Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site petsd.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxb!mhuxn!mhuxm!mhuxj!houxm!vax135!petsd!cjh From: cjh@petsd.UUCP (Chris Henrich) Newsgroups: net.religion.christian Subject: Re: discussions on Roman Catholicism Message-ID: <446@petsd.UUCP> Date: Wed, 13-Feb-85 18:44:39 EST Article-I.D.: petsd.446 Posted: Wed Feb 13 18:44:39 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 14-Feb-85 03:12:13 EST References: <1311@bbncca.ARPA>, <3598@mit-eddie.UUCP> Organization: Perkin-Elmer DSG, Tinton Falls, N.J. Lines: 43 [] The Apostles have traditionally been regarded as the first priests *and* the first bishops... If Mary Magdalen was an Apostle, then the strongest argument of principle against ordaining women to the priesthood falls to the ground. Not that it was very strong. My first thought is that the character of Mary Magdalen is somewhat of a composite in most people's minds. Consider the following characters in the gospels: the woman "taken in adultery;" the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at Jacob's Well; the woman who broke a vial of perfume, poured it over Jesus' feet, and dried them with her hair; "the other Mary" who watched at the Cross; Mary Magdalen, who saw the risen Christ in the Garden. Don't they all contribute to our idea of Mary Magdalen? How sure are we that any subset of these were the same woman? And there may be others; for some reason the manuals near my terminal do not include a New Testament, so I am going by memory. The statement that Mary Magdalen was a reformed prostitute comes, I think, from later, non-canonical "Gospels." All of this, to me, seems a shaky basis for anything like a juridical precedent. The issue, shall women be ordained priests, cannot be settled by precedent, because it was never asked until recently. We do have to settle it, and we are on our own. Speaking as a lay Catholic, I can see no reason of principle against it. I do understand that, as a practical step, it would be very complex, and would upset many. (Including many intelligent and devout women.) People are *very* conservative about religious practices. Look at the tumult over such things as the vernacular Mass - a trifling change by comparison. Regards, Chris -- Full-Name: Christopher J. Henrich UUCP: ..!(cornell | ariel | ukc | houxz)!vax135!petsd!cjh US Mail: MS 313; Perkin-Elmer; 106 Apple St; Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 Phone: (201) 870-5853