August 13, 2013    Martin Mallon  (Ireland)     Martin's previous articles          

Theology of Women

What are we to make of Pope Francis’ statements regarding women in the church? At first glance they are bewildering and seem to have little coherence, but the underlying emphasis is very supportive of women.

Pope Francis has given an important job to theologians by pointing out that "we don't yet have a truly deep theology of women in the church." This was established in an interview reported by John Allen July 29 and highlighted on v2catholic.com July 30

Francis also gave an indication of the methodology to be used in developing this theology: "Let us not reduce the involvement of women in the Church, but instead promote their active role in the ecclesial community." - See more here

In the same interview Francis said that "On the ordination of women, the church has spoken and said no. John Paul II, in a definitive formulation, said that door is closed."

What does this mean? At last a call for a theology of women which will, in truth, necessarily establish that there is no theological reason for women not to be ordained. In addition, as Francis points out the ban is based on a "definitive formulation", which is not an infallible statement: see my article of July 17, 2012

A proper theology of women should lead to the ordination of women; perhaps Francis realises this is the only way it will evolve in our church?

It should also be highlighted that John Paul II's encyclical, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, his definitive statement on women’s ordination, specifically refers to the ordination of women as priests and ignores the question of the ordination of women as deacons.

If the theological methodology used adheres to Benedict XVI’s hermeneutic of continuity, and as there were women deacons for the first thousand years of the church so there is no theological reason for prohibiting them now, then the result is a foregone conclusion.

Especially as a report made at the request of Pope Paul VI by a Camaldolese monk named Cipriano Vagaggini stated: "Yes, he said, there were women deacons, and they were ordained." The excellent article from which the above quote was taken can be found at here 

So now it is important that our theologians point out that the ordination of women is essential for the church thus enabling Francis to overrule John Paul II, as he has already overruled Benedict XVI here

Both these situations are matters of discipline, not theology, and a proper Theology of Women should make this clear. Anyone who reads Ordinatio Sacerdotalis will realise that there is no theology in this Apostolic letter and thus the ordination of women as priests concerns discipline, not theology.

I believe Francis wishes theologians to highlight what is obvious; there is no theological reason why women cannot be ordained.

Let us pray that the theologians now do their job as requested by Pope Francis, and they need not fear the CDF as Francis has also made clear.

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