Why can't women be priests or popes?

brave little toaster · May 2nd, 2009, 06:27 PM

I'm atheist, but this question has been bugging me for a while, and my CCD teacher didn't know the answer to it. Is there any reason why women can't be priests? I know they can be nuns, but I don't really see them do anything during church(unless if I'm mistaken)

So...why? (and why can't they be popes too? is it same reason why they can't be priests?)

Katsuno_Hitomi · May 2nd, 2009, 06:34 PM

I'm not sure about other churches, but in mine, women have their own organization called Relief Society. The main purpose is to spiritually lift other women and to help the needy in an organized fashion. They do not, however, hold any priesthood. The priesthood encourages men to develop charity, something women naturally have a head start on.

I once heard it put this way: A mother's job is to bring Heavenly Father's children to Earth, a father's job is to lead them back.

Organization_42 · May 2nd, 2009, 06:57 PM

Good question. From my understanding of it, when Jesus picked the twelve Apostles, they were all men, and he gave them the power to preach and most importantly, minister the sacraments. The latter is the priest's most important job (i.e. baptizing people, giving them Holy Communion, etc.). Since Jesus never picked any women to be among his twelve Apostles, and the priests are meant to be the religious descendants of the Apostles, it's regarded that Jesus created the task specifically for men.

That's not to say that women can't be religious at all, like becoming a sister. I just figure that God had things he wanted men to do, and things for women to do, and things that either gender could do within the faith. That's the Christian explanation anyway.

But there are some religions, particularly in ancient times, that had priestesses. You just don't generally see it today.

**afrobutt** · May 2nd, 2009, 07:11 PM

they can in the protestant religion, at least

but Ordination of women - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Forever Atlas** · May 2nd, 2009, 07:37 PM

I've met many female priests in my day.

Phoenix · May 2nd, 2009, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Good question. From my understanding of it, when Jesus picked the twelve Apostles, they were all men, and he gave them the power to preach and most importantly, minister the sacraments.

Jesus also picked only Jews. By your logic, only Jews should be priests.

**Mr. Wilhelm** · May 2nd, 2009, 07:52 PM

I'd say merely because in ancient time, having a woman in those kind of role wasn't fitting at all with their traditions and all, with women considered inferior and all those things. It starts to evolve today, and this is only speaking of Christians, in some religion the situation of woman may be more important than those of men.

Quote:

Since Jesus never picked any women to be among his twelve Apostles, and the priests are meant to be the religious descendants of the Apostles, it's regarded that Jesus created the task specifically for men.

There is the whole Mary Magdalene issue though, she'd may have been as important, if not more, than any other Apostle.

But whatever the truth is, woman's situation wasn't what it's today unfortunately and so the church went ahead and has put them aside from high responsibilities, such as pope etc.

**Forever Atlas** · May 2nd, 2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Organization_42

Good question. From my understanding of it, when Jesus picked the twelve Apostles, they were all men, and he gave them the power to preach and most importantly, minister the sacraments. The latter is the priest's most important job (i.e. baptizing people, giving them Holy Communion, etc.). Since Jesus never picked any women to be among his twelve Apostles, and the priests are meant to be the religious descendants of the Apostles, it's regarded that Jesus created the task specifically for men.

That's not to say that women can't be religious at all, like becoming a sister. I just figure that God had things he wanted men to do, and things for women to do, and things that either gender could do within the faith. That's the Christian explanation anyway.

But there are some religions, particularly in ancient times, that had priestesses. You just don't generally see it today.

Meh. I'm not too familiar with the arrangements in other religions under the "Christian" umbrella, however without going into detail, because that would take a book, woman can have a large role and do, however it has to do with the headship arrangement of the congregation as pointed out in the scriptures.

I don't agree with the apostle thing above. And now this is pure speculation, because we don't know exactly why Jesus picked the men he did and why it was ONLY men, but Jesus' focus was to do the will of his father and that was what he wanted his apostles focus to be. He knew that these men were honest hearted men. These men spent countless time together. If a women was with them all that time, please believe there'd be some distraction on their travels. O.o

Oh and God used women all the time, even had female prophetess' in the Bible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rufus Shinra

I'd say merely because in ancient time, having a woman in those kind of role wasn't fitting at all with their traditions and all, with women considered inferior and all those things. It starts to evolve today, and this is only speaking of Christians, in some religion the situation of woman may be more important than those of men.

There is the whole Mary Magdalene issue though, she'd may have been as important, if not more, than any other Apostle.

But whatever the truth is, woman's situation wasn't what it's today unfortunately and so the church went ahead and has put them aside from high responsibilities, such as pope etc.

:/ Erm, What about Mary? Anyway, the women weren't considered inferior even when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the few in that room and the tongues of fire appeared above their heads, it was men and women that were in there.

Phoenix · May 2nd, 2009, 08:07 PM

Well, I think he means compared to men, F_A. There's, what, 3 female prophets? Out of 100?

**Forever Atlas** · May 2nd, 2009, 08:15 PM

Yeah, anyway, I can't really answer this thread because we don't have "priests or popes" in my religion lol so I don't know too much about it anyway.

**Mr. Wilhelm** · May 2nd, 2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forever Atlas

:/ Erm, What about Mary?

The theory we often hear on her and all, even some sayings she was as important, see more, as Apostle.

Quote:

Anyway, the women weren't considered inferior even when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the few in that room and the tongues of fire appeared above their heads, it was men and women that were in there.

Like I said the important point isn't what the "facts", but what the church decided latter on. And the Christian church didn't give a that great role to women.

**Forever Atlas** · May 3rd, 2009, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rufus Shinra

The theory we often hear on her and all, even some sayings she was as important, see more, as Apostle.

The theories that I find to be total bull :/

Quote:

Like I said the important point isn't what the "facts", but what the church decided latter on. And the Christian church didn't give a that great role to women.

I suppose. The Church has done a lot of stuff out of line from what Jesus instituted.

Diastyl · May 3rd, 2009, 02:11 AM

I thought there were women priests in the protestant religion? Or am I mistaken?

Silh · May 3rd, 2009, 02:25 AM