The Ordination of Women is mentioned in the New Testament! The actual canonical New Testament, I mean – not some obscure gnostic gospel of dubious provenance. I present here a slightly more sober follow-up to my post XX Priests.
Basically my theory is this: Ordination is a Sacrament, and involves an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. If therefore one can find references in Holy Writ that God sent the Holy Spirit upon a woman, and that woman then took on a Priest-like role, then theologically that is evidence that that woman was effectively Ordained.
Such references do exist in the New Testament, to wit:
Mary, the Mother of Jesus
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,” the angel answered “and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow.”
Luke 1:35
Mary was the original tabernacle – because she bore Jesus. Mary was also the original altar, because she offered her son to the world. This was a well known theme Christian art, e.g. the Pieta:
La Pieta di Michaelangelo
Elizabeth, Mother of John the Baptist
Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:41
Miscellaneous
A number of other women may be presumed, including Mary Magdalene and others both named and unnamed: e.g.
With Him [i.e. Jesus] went the Twelve, as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward Chuz, Susanna, and several others who provided for them out of their own resources.
Luke 8: 1-3
All of these [i.e. the Apostles] joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus …
Acts 1:14
When Pentecost day came round, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the enite house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit…
Acts 2:1-4
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