Diaconal Ministries and the Ordination of Women

Can women be ordained to the priesthood? The question of admitting women to the priesthood is the most recent topic in the ecumenical dialogue and it is tending to become the most contentious one. Today many women feel that they are called by God into the church ministry of service. From the theological point of view diakonia is an integral part of the mission of the church. “For the haling of the world” and Christians are mandated to serve according to their gifts and skills. In today’s ecclesiastical and social scenario, is ordination of women necessary for the diaconial ministry? This paper is an attempt to analyze the importance of the diaconial ministries and the necessity of women ordination for this ministry.

diaconial ministry, women ordination, church ministry

1. Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry. Geneva: WCC- Faith and Order Paper No.111, 1982. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (1982-1990). Geneva: WCC- Faith and Order Paper No.149, 1990. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Crawford, Janet & Kinnamon, Michael. Ed, In God’s Image. Geneva: Switzerland, 1983. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Cross, F.L. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. London: Oxford University Press, 1961), p.377 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Fox, Thomas C. Sexuality and Catholicism. New York: George Braziller, 1995. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Hewitt, Emily C. & Hiatt, Suzunne R. Women Priests: Yes or No?. New York: The Seabury Press, 1973. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Hanson, A.T&R.P.C. The Identity of the Church. London: SCM Press, 1987. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Hazlett, Ian. Early Christianity. London: SPCK, 1991. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Hughes, Philip A. History of the Church, Vol- I. London: Sheed and Ward, 1989. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Limouris, Gennadios. The Place of the Women in the Orthodox Church and the Question of the Ordination of Women. Katerini: Tertios Publications, 1992.. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Lazareth, William H. Growing Together in Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry- A study Guide. Geneva: WCC, 1982. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Macquarrie, John. Theology of church and Ministry, London: SCM Press, 1986. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Malone, Mary T. Women and Christianity. Dublin: Columba Press, 2000. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Ministry, Women, Bishops-Report of an International Consultation, Switzerland, 1992. Geneva: The Lutheran World Federation, 1993. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Niebuhr, Richard & Williams, Daniel D. The Ministry in Historical perspectives. Toronto: Harper& Row Publishers, 1983. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Mitton. C. I. ed. The Expository Times. Edinburgh: J&J Clerk, (Vol. LXXVII, April, No.7), 1966. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Thurian, Max. Ed. Churches respond to BEM. Vol.IV, Geneva: WCC- Faith and Order Paper No.137, 1987. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. The Encyclopedia of Christianity. Michigan: W.B.Eerdmans pub. Company, 1999. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Thomas, M.M. A Diaconial Approach to Indian Ecclesiology. Tiruvalla: CSS, 1995. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Punnakkadu, Mathew Koshy. Krysthava Bishappumar Janakeeya Porattangalil (Mal). Tiruvalla: CSS, 1999. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. WEBLIOGRAPHY [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. http://www.asburyseminary.edu/_docs/community/328_Collins_WaTForum.doc",22/7/2008. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. http://www.-leadership/diaconal-ministry.aspx, 22/7/2008. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. http://www.demo.lutherproductions.com/historytutor/basic/early/genknow/deaconess.htm17/07/2008 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman-catholic-church", 22/7/2008. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ordination-of-women” 22/7/2008. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• A Psychoanalytical Study of the Gift of Magi
• Analyzing Community Initiatives and Government Interventions in Salt Farming Resource Management in Pangkajene and Kepulauan Districts
• Socio Economic Changes in Sagar Island before and After Cyclone Aila
• Grief and Its Transformations in Joan Didion’s the Year of Magical Thinking
• The Ethics of Silence: An Interdisciplinary Case Analysis Approach