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...
It is good to see an Antiochian Priest dressed like a real Orthodox Priest, rather than in Roman collar + vestments and sans beard, like "that last guy" wanted his Priests to appear.
ReplyDeleteSamuel, your post illustrates that our prayers that Met. Phillip's memory be eternal are answered. You do realize that he reposed seven years ago?
DeleteI am sorry but to me it is an embarrassment,,,a pony tail and unkempt beard,,,, this is not the 10 the century,,,,when I see this lack of relevancy I see someone who is focused on the externalities and not the internalities if the faith. Sorry guys but we can learn a lot from the protestants we love to criticize,,,when we have our community hospitals,,,our own universities then we perhaps will have gotten it. By criticizing others we bring ourselves down and them up. Our clergy need to lead us into being part of the fabric of the communities in which we live and not keep us isolated especially with outdated externalities,,,,no wonder we lost 20 percent of our membership over the past ten years.
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DeleteThank you. RJ. At least somebody gets it. Well kept is preferred this century.
ReplyDeleter.j, to get all those things you mention the Protestants like our Orthodox brethren before us became either an actual or a de facto 'state church'
ReplyDeleteWhile providing many external benefits it also presents many challenges. Today the universities and hospitals have each and all been corrupted by the dark and evil spirit of the age. Not something I want to strive for.
As to beards: some men, like me, cannot grow a decent beard ever. Mine would always look unkempt. Others, like my brother, an Orthodox priest, have beards that always look great no matter what. My brother's nick name in college was 'Beard'.
Maybe there should be genetic testing for all Orthodox priesthood candidates or those with bad beards not allowed ordination. Oh and maybe we need a new Othodox magazine for priests: Presbyter's Quarterly.
You do realize that should any one of our Fool's For Christ would be forcibly incarcerated in the closest secure "mental health" facility these days.
A priest is a priest based on the inside of the cup. God forgive me, a sinner.
Not for the first time I wish there was a "like" button for blog comments.
DeleteThis isn't aimed at you Michael but just prompted by your comment -- Maybe the fools for Christ these days are hiding out in secular places, or, heaven forbid, heterodox churches.
DeleteJames, I have no idea. I sincerely doubt your hypothesis but who knows.
DeleteThe questions the Protestant guy had were good questions. I especially liked the one on the fragrance. Although I hope for the sake of the older folks in the congregation there is another way up into the Narthex and sanctuary than those stairs. Made my poor old legs ache just looking at them. Lord have mercy
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