Baptism and Women's Ordination: If baptism grants full membership, denying ordination is discriminatory and inconsistent with a universal gift

Baptism and Women’s Ordination

One priesthood in Christ: Baptism - The first of seven good reasons why women should be ordained

In Old Testament times women were definitely second-rank in religion. Since women were not circumcised, they did not personally become members of the Covenant. They could not present their own sacrifices. They were always subject to men — in religious matters, too.

Jesus changed all this.

Every woman who is baptised becomes another Christ just as men do. Galatians 3: 27-28 emphasizes a profound spiritual inclusion and unity among all believers in Christ where traditional human distinctions no longer determine one's standing before God. Baptism transcends social, ethnic, and gender barriers:

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The passage means inclusion and spiritual equality. It means these should be reflected in the actions and relationships within Christian community. It is a challenge for believers to fight against injustice and discrimination … not only outside community but within it, too. It calls for behaviour that matches the new reality in Christ.

Every baptised woman shares fully in Christ’s priesthood, kingship and prophetic mission. Baptism implies a fundamental openness to all the sacraments, including the ministerial priesthood.

Learn more about the Seven Reasons Why Women Can and Should Receive Holy Orders through the work of WOW’s international member group, Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research. See here: http://www.womenpriests.org/preasons.asp