Women, Easter & Church
To the best of my knowledge, Jesus died on the cross on Friday, witnessed by the Maria's: his mom, his sister and Maria Magdalena. His 12 (?male) disciples were AWOL during his ordeal, I guess they were saving their own arses. Except for Judas Iscariot who killed himself.
On Sunday, when (depending which part of bible you read) the women/Maria Magdalena went to his tomb and found it empty. Not long afterward Jesus appeared to these women/Maria Magdalena. Now, this part is very important, it's the based of the whole Christianity: Jesus rose from dead.
Think about it, the two most significant parts of the Christianity were witnessed by women. Not men. WOMEN.
I always wonder about why Jesus appeared to these women, instead of his male disciples. After all back in the days, women practically had no rights, they couldnt bear witness, they didnt have the rights to inheritance (If I'm not mistaken, in Europe this practice went on well until 1800s). Yes, it was the women who didnt forsaken him, but they still couldnt bear witness to his rising from death. It must've meant something.
Therefore I am naively think that given the importance of the events for the church, the position of women, especially that of Maria Magdalena, in the church should've been much better than in the last 2000 years. Yet, I read somewhere that some church writings for years depicted Maria Magdalena as a former prostitute and women are, in most churches, only allowed to be a nun.
With all the trouble in the churches (I'm thinking of Anglican and Catholic church) regarding their (male) priests, perhaps it's time to ordain (more) women in the church. Who said women cant be a better priest than men? After all it was the women who were by his side during his last hours and it was also to the women he appeared for the first time.
4 comments:
"it's time to ordain (more) women in the church.".
Although I doubt whether it would prevent physical and emotional abuse ( where a huge gap between the powerful and powerless exists, abuse will take place. Women are not any better than men I'm afraid. Even a convent of nuns can be hell), yours is a sensible and practical advice to the pope. c.q. the Vatican.
He will not listen though.
Religion(s) maybe have been revolutionary at the start, after it(they) in the early days had (have) been hijacked by professionals it (they) became conservative. Usually very conservative. Often being flexible only by taking sides with whatever ruling elite and it's values it (they) was ( were) confronted with.
Though in the New Testament a special bond between (some) women and Jesus has been described, the leaders of the Church rather took care of the interests of the institution ( and it's leaders themselves) than living according to that special bond. Putting Maria on a peculiar pedestal after some time was all they did.
In accordance with the other conservative monotheistic religions, that is the orthodox variants of them, the Catholic Church sometimes tends to reflect more or less the conditions of hundreds of years ago. One of these conditions being women can only be auxiliary believers.
I'm afraid the Church ( or any other organized religion) is not a fast train to gender equality.
By the way: most protestant denominations do actually have a substantial percentage of female ministers, reverends.
Very interesting analysis.
Happy Easter to you and your
loved ones, Triesti.
From the side of Christianity, this post can be a positive attribute for women. Like Colson said, this can be a sensible advice to Vatican.
@colson I am aware of the protestants female reverends & how some nuns are bitchy
@harry and tikno thanks.. I'm just thinking out loud :)
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