For some of my readers, it is certainly not a new concept that practices of a monotheistic faith have never necessarily specifically banned women (or excluded them) from the role of leadership.
Father Roy clearly noted that his own decades-long review of biblical writings and practices underpinning his own faith does not rule out the role of women being called to serve in leadership roles.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=14336
As a matter of fact, many Western European countries, from Scandinavia to Netherlands to the UK have nothing in their laws of the land (or rules of the state churches) to prohibit women from being the head of the Church.
Meanwhile, in other Catholic or Orthodox lands of Europe--where queens or empresses have reigned--, these countries, too, have seen women serving as the number one defenders of their monotheistic faiths.
Some other women leaders, such as Jean D'Arc in France, have even led their armies into battle while serving as prophetess and mystics of their particular eras.
Similarly, even as the inquisitorial backlashes washed across the now-male dominated catholic church landscape of 16th century Spain, St. Theresa of Avila, showed a way for a woman to be independent and successful in faith, poetry, and life. Sor Juana in Mexico made similar permanent imprints on the church.
In short, women have served as leaders of kingdoms in faith and leaders of various states for many millennia. (Even Israel, under Golda Meier, was led again by a woman in the 1970s.)
So, in some ways, it should come as certainly surprising that an organization, such as the Catholic Church, still wishes to maintain (unquestioned) the old-Boy's network against the logic of scriptures and real needs of the millions of Catholics short of leadership as the 3rd Millennia begins.
Let me end this writing with a caveat of my own personal walk with Catholicism and the choice of a woman I personally know eventually followed her calling by God to serve as leader, i.e. minister of a church.
Nearly 50 years ago, my father Ronald John Stoda--a serious & practicing Roman Catholic from birth, married my mother--Deloris Whisner. Both of my parents admitted to each other that at several junctions in their early lives they felt called to the ministry.
Around 1976, my mother, then named Deloris Stoda, finally decided that she had to follow her decades long calling to become a leader of a church.
My father supported her. Within a year, my mother was shepherding three United Methodist Churches in central Kansas. My mother continued in the ministry full time up until 2006.
In short, as a son of both a practicing Catholic and the son of a female minister of a church for 3 decades, I cannot fathom why the Catholic Church or Bible based churches, like the Church of Christ, and real students of Synagogues still do not permit women to lead their fellowships.
I would imagine the same introspection is needed by those in Islam.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=60721&d=20&m=3&y=2005
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