Sr. Vassa: There's no ontological impediment to priestesses
Is the male-only priesthood a discipline or essential to the nature of being a priest? Sr. Vassa (again unflinchingly taking up a contentious topic by climbing up the ladder to the highest platform and then jumping into the deep end head first) dives right in and says there is no reason beyond personal preference to not have female clergy. You know, when people ask me about women in priesthood, they say, 'Sister, why can't women be priests?' And I say, 'Women CAN be priests. We don't WANT them to be priests.' Because you see, God can do anything, and the Church, by divine authority, uh, can do anything, but, the Church doesn't want to - and that's a legitimate reason. What I don't like is when we TRY to pretend that there are other reasons for this, because it's legitimate not to want something, and there are reasons not to want this - right? - but, we shouldn't pretent that there's some... reason, that, for example, the maleness...
Wow! As the kids say, "It's on like Donkey Kong."
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard anything about this issue between the Czech Lands & Slovakia and Constantinople for about a year, and this simply confirms what I had suspected.
Sadly, pretty much everything they said in the video is essentially true, and thankfully, they made their remarks with dignity & due grief.
I doubt the EP, especially the TITULAR Metropolitan Elpidophoros of Bursa, will respond with anything other than criticism while expressing offense at every remark that was made. After all, why bother addressing any of the allegations agains you when you can just appeal to your noble character?
I love the EP, but it seems that they are intent on shooting themselves in the foot for the past 100 years. They could lead so much more effective if they would just let go of the ambition & self-agrandizment.
"I love the EP, but it seems that they are intent on shooting themselves in the foot for the past 100 years. They could lead so much more effective if they would just let go of the ambition & self-agrandizment."
ReplyDeleteSame goes for the Patriarch of Moscow.
Even moreso for Moscow.
DeleteWhere do you find the Patriarchate of Moscow interfering in another Church's affairs in any way remotely similar?
DeleteNelson, I agree that Moscow is not blameless, but I didn't say anything about Moscow, and more importantly, Moscow is not 1st in the diptychs like Constantinople is thus Moscow does not have the same world-wide role as Constantinople.
DeleteI don't have a dog in this fight. I'm neither a Slavoophile nor a Grecophile. I'm merely Orthodox, and in full disclosure I'm a member of a GOA parish. I actually do like the EP, but I can still see reality for what it is.
Nevertheless, my point was that the comments made in the video are patently true, and those bishops & priests merely pointed out the elephant in the room that most hierarch are unwilling to do. There was substance to their assertions that most are not willing to articulate. The cat's out of the bag now, and I think we may be better off for this because those issues need to be addressed rather than swept under the rug.
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DeleteTimmy,
DeleteWell said. The simple fact is that the EP is in a desperate situation, and is fighting for survival "of the institution". It makes for bad bad leadership.
Also, what Nelson is not saying is that he is a Unia - it seems deflecting the spotlight off his "super bishop" (i.e. the bishop of Rome - talk about "the elephant in the room") is habitual for such folks...