The magazine Actualite Religieuse dans le Monde (World Religious News) published a feature ' Women priests-should we say never?' which brings together articles from diverse sources, each one of interest Among them, the one by the well-known theologian, Olivier Clement, Professor at the Institut St Serge in Paris, deserves our closest attention (and comment (ed. Terre des femmes)

"My opinion- I know that very few orthodox theologians share it- is that there are no strictly theological reasons to bar women from the priesthood "

"There are pastoral arguments: such a decision would cause unrest and division of opinion. There are, in particular, arguments on a symbolic level, or, if you like, typological arguments typos meaning a key image). It can be said in fact that the, bishop (priest) in the great enactment of celebration is a typos of Christ who is the Bridgroom of the Church - at least when he turns to the congregation; when it is towards God, with his arms raised, like the mysterious female figure at prayer in the Catacombs, or the Virgin, so often depicted, in Eastern churches, on the apse, he takes part in the universal femininity of the Bride".

This text gives us food for thought : according to 0livier Clement, the 'typological' symbolical argument is thus not an actual theological reason for excluding women from the priesthood. Let us remember that nowhere in the Gospels do we find that idea of Christ as the bridegroom of the Church: it was St Paul who promoted this idea to suggest the quality of love that temporal married couples must give to their spouse.

Women are not exactly appreciative of the devastating inequality between the sexes which results from this typology when it is applied in a context other than that of married love- which must, nevertheless, be symmetrical and reciprocated.

To be stereotyped by the Church, inevitably imperfect, sinning and submissive, is no consolation to a woman while she is not permitted to be seen in the image of Christ, divine, perfect and masterful, something restricted to males. This radically inequitable analogy has resulted in the pseudo- theological justification of so many instances of inferiority imposed on woman for 2000 years, in marriage, church affairs, and indirectly, education and society.

Many women are mindful, moreover, that the author of this analogy, St Paul, wrote also that

the male is the image and glory (doxa) of God, but woman is the glory of man....
For, of course, man is not created for woman, but woman for man ( I Cor.11: 7- 9).

An anthropological perspective unacceptable to the majority of Christians today. Similar ideas on the nature and purpose of woman lead us to question the relevance of St Paul's analogies with respect to the respective roles of men and women, and their application in a liturgical context.

0livier Clement predicts that the ordination of women would cause disputes and divisions of opinion. Yes, today, probably. But for how long? Would it be more serious for Christianity than the countless silent deserters and the loss of credibility suffered by the Catholic Church, because, for example, Rome will not allow an open and sincere study of this theological problem, as with other controversial question? Would it be worse quantitively or qualitively? Is a division of opinion worse that the rejection of all sacramental rites and all church connections by so many thousands of our fellow citizens?

Certainly, the ordination of women requires preparing the congregation to understand and accept such an obvious change in our church services. It is up to us to begin this work without further delay!

Another important point for Clement "the priest is not identified with Christ, otherwise he would himself be the eucharist: the celebrant brings about, through the Holy Spirit, the great works of God, from the Creation to the Second Coming. But when he recalls the Last Supper and pronounces the words of institution, he does it from a narrative, read in the third person. while asking the Holy Spirit to join those present, through the eucharist, to the Body of Christ, in a prayer said by all, but to the granting of which, thanks to the apostolic succession, he stands as a witness.

The Orthodox theologian concludes: 'I believe that we must pray, work, and 'declericalise' the Church by effectively making the priesthood a service - today it is a power- listen to feminine prophecy and re-establish the female deaconry. Each age must shoulder its burden of suffering (ed. whose suffering?)

7 June 2002