Episcopal Press and News
A Reaction to the Proposed Ordination of Women
Diocesan Press Service. June 25, 1973 [73158]
From the Orthodox-Anglican Consultation
For more than twelve years Orthodox and Anglican representatives have met in the Orthodox-Anglican Consultation to explore their theological differences and to move toward a full sharing of life and sacraments. The Consultation was initiated by the Chairman of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Orthodox and Anglicans present at the Consultation on June 2, 1973 issue the following statement in two parts.
The Orthodox members of the Consultation consider that, among the principal reasons against the ordination of women the following are especially important:
1. God created mankind as "male and female", establishing a diversity of functions and gifts; these functions and gifts are complementary but not all are interchangeable; they presuppose a role of headship for man and a different but no less important role for woman as a guardian, witness and channel of life. There is every reason for Christians to oppose current trends which tend to make men and women interchangeable in their functions and roles, and thus lead to the dehumanization of life.
2. The biblical, conciliar, patristic and canonical evidence confirms that only men are eligible for the offices of bishop and priest. This scriptural and traditional evidence - reflecting and protecting the order of creation described above - cannot be challenged or relativized by references to historical or social changes, unless one rejects the very idea of God's Revelation in Christ once for all, transmitted to us by His Apostles and by the Church.
3. The Orthodox Church recognizes a woman, the Holy Virgin Mary, as the human being closest to God. It is clear, therefore, that there cannot be any question about any inferiority of women in the eyes of God. The importance of recognizing the role of women in the life of the Church can and must be discussed and studied among Christians.
4. It is evident that if the Anglican communion takes the decisive action of admitting women to the priesthood and the episcopate the issue will involve not only a point of church discipline, but the basis of the Christian faith as expressed in the Church's ministries. It will obviously have a decisively negative effect on the issue of the recognition of Anglican Orders and on the future of Anglican-Orthodox dialogue in general. The Anglican members of the Consultation transmit to the Episcopal Church this Orthodox statement together with their response as follows:
1. We should deeply regret the "decisively negative effect on the issue of the recognition of Anglican Orders and on the future of Anglican-Orthodox dialogue in general" which Orthodox members of the Consultation state would be the result of the ordination of women to the priesthood and the episcopate by The Episcopal Church. In particular, we should regret any decisively negative effect on the future of dialogue in the Orthodox-Anglican Consultation and we believe the Consultation should continue.
2. We believe the Episcopal Church should recognize her responsibility to people throughout the Anglican Communion who pray and work for closer relations with the Orthodox, and to Orthodox people who pray and work for closer relations with Anglicans, looking forward to the day when we can share the Holy Eucharist.
3. Some of us favor and some oppose the ordination of women to the priesthood and the episcopate. We are not unanimous in our views on all points in the Orthodox statement. But we are agreed that a decision on this issue of ordination must rest upon a firm doctrinal foundation as well as practical considerations. We believe that Anglicans and Orthodox share the same fundamental faith and a biblical, conciliar and patristic tradition. We therefore believe that The Episcopal Church should respond to this Orthodox statement by hearing and considering carefully its theological reasons. We thank the Orthodox for their candour and concern for the reconciliation of our churches.
Orthodox Members
The Very Rev. Demetrios Constantelos
The Very Rev. Florian Galdau
The Very Rev. John Meyendorf
The Very Rev. Paul Schneirla
The Rev. Benedict Di Socio
The Rev. Elias Kozar
Dr. Veselin Kesich
Dr. Sergius Verhovskoy
Anglican Members
The Rt. Rev. Jonathan G. Sherman
The Rev. Winston F. Crum
The Rev. William A. Norgren
The Rev. Robert E. Terwilliger
The Rev. J. Robert Wright
Dr. Paul Anderson
Dr. Harold J. Berman