"You can no more ordain a woman than a pork pie..." said a spokesman for the Church of England. The Roman Catholic Church has said that women priests are never to be discussed; at all.
There is no denying that many women experience the call to ministry and, if Anglican, they can fulfill that calling in most areas of that Communion. However what if you are baptised Roman Catholic - who say women cannot be considered for ordination. The Roman Catholic Church says that the ordination of women must not even be spoken of, debated or petitioned and those who dare to ignore this Canon must be excommunicated.
It is astounding that the Roman Church, who fought so hard for 'toleration' between the Reformation and the date of 1870, when the British state was having priests hanged, drawn and quartered for little more than offering the sacraments to the Catholic faithful, have such a short memory in historic terms. Throughout that time it was often thanks to the strong faith, bravery and dedication of women that the sacraments were able to be celebrated.
What is it about women that the Roman Church finds so threatening? Is it because they think women may do a better job than the men? Is it because women are naturally pastoral, caring and nurturing?
They say that Jesus didn't want women. We do not believe that Jesus would ever have been that dismissive and exclusive. They also say that it is a matter of unchanging theology. It is not, it is a matter of practice and law – both of which can be changed. Not only does Rome forbid women having a ministerial role, Rome (usually referred to as 'she' ironically) also forbids their clergy the consolation of normal human relationships. Celibacy came late into the controlling Roman Canon law. Could it be that this law has made some clergymen act in ways wholly indecent within society? The vow of celibacy must be taken before ordination to the diaconate or the candidate proceeds no further, and the oath is powerfully worded; so say some of the men who were made to take it.
We do not know if the RC church will ever change. We doubt it frankly, but it is not for the want of men and women fighting hard against this out-dated bigotry. However what has changed, is the minds of many clergy determined to claim back the original Church, free from bigotry and gender politics.
40 years later - we say time's up! There is another way. We are it and we are here to stay - and grow - and pray that one day, we will all meet in the middle and become one. Forget the politics and the intellectualization of faith!
Jesus didn't mean for us to agonize over ecclesiology. He wanted us to live for others, through Him.