As a theologian trained at the world’s largest Christian university, where I was often the only female in my classes, I write this article with the knowledge and experience gained through rigorous academic study. Additionally, as a former Candidate for Ordination in the United Methodist Church prior to the schism, I have a personal and theological interest in the ongoing discussion surrounding women in ministry, particularly in the Catholic Church. The role of women in ministry remains one of the most debated topics within the global Church, particularly in Catholicism. While the Church maintains that priestly ordination is reserved to men, many Catholic women serve in essential leadership and ministerial roles—from religious sisters to theologians, spiritual directors, canon lawyers, and heads of diocesan offices. However, some point to scripture—particularly 1 Timothy 2:11–12—as a reason to deny any expanded role for women in Catholic ministry.
The 1 Timothy Objection: “Let a woman learn in silence…”
1 Timothy 2:11–12 states:
“Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent.”
At first glance, this passage appears to shut the door on women holding any teaching or leadership roles within the Church. For centuries, this verse (and others like it) have been used to exclude women from preaching, teaching, and certainly ordination.
But is that what Paul truly meant?
Enter Dr. Ben Witherington III, a renowned New Testament scholar from Asbury Theological Seminary and an expert on the socio-cultural context of the Pauline epistles. Witherington argues that interpreting this passage at face value without understanding its historical and literary context leads to flawed theology.
Context Is Everything
Witherington points out that 1 Timothy is a pastoral letter, written to address specific problems within the church in Ephesus—a city steeped in the worship of Artemis, where female religious leadership was common in pagan cults. The Ephesian church was plagued with false teachings, and some of these were likely being spread by uninstructed women newly converted from paganism.
Thus, Paul's instruction in 1 Timothy is not a universal, timeless command, but a specific response to a local crisis. Witherington translates “authentein” (the Greek word often rendered “to have authority”) as “to domineer” or “to usurp authority,” indicating that Paul wasn’t barring women from all teaching, but from abusive or false teaching.
Women Did Minister in the Early Church
Witherington and many Catholic scholars highlight that Paul himself affirmed female ministers:
Phoebe is called a diakonos (Romans 16:1), the same word used for male deacons.
Priscilla, with her husband Aquila, taught Apollos, a powerful preacher (Acts 18:26).
Junia is referred to as “outstanding among the apostles” (Romans 16:7), suggesting an apostolic role.
These women were not silent. They were actively spreading the Gospel, leading house churches, and being commended by Paul—not silenced.
The Menstruation Argument: A Fulfilled Law
Some opponents of women’s ordination point to passages like 1 Timothy 2:12, but a common argument has emerged that goes a step further. They argue that women, by virtue of having a monthly period, are somehow unworthy to touch the body of Christ due to Old Testament purity laws. In Jewish law, women were considered ritually impure during menstruation and were not permitted to engage in religious activities.
However, Jesus’ fulfillment of the Jewish law changes this. In Mark 5:25-34, we read the story of a woman who had been suffering from a bleeding disorder for twelve years. She reaches out to touch the hem of Jesus' garment, believing it will heal her. Despite her being ritually unclean, Jesus does not rebuke her. Instead, He praises her faith and heals her. This is a significant moment because it shows that Jesus fulfilled the Jewish law's purity codes and extended grace beyond the legalistic boundaries of the time. In Him, the idea that menstruation makes a woman unworthy to touch the body of Christ is fulfilled and superseded. The emphasis shifts from ritual impurity to spiritual purity, which comes through faith in Christ.
Thus, the argument that a woman’s menstruation makes her unworthy to minister is not grounded in the New Covenant Christ established. Jesus’ actions consistently showed that ritual purity laws were fulfilled in Him, and that true worthiness comes from grace and faith, not from ritual observance.
What About Catholic Teaching?
The Catholic Church currently teaches that only baptized men can be ordained priests, citing Christ’s choice of male apostles. However, Vatican II affirmed the dignity and vital contribution of women in the Church, and Pope Francis has initiated commissions to study the role of women deacons in the early Church—a potential restoration, not innovation.
Moreover, many women already serve in pastoral associate roles, as theologians, canon lawyers, seminary professors, and even diocesan chancellors—positions of significant authority and influence in the Church's life.
Supporting Women in Ordination: Not Heresy, but Faithful Disagreement
It is important to note that supporting women in roles of ordination does not make someone a heretic, nor does it imply that they should leave the Church. The Church has always been a place for respectful theological dialogue and diverse perspectives, especially on matters that have not been definitively declared infallible. Many faithful Catholics have wrestled with difficult questions—such as the role of women in ministry—while remaining deeply committed to the Church.
Disagreement with certain teachings does not mean abandoning the Church. Instead, it reflects a living, thinking faith that continuously engages with Scripture, Tradition, and the Spirit. The Catholic faith has room for differing opinions on many issues, as long as the individual remains in communion with the Church and continues to seek the truth in humility.
Conclusion: Faithful, Not Silent
The call for women’s full inclusion in ministry is not a rebellion against Scripture—it’s a faithful response to the Gospel. As Witherington argues, when properly understood in context, Paul’s writings do not prohibit women from teaching or leading. Instead, they urge all believers to minister in truth and humility.
Catholicism, with its deep reverence for both Scripture and Tradition, must continue engaging this conversation—not as a battle of ideology, but as a discernment of the Spirit’s ongoing work in the Body of Christ.
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