Women's Role In The Catholic Church

THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH BEFORE AND AFTER RENAISSANCE: A BIBLICAL PERVIEW. SHEEBA HIMANI SHARMA DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH ST. ANDREW’S COLLEGE GORAKHPUR.

Abstract

Christianity emerged from patriarchal societies that placed men in positions of authority in marriage, society and government, and, in the early centuries while the religion restricted membership of the priesthood to males only, it offered women an enhanced social status. Women constitute a great majority of members of the Episcopal life within the Catholic Church, the largest among Christian churches. In recent decades, ordination of women has become increasingly common in some Protestant churches. Women in secular jobs have also been highly active in the wider life

Until recent times, women were generally excluded from Episcopal and clerical positions within the churches, however great numbers of women have been influential in the life of the church - from contemporaries of Jesus, to subsequent saints, theologians, missionaries, abbesses, nuns, mystics, founders of religious institutes,military leaders, monarchs and martyrs.

Christianity emerged from patriarchal societies that placed men in positions of authority in marriage, society and government, and, whilst the religion restricted membership of the priesthood to males only, in its early centuries it offered women an enhanced social status. Women constitute the great majority of members of the consecrated life within the Catholic Church, the largest of the Christian churches. In recent decades, ordination of women has become increasingly common in some Protestant churches. Laywomen have also been highly active in the wider life of churches, supporting the community work of

Also single ordained priests should be encouraged to marry and appointed as joint ministers of the church. So we face a new challenge to re evaluate the role of women. The woman is shaped to an independent existence in the image of God. She possesses the same status as men and hold dominion over creation as do men.

Reference:

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