A Catholic Argument Against the Ordination of Women

Dwight Longenecker explains why the Roman Catholic church does not ordain women to the priesthood.

You have to give Longenecker credit for boldness. While there are a lot of people who do not favor the ordination of women to the priesthood or the pastorate, not too many are putting their views out there in black and white.

What I respect and admire about Longenecker's argument is that he distinguishes so clearly between pragmatism and theology. A Protestant will certainly have differences on some of the theological points Longenecker makes, but one has to admire that it is theology, not pragmatism, that drives the argument.

Here is a taste--

I fully understand and accept that this teaching may be offensive to some and incomprehensible to others. I also fully understand that not all women are mothers. Nevertheless, this is the basic theological model which the church in her history and teaching supports and promotes as the essential structure for human life, faith and the plan of salvation.

When we play about with these core truths that come to us from the natural order we do so at our peril, for they were put there by the creator himself for our good and the good of the whole human race. How do we “play about with these core truths”? Our whole society is at war with these core truths: all the sexual sins violate these core truths for they violate marriage and the foundation of the family.

Women’s ordination is part of the same assault, and this is why we will continue to resist it–because it is not just about whether Jane would be a good preacher or it hurts Sally’s feelings not to be ordained or because it’s “not fair.”

You can find the entire post here.