Coptic Church & Ecumenical Movement - Saint Mina Coptic ...

2. Man is the head of woman
St. Paul states: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the
husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the
Saviour of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the
wives be to their own husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:22-24).
How can we accommodate this teaching to the ordination of women? How can
she submit to man in everything if she is to be in charge of preaching, teaching,
care and leadership? Is it not the sheep that should submit to the shepherd, the
disciples to their teacher, the individuals to their teacher and the children to their
parents?
We read also: “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ;
and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. For the man
is not of the woman, but woman from man. Nor was the man created for the
woman, but woman for the man " (1 Corinthians 11:3,8,9).
3. The Priest is Christ’s Representative
Through the power of the Holy, Spirit in priesthood, the Apostles became the
ministers of Christ on earth, and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians
4:1). He invested them with full authority to forgive sins and reconcile people
with God, to offer the sacrifice of Redemption as He offered Himself on the Cross
and became a Chief priest forever. The Apostle Paul combines his evangelistic
and his Apostolic roles in preaching and in priestly service: “the grace given to me
by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the
Gospel of God, that the offering up of the gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified
by the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:15,16).
It cannot be denied that the priesthood is a continuation of the redemptive work of
Christ on earth. It is no accident that the Saviour came as a man not a woman.
“Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs,
which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourself also know.” (Acts
2:22). Jesus was born male to become the High priest, to exercise the spiritual
fatherhood and authority over the church: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a
Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall
be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the
Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6,7)
4. The was no Precedence in History or Tradition for Ordination of Women
Our Lord Jesus Christ selected all His Disciples and Apostles from amongst men,
entrusting the Church to their care. The Apostles, in turn chose males to the
ministry of the church, without one exception and the line of succession was
restricted to males.
5. The Blessed Virgin Mary and Priesthood
Although she, was the holiest and purest female, the Virgin Mary, did not assume
any, priestly f unction. Had women been entitled to the ministry, the Virgin
would, in all respects and at all times, been more entitled to it.
Let those advocates of the ordination of women ponder the Virgin’s example. She
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