Readers of this forum, whether you be scholars, townsfolk, or clerics as myself, may my words contribute to your understanding of the Church’s desire to uphold holy order and fight against clerical impurities.
From female whispers and gossip to angry proclamations in the town marketplaces, townsfolk have questioned why the Church has removed women from positions of power and sacramental authority. Certain layfolk, perhaps influenced by their respect for the deep devotion to Christ that their wives and daughters portray, have asked whether our doctrines are a biased intervention by male authority. And I, being a humble priest who upholds piety, feel compelled to clarify God’s intent in the matter through the teachings of St. Paul the Apostle.
The verse of 1 Timothy 2:12 states clearly, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.” St. Paul has clarified this to be indicative of the woman’s separation from preaching in the Church. Several clerics who emphasize the necessity of purifying reform remind us that Paul taught not from social customs, but divine revelation; he perceived the danger which arises when the proper order is overturned. Just as Christ is the head of man, man is then the physically superior head of woman. The Church must reflect this natural hierarchy in its ministries. During our goal of cleansing the Church from corruption and impurity, Paul’s teachings aid us well as justification for preserving holiness. For if those who preach fall into sin, the layfolk are in danger of corruption by an impure role model!
Still, there are societal outbursts: “Do women not possess piousness? Do we not witness their devotion in tending the sick, praying in the chapels, and sustaining their households?” Indeed, no one denies these virtues! I have witnessed the generosity and piousness of a woman exceed that of the men surrounding her. However, the proper order given by God is not to be overturned by our respect for many women’s great devotion. As goes the story of Genesis, Eve was the creature who tempted Adam and brought sin upon us all. While Christ has since redeemed all of mankind, women remain tainted as temptresses with the sins of Eve. Many of the clergy have been seduced by the workings of a woman who tears down their purity into pits of sin. We must acknowledge that clerical purity is of utmost importance. The current ecclesiastical reforms of our day warn that if we ignore the tale of Genesis, we risk returning to the sin which Christ rescued us from.
Let me clarify that I intend not to belittle the devotional works of women. Despite my discussion in how women’s inherently sinful nature would bring destruction of purity if allowed to preach, their quiet contributions uphold the values of the Church. Women instill piousness in the town’s children, serve as caregivers and aid the underprivileged, and maintain peace within the home. Furthermore, highly respectable are the holy nuns, widows, virgins, anchoresses, ascetics, and many more who possess such a spiritual passion that even high clerics are amazed. Admiration of their devotion must not tempt us into turning our backs on what St. Paul has clarified to be God’s will; holiness alone does not give the right to ecclesiastical authority! It is no small burden on reformers to enforce teachings which cause societal outbursts, but the Church is not fashioned by our preferences. The Church is ordered by God’s will and the interpretations of holy scripture. To abandon Paul’s interpretations simply because society misunderstands their basis is a danger to purity.
And yet I do fear that Paul’s words have often been used not as protection for clerical purity, but as a weapon against women. Some clerics speak of women with disdain, depicting them all as venomous and cruel creatures of sin rather than fellow devoted Christians. Proper reform must be based in purity, not contempt; we must not cite St. Paul to diminish all women but rather act in accordance to preserve right order. Therefore, I write not to silence women’s voices, but to clarify their place within the Church as depicted by God. The Church’s exclusion of women from preaching and authority is not a judgement of their worth or piousness, but a preservation of holy order and purity.
May all who read this be clarified in the teachings of St. Paul and the intentions of the reforming Church. As a humble priest of modest knowledge, I desire deeper and purer reverence for God by all of mankind.
Date Published: 1311
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