"Why Arguments Against Women in Ministry Aren't Biblical by" Ben Witherington /Vatican Still Does Not Get It!

Patheos (blog)

Patheos (blog)
Why Arguments Against Women in Ministry Aren't Biblical

"The root problem with this argument is that the NT is perfectly clear that apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, elders, deacons ARE NOT PRIESTS IN THE NT. There is no need for a separate order of priests in the NT because Christ’s sacrifice made obsolete the entire OT sacerdotal system of priests, temples and sacrifices. The only priesthoods we hear about in the NT are: 1) the priesthood of all believers, which of course includes women, and 2) the heavenly high priesthood of Christ (see Hebrews). There is no new priesthood between these two carried over from the OT or inaugurated in the NT era. Indeed the whole language of sacrifice and temple is spiritualized in the NT to refer to our offering of ourselves or our praise to God, and the Temple is described in various places in the NT (cf. 1 Cor. 3-6), as either the believer’s body, or the whole community of Christ in which Christ and the Spirit dwell. "
Bridget Mary's Response:
In 1976, the Pontifical Biblical Commission concluded that there is nothing in the bible that can be used as evidence to prohibit women priests! But the Vatican has persisted in repeating excuse after excuse, including the ridiculous assertion that Jesus ordained the apostles at the Last Supper, therefore women cannot be priests! Now how biblical is that argument?!
Women priests continue to be the 'elephant' in the church today! The good news is that we are growing and our communities are blessed with a new model of an inclusive, empowered, community of equals where all are welcome to celebrate sacraments!
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org