyone could serve (diakoneo), whether it was to get the hall ready for services, or to participate in socials and fund raising! Everyone among the "laity" pitched in to get the job done in the local congregations. Among the elite, it was possible to become a deacon (a male diakonos) or a deaconess (a female diakonos), but only a male could become a minister (diakonos) -- a local elder or a pastor."

"Changing Female Religious Leadership in Christianity"
"Christianity in America has had a gender paradox for a long time. Female church adherents have been predominant in the churches, but males have dominated church leadership. As women female clergy rapidly increased their numbers during the 1970s, however,but the history of female leadership in Christianity is not monolithic. By focusing upon on a the historically nationwide American Methodism as a case study, this thesis discusses how female religious leadership has historically changed and developed throughout the history of American religious society."

"Female Religious Congregations"
A list of female congregations.

"Female Religious"
A number of essays about women and religion.



No comments:

Post a Comment