B1 THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018 Representa- tives of the Women’s Ordination Conference stage a pro- test in June 2010 in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. AP files Pope won’t support women in the priesthood, but here’s what he could do Editor’s note: The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from Pope Francis academic experts. is cheered by nuns " Boise State University upon his arrival at the On Tuesday, Pope Francis will complete his first five years Cathedral, as head of the Roman Catholic Church. Since his election, in Santiago, Pope Francis has engaged the estimated 1.2 billion Catholics Chile, on and innumerable non-Catholics worldwide with his frank, Jan. 16. The inclusive talk on issues as diverse as poverty and homosexu- expanded ality. In fact, many observers seem confused by the church’s duties of apparent willingness to reconsider traditions regarding nuns in the some contentious issues, such as divorce. 20th century However, Francis has drawn the line at extending full shows how priesthood to women. That door, Francis has repeatedly the role of said, “is closed.” women in As a scholar specializing in both the history of the Cath- the Catho- olic Church and gender studies, I believe Francis’ refusal lic Church comes from his unwillingness to challenge a foundational can change. Catholic doctrine known as “apostolic succession.” L’Osservatore Based on the Gospels of Mark and Luke, apostolic succes- Romano via sion specifies how the Catholic Church acquired its author- AP ity and its ability to save souls. God gave the power of sal- vation to Christ, who shared it with 12 male apostles. When the apostles chose their successors, the first bishops, they passed the power of salvation to those bishops through the sacrament of ordination. Through ordination, bishops have it does still exclude women from the priesthood by virtue church roles in the past, such as when, in 1900, it reversed its endowed priests with God’s authority up to the present day. of their sex. In its 1976 declaration, “Inter Insigniores,” the 600-year old mandate that nuns live and worship isolated The origins of apostolic succession can be traced to the church proclaimed its loyalty to the model left by Christ to behind convent walls. This made new and diverse forms of first centuries A.D. — a time when Christianity was illegal. his followers — in other words, apostolic succession. religious life and service possible for women. The church Jesus had left his followers with no obvious blueprint for any Since Christ was incarnated as male and all 12 original could alter its position on women again, critics argue. type of formal church or priesthood. Christians were, thus, apostles were male, the church declared that God meant Yet the field on which such battles are fought is far from free to worship in their own ways, trying not to get caught. for males alone to exercise the priesthood. The church, in level, and those on the side of apostolic succession have the other words, does not consider the extension of ordination upper hand. to women to be an issue of human rights but one of fulfilling Although Francis is unlikely to allow women into the This troubled Christian leaders such as Clement, a the divine will. priesthood, it is within reason that he could lead in ordain- first-century bishop of Rome, and Irenaeus, a second-cen- Many devout Catholics, including priests, disagree. Wom- ing women as deacons, as this would not necessarily violate tury bishop of Lyon. They believed it unlikely that such a en’s Ordination Conference and Women’s Ordination World- apostolic succession. Deacons — along with bishops and diversity of practices could lead to heaven. Jesus, they wide, two of the largest organizations advocating for wom- priests — are one of the three ordained “orders” of minis- wrote, must have left one true path to salvation. In the en’s ordination, count clerics, monks and nuns among ters in the Catholic Church. Deacons are not priests, but they absence of clear direction, they traced this one path through supporters. As Benedictine nun Joan Chittister charged, may preach, teach and lead in prayer and works of mercy. the apostles and their recognized successors, the bishops. “The Church that preaches the equality of women but does The diaconate is often a stage on the road to ordination to This became a pivotal development in early attempts to nothing to demonstrate it within its own structures … is … the priesthood for men. During the Vatican’s Synod on the organize a uniform Christian “church,” creating a formal dangerously close to repeating the theological errors that Family in 2015, Canadian Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher clergy. Only ordained priests were authorized to celebrate underlay centuries of Church-sanctioned slavery.” of Quebec encouraged his colleagues to expand women’s the sacraments, a key source of God’s grace. opportunities for leadership, including ordination to the When and under what circumstances certain disciples diaconate, “to clearly show the world the equal dignity of were designated as the only “apostles,” numbered as 12 and These modern change-makers say the refusal to ordain women and men in the Church.” selected as all male is a subject of historical and theologi- women is not God’s intent, and neither scripturally justified Pope Benedict XVI suggested this almost a decade ago. cal debate. The church’s justifications for excluding women nor the original practice of the church. Durocher, like Benedict, was careful to clarify that deacons from apostolic succession have varied over centuries. They point to a body of scriptural, archaeological and his- are directed “not to priesthood, but to ministry.” While Fran- Before the 20th century, explanations for refusing women torical evidence that women served as priests, deaconesses cis has been firm in protecting doctrines such as apostolic a place in the hierarchy of apostolic succession ranged from and even bishops alongside Jesus and beyond. Indeed, repu- succession, this is a move he could legitimately make. women’s inherent sinfulness to their divinely created inferi- table evidence exists that it took centuries for male clerics to ority toGrand man. Rapids Press - 03/08/2018 Copygradually Reduced exclude to women 80% ffromrom theseoriginal positions to fit .letter page — Lisa McClain is a professor of history andPage gender : B01 studies at Although the church no longer supports such reasoning, The church has changed its position on women and Boise State University. Religious persecution is wrong, everywhere #! ! The Rev. Richard Killmer how to guarantee the rights of religious ping as they wish. It is wrong that people in minorities in Muslim majority countries. any nation of the world are prohibited from The Rev. Richard Killmer writes in this Muslim scholars, jurists, religious leaders worshipping and living out faith as they week’s Interfaith Insight from years of expe- and government officials approved the his- choose. rience in church administration and faith- toric Marrakesh Declaration on safeguard- “Today, there are unfortunate circum- based social action. He is an ordained Pres- ing the rights of religious minorities in stances for religious minorities in Mus- byterian minister who was one of the founders Muslim nations. Several Muslim majority lim majority countries,” said Shaykh Bin of the interfaith effort Shoulder to Shoulder, heads of Christian denominations and Jew- nations have codified the goals of the Mar- Bayyah, president of the Forum for Promot- which brought together Christian and Jewish ish organizations to come to Washington in rakesh Declaration. ing Peace. “For this reason, we put forth a organizations to work against anti-Muslim September to issue a statement, to begin to The declaration was motivated by the new contract with old roots that will respect bigotry. Following an active career in church develop common strategies and to hold a increased violence and persecution faced Christians and Jews under which they can leadership, he now lives in East Grand Rap- news conference to announce that anti-Mus- by religious minorities across the Muslim enjoy the freedom to practice their faiths.” ids and works with the Office of Social Justice lim bigotry was contrary to both faiths and world, particularly Christians and Jews in The Marrakesh and Washington declara- for the Christian Reformed Church on envi- to a nation that promised religious freedom. the Middle East. tions draw on traditional Islamic law assert- ronmental concerns. I am pleased to share That day in September inspired the cre- On the eve of the National Prayer Break- ing Islam requires the protection and full his reflections on this important issue: ending ation of Shoulder to Shoulder: Standing with fast in February, more than 400 Muslim, citizenship rights of religious minorities religious persecution wherever it occurs, and American Muslims; Upholding American Christian and Jewish clergy and scholars in Muslim nations. Organizers of the Alli- his report on progress that is being made in Values. The Washington-based organization came together in Washington as an Alliance ance of Virtue hope to encourage Muslim many parts of the world. has grown rapidly and is engaged in many of Virtue conference to declare that they nations to continue to adopt the Marrakesh — Douglas Kindschi, director of the communities throughout the nation. will protect and defend religious minorities declaration as formal Islamic law. It calls for Kaufman Interfaith Institute As we did our work, we received push- in their countries. American faith leaders, the “full protection for the rights and lib- back, including the sentiment that Muslims including more than 50 evangelical pastors, erties of all religious groups in a civilized Ending persecution and bigotry is just persecute Christians and Jews.