Some time back, I had posted a message on this forum
which kind of strongly advocated against women
priesthood (See Msg # 2879 - Was Jesus a Coward? - Ordination of Women).
One of the aims of my message was to get
this forum to discuss on a topic often shunned by the
more discrete among us. The responses that I got
helped me gain a much broader perspective of this issue.
When I had just come to the US, I could not come to
terms with the sight of women smoking, even though I
come from Mumbai, the economic capital of India. But
having just spent about 2+ yrs now in the US, I hardly
notice the fairer sex when they smoke on the streets
today. So it is just a matter of adjusting, I
guess.(Sorry for using the example of smoking to get
to my point, but that is the easiest thing that comes
to mind -(a reflection of our current way of life!
huh?!)
I know there are enough people who believe that it is a taboo to
think about granting more rights
to women. But times are changing. There are many families especially
in the US, where women are
the only breadwinners in the family. The ladies work 2 or 3 jobs to
see to it that both ends
meet in the family. This was not the case till about a few years
ago. Women are thus entering
into fields that have been exlusively reserved for men in the past.
We all are becoming more and more aware of the rights of women in
society. What was unthinkable in the past
may soon seem feasible, as the Holy Spirit guides us into newer
dimensions of the Truth.
I don't think the time is right to speak about women priesthood in
our church, but Women
representation in the administration of the church is an absolute
necessity, and I don't see how
we can prevent that from happening for much longer. About 50 years
ago, this
was a non-issue, but at the present time, this is fast becoming a
need, lest we be labelled as
hypocrites, so the change will come - maybe slowly, but this change
will surely come.
We also need to see the changes in the horizon. The Holy Spirit that
guided mankind through the
Stone ages, through the Middles ages will now guide human kind
through this Modern era. He knows
what is good for us, and what time in history is fit for what
change. As per the changes in
the society, He will make clearer the Way of the Truth, slowly but
surely. One thing I am sure
of, God will never forsake His Church, with that assurance we need
to move forward.
I am happy that we are not in the forefront making such sweeping
changes in our culture, since we
now have the oppurtunity to wait and watch the others who have been
more liberal, and learn from
their oversights if any, so that we can set our foot forward with
confidence; but I am sure the
time will come sooner rather than later when we will see such
changes in our society. The more "orthodox" among us may need to
prepare themselves mentally.
If a change is good and in accordance with the Divine Will, it will happen no
matter how much we oppose it, because the Holy Spirit will
make it happen at the right time; if it is not good, it will simply remain
in the words and will wither away with time - He will never forsake us.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/6159
which kind of strongly advocated against women
priesthood (See Msg # 2879 - Was Jesus a Coward? - Ordination of Women).
One of the aims of my message was to get
this forum to discuss on a topic often shunned by the
more discrete among us. The responses that I got
helped me gain a much broader perspective of this issue.
When I had just come to the US, I could not come to
terms with the sight of women smoking, even though I
come from Mumbai, the economic capital of India. But
having just spent about 2+ yrs now in the US, I hardly
notice the fairer sex when they smoke on the streets
today. So it is just a matter of adjusting, I
guess.(Sorry for using the example of smoking to get
to my point, but that is the easiest thing that comes
to mind -(a reflection of our current way of life!
huh?!)
I know there are enough people who believe that it is a taboo to
think about granting more rights
to women. But times are changing. There are many families especially
in the US, where women are
the only breadwinners in the family. The ladies work 2 or 3 jobs to
see to it that both ends
meet in the family. This was not the case till about a few years
ago. Women are thus entering
into fields that have been exlusively reserved for men in the past.
We all are becoming more and more aware of the rights of women in
society. What was unthinkable in the past
may soon seem feasible, as the Holy Spirit guides us into newer
dimensions of the Truth.
I don't think the time is right to speak about women priesthood in
our church, but Women
representation in the administration of the church is an absolute
necessity, and I don't see how
we can prevent that from happening for much longer. About 50 years
ago, this
was a non-issue, but at the present time, this is fast becoming a
need, lest we be labelled as
hypocrites, so the change will come - maybe slowly, but this change
will surely come.
We also need to see the changes in the horizon. The Holy Spirit that
guided mankind through the
Stone ages, through the Middles ages will now guide human kind
through this Modern era. He knows
what is good for us, and what time in history is fit for what
change. As per the changes in
the society, He will make clearer the Way of the Truth, slowly but
surely. One thing I am sure
of, God will never forsake His Church, with that assurance we need
to move forward.
I am happy that we are not in the forefront making such sweeping
changes in our culture, since we
now have the oppurtunity to wait and watch the others who have been
more liberal, and learn from
their oversights if any, so that we can set our foot forward with
confidence; but I am sure the
time will come sooner rather than later when we will see such
changes in our society. The more "orthodox" among us may need to
prepare themselves mentally.
If a change is good and in accordance with the Divine Will, it will happen no
matter how much we oppose it, because the Holy Spirit will
make it happen at the right time; if it is not good, it will simply remain
in the words and will wither away with time - He will never forsake us.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/6159
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