The following articles are translations of a series of brief articles concerning Orthodox women published in Terre des Fermmes, an ecumenical Catholic publication from Belgium edited by Ann-Marie Pelzer. I am sure that many readers will agree that the news of Orthodox women is often either "bured" within our own jurisdictions, that is the information is not shares, or it is given little relevance within the diocese offices or it finally fills the clergy wastebasket. It is very difficult to know or find out what articles and books are being written by Orthodox women, what addresses they are presenting, what conferences are taking place, unless there is an international communications network to inform women about the efforts by Orthodox women for their faith. There are obviously very exciting and challenging changes taking place in Europe, as noted in the conference in Levadia; and interesting seminars happening in the USA. However, unless there is a network, how do Orthodox women get to know what is possible outside to bring inside their parochial boundaries.

I share with you a certain frustration that Orthodox women can be marginalised so easily by simply not informing women or including them. There is a prevailing attitude within many diocese and parishes of the Orthodox family, that somehow women cannot be 'trusted' to meet together and discuss, argue and inform each other of their hopes and desires and their spiritual lives. Perhaps we need to take examples from our Catholic and Protestant sisters who have taken to the study of theology and church history with great enthusiasm and discovered deep insights into their faith.

The debate on the issue of the ordination of women in the Orthodox Church is essential if only to explore and reveal the many prejudices against women that are so often enacted in the name of Orthodoxy. Why are so few Orthodox women involved in the study of our faith and when they have been, find it so difficult to be appointed to staff colleges to teach in the many areas of theological study? Why are we precluded from so many theological seminaries simply because we are women? Why are women so often absent from parish councils, ignored as possible appointees of the Church to ecumenical forums, and rarely financially supported to attend seminars or workshops concerned with the issues and concerns of women in the church?. The attitude in many parishes is that the role of women is to be in-Church, not to speak or act for the Church. Cultural misunderstandings about gender differences must be challenged if Orthodox women are to ever truly participate as equal members of the 'royal priesthood of believers.' (Editor)

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeus I, Archbishop of Constantinople, reminds us of the "unanimous and pan-Orthodox response regarding the ordination of women. Insisting strongly on the Church's tradition which only confers the priesthood on men. "It is, moreover, the reason why we can certainly revive the ancient tradition of calling women to minister as deacons". He adds, however, "But note also that one of our Metropolitans caused a few ripples by expressing the position that, as far as he was concerned, nothing in reality stood in the way of the ordination of women priests. In any case, several of our bishops have already re-established, in their dioceses, the ancient tradition of female deacons. At this stage, I do not know if it is a real ordination or a simple benediction, but one of our great Greek theologians states, and backed by scientific proof, that, in the past, women did indeed receive ordination as deacons. That is the point we are at now.

"It is important to watch for signs of the times" and to fine-tune our ears to the stirings and calls of the Spirit as recommended in the Apocalypse "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches". (Ap.2,7)

Ref. LLB, Nov. 1994, Istanbul-o.fm., reproduced by Ecumenical News, Liege, 1995, p.22).

What has Orthodoxy done for the Women's Decade (1988-1998) launched by the World Council of Churches? The idea inspired many women, but a number of Churches have done little because this idea of "solidarity among women" (the theme of the Decade) seemed possibly too removed from the practice and doctrine of the Christian faith.

However, at least the Orthodox Church has "provided an occasion for Orthodox women - and men- to discuss honestly and courageously their roles within the Church and society" The Ecumenical Decade serves as a catalyst for a number of meetings, weekend conferences in seminaries in New York (St Vladimir) and Montreal; a meeting in Dallas; and a series of papers delivered in Denver, Colorado, all focusing on various aspects of "Women in Orthodox Church".

The question of the ordination of women to the priesthood had always been seen by Orthodox Christians as a barrier to the discussions of women's roles in the Church. However, in 1990, thanks to the generous help of the WCC, Orthodox women from various regions and cultures have been able to meet to discuss women's roles at the Orthodox Academy of Chania in Crete. This assembly issued several signifIcant recommendations, including the restoration of the office of women deacons which had already been adopted by the council of Agapia (Romania 1976) and by the important pan-Orthodox Theological Council on "The place of
women in the Orthodox church and the question of women's ordination" which took place in Rhodes in 1988. The article concluded with reference to the conference in Levadia, Greece)

Professor Eva Adamziloglu, the first Greek woman to attend an International conference of the Association of Women in Theological Research (AFERT, Louvain, 1993) is trying to set up a section of this association in Greece. She has begun by discussing it with her colleagues at the Aristotle University in Thessalonica, where she holds a position linked to a biblio-graphical project relating to Orthodox theology in foreign languages.

Women theologians with a master's degree from the Thessalonica University can teach In high schools. Under the dictatorship this was impossible and the number of women students dropped to less than five. Today there are again many young women theologians despite very gloomy work prospects (ten years wait for appointment).

Eva explained " In January 1994, 1 gave a brief account at the Louvain conference to a small group of professors and doctoral students of biblical theology. Feminist theology clearly concerns all areas of theology... The faculty gives out thesis topics. Among those dealing with feminist theology is mine, whose title is "Women in the theology of the Apostle Paul".
At the end of 1993, my colleague K. Yiokarinis presented a thesis "The Ordination of women in the modern ecumenical movement". In the New Testament section, Professor D Vasiliadis has for two years, offered courses on feminist hermeneutics.

The four volumes of Professor D Tsamis' "Miterikon" tell of the lives and ideas of Holy Women of the Eastern churches. Between 1991 and 1993, Dr Panaglotis Pacis organised a cycle of lectures on 'Women in Religion". which will be published in book form. Already, in the seventies, two women academics were on the staff of the Thessalonica University. Today there are again two women, Dr Dimitra Koukoura, who teaches homiletics, and Dr Despina Lialiou who teaches dogmatics.

Eva Adamziloglu has also sown good seeds in Romania. She explained that women have only been admitted to theological faculties in Romania and Bulgaria for the last two years. A month after the conference at Louvain there was in Bucharest, an inter-orthodox Biblical Society congress on the interpretations of the Bible and of St Matthews gospel, including a paper with feminist context. 'This subject is still totally new. In Bucharest, I was able to talk with members of the Old Testament department about a women's section at the centre of their group".

(Ref. AFERT, February 1995, pp.6-7).