Church Fathers Against Women's Ordination

Tertullian, in The Prescription of Heretics 41, says: "How wanton are the women of these heretics! they dare to teach, . to dispute, to carry out exorcisms, to undertake cures, it may be even to baptize." In his work On veiling virgins 9. 1:"It is not permissible for a woman to speak in church, nor may she teach, baptize, offer, or claim for herself any function proper to a man, and least of all the office of priest."

St. Irenaeus, Against Haereses 1. 31. 2 "After this he gave women mixed chalices and told them to give thanks in his presence. Then he took another chalice much larger than that on which the deceived woman gave thanks, and, pouring from the smaller... to the much later. . the larger chalice was filled from the smaller chalice and overflowed."

Firmilian, in Epistle 75. 1-5 to Cyprian, tells of a woman who went into an ecstasy and came out a prophetess. "That woman who first through marvels or deceptions of the demons did many things to deceive the faithful, among other things... she dared to do this, namely that by an impressive invocation she feigned she was sanctifying bread, and offering a sacrifice to the Lord."

Origen, in a Fragment of his commentary on 1 Cor 14:34 tells of the four daughters of Philip; who prophesied, yet they did not speak in the Churches. We do not find that in the Acts of the Apostles... . For it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church."

St. Epiphanius, Against Heresies 79. 304 wrote: "If women were ordained to be priests for God or to do anything canonical in the church, it should rather have been given to Mary... . She was not even entrusted with baptizing... Although there is an order of deaconesses in the church, yet they are not appointed to function as priests, or for any administration of this kind, but so that provision may be made for the propriety of the female sex [at nude baptisms]. Whence comes the recent myth? Whence comes the pride of women or rather, the woman's insanity?" In 49. 2-3 St. Epiphanius tells of the Cataphrygians, a heretical sect related to the Montanists. The Cataphrygians pretended that a woman named Quintillia or Priscilla had seen Christ visiting her in a dream at Pepuza, and sharing her bed. He took the appearance of a woman and was dressed in white."Among them women are bishops and priests and they say nothing makes a difference' For in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female, '' [Gal. 3:"28]

St. John Chrysostom, in On the Priesthood 2. 2 points out that Jesus said "Feed my sheep" only to Peter. "Many of the subjects could easily do the things I have mentioned, not only men, but also women. But when there is question of the headship of the church... let the entire female sex retire." And in 3. 9 St. John wrote: "Divine law has excluded women from the sanctuary, but they try to thrust themselves into it."

St. Augustine, On heresies 27 also speaks of the Pepuzians mentioned by St. Epiphanius. "They give such principality to women that they even honor them with priesthood."

Biretta tip to David MacDonald.

Woman's Ordination and the Authority of Scripture

Do we undermine the infallibility and authority of God's Sacred Scriptures when we remain in communion with bishop's who not only approve of women's ordination, but also ordain women to the Priesthood?

How can we really suppose people to take us seriously about morality and the current debate over homosexuality? We constantly appeal to Scripture concerning the homosexual crisis and yet when it comes to the several verses that speak to women's ordination, even the so-called "orthodox" Anglicans blush and change the subject. Nobody wants to talk about it, especially as it touches the Anglican Network.

Why can't we be consistent? We either truly follow the Lord or we don't. We can't pick and choose.

Saint Paul teaches that women in formal church settings are to keep silent (1 Cor 14:34-35). How then can a woman preach?

Saint Paul says that women should learn in silence in formal church settings on account of the creation order. (1 Timothy 2:12-15) Note this is not a cultural argument but an argument based on creation.

Saint Paul prohibits women from teaching and holding authority over men in formal church settings. (1 Timothy 2:12-15) All clergy both teach and hold authority.

Saint Paul does not include women in the criteria for Christian ordination. (Titus 1:5-, 1 Timothy 3:1-12,14-15) Note that clergymen are to be a man of one wife not a woman of one husband. If we are going to swip-swap words as if gender doesn't matter, why not also say that a priest should be the man of one husband and let Gene Robinson alone?

Our Lord Jesus Christ did not choose any women to be Apostles. Obviously, St Mary Magdalene would have been a great lady Apostle because she had witnessed the empty tomb first hand. And yet she was not an Apostle. Same goes for the Blessed Mother who witnessed the crucifixion and held a prominent role at Pentecost. Men and men alone were chosen by Christ.

Further, the Apostles did not consider female candidates when choosing a replacement for Judas, or when choosing seven deacons. (Luke 6:13; Acts 1:14-26; Acts 6:3)

And lastly, the Old Testament knows nothing of female clergy, save for those wicked and pagan religions that surrounded them.

It is dishonest for us to fudge Scripture in one area (women's ordination) and then protest so strongly against those who consistently continue to fudge the Scriptures in another way (homosexual marriage and ordination). Either you follow the religion revealed by Christ or you don't. If you want to be biblical, if you want to be consistent: You cannot honestly support (or ignore) the dangers of women's ordination.

Listen To One Of My Sermons Online

Linked below is a sermon I preached back in February on the Gospel lesson about the paralytic man being lowered down from the ceiling to be healed by Christ. I'd be interested in some feeback.

Father Peregrinator's full sermon from 2005.02.19

Does This Cause You To Pause?

I very much appreciate the Psalm reciting custom that I learned at Nashotah House. During the recitation of the Psalter in said Morning and Evening Prayer a slight pause should be made at the asterisk that appears in the middle of ever verse of the Psalter.

For example:

I will preach the law, whereof the Lord hath said unto me * Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. (Psalm 2:7)

At the asterisk you would pause for a moment and so on for every line of the Psalm. The reason I like this is that it creates a very devotional dimension to the Psalter - a moment to consider the words. It also allows the reading to be a sort of lectio divina - a contemplative, prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture.

I'm interested in your opinion on this and I am especially interested in the customs of our brethren over-seas.

The Advent of the Rifle and the Decline of Monarchy

I had a thought on the way to church today. Perhaps monarchy has given way to democracy simply because of the political confusion that surrounds the death of increasingly vulnerable monarchs. Geneological monarchies always had problems with succession and murder plots. If you did not like the current monarch, you could stab or poison him or her with almost certain knowledge of who would next ascend to the throne. This sort of certainty only encourages regicide. Long range weapons makes that possibility a near certainty.

Democracy provides a very stable government that is less prone to revolution. Then I started thinking, you know if the public is armed with rifles, no monarch is truly safe and the government is always in jeopardy. It used to be that the king's wine steward could prevent poisoning and body guards could protect the royal person for swords and daggers. But with the advent of high powered rifles and other high-tech weapons, every public appearance of the monarch runs the risk of a revolution.

Perhaps the vulnerability of the monarch in the face of technology has caused the natural move to a democratic and decentralized system of government. Thoughts?

Who is the Most Definitive Anglican Theologian of All Time?

Tell us who is the most definitive Anglican Theologian of all time, and then give a brief explanation of why you think so.

On Deer Hunting and Feminists

by Mike Adams


Once when I was deer-hunting in Ivanhoe, North Carolina, I saw something moving in the brush about 100 yards away. It was foggy outside and I was looking through a 4 X 32 scope mounted on a Marlin 30-30. I never take a shot over 100 yards with that little brush gun. And I never shoot at anything unless I know exactly what is out there.

That day I got to thinking about the feminist approach to abortion. Feminists often justify abortion by saying that the procedure is no different than picking a scab. That’s when I start asking questions.

I often ask feminists about a film I saw of a fetus in the so-called “first trimester” of development. The baby (sorry, that is my opinion) was yawning, rubbing its eyes, and even rolling around and playing in the womb. I like to ask feminists whether they have ever seen a scab yawn.

When I press them on the issue, they seldom admit that the fetus is a person. But they seldom state unequivocally that it is not. They usually say they “don’t know for sure.” And they say that I “don’t know for sure” either.

That really epitomizes our differences. When I know it is a deer in the brush, I pull the trigger. When I know it is a human, I hold my fire. When I don’t know, I also hold my fire.

The feminist who “doesn’t know” whether it is a person, has the abortion anyway. She just pulls the trigger. That really says it all, doesn’t it?

And With Thy Super Spirit

Are Nearly All Major Superheroes Episcopalian?

"The original creators of comics, 60 or 70 years ago, were almost all Jewish and Italian kids from various parts of New York," notes DC Comics Executive Vice President and Publisher Paul Levitz. "And the characters they created were pseudo-whitebread Episcopalian. It was almost de rigueur back then to paint people in this idealized American image."

Religious affiliation of Superheros site and a biretta tip to Don Jim

Just for Today

Lord for tomorrow and its needs,
I do not prayer;
Keep me, my God, from stain of sin
Just for today.
Let me both diligently work,
And duly pray.
Let me be kind in word and deed,
Just for today
Let me be slow to do my will,
Prompt to obey;
Help me to sacrifice myself
Just for today.
And if today my tide of life
Should ebb away,
Give me thy Sacraments divine,
Sweet Lord, today.
So for tomorrow and its needs
I do not pray,
But keep me guide me, love me, Lord,
Just for today.

from the St Augustine's Prayerbook

Do People Die from the Eucharist?

Saint Paul said that many of the baptized were "weak, sick," or "fallen asleep (i.e. dead)" because they received the Eucharist in "an unworthy manner."

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the Body and Blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:27-32)

Does this still happen today? I assume that it does. The Sacraments of course bring blessings to the faithful and curses to the faithless. Does anyone know of a contemporary treatment on this subject.

Why aren't we talking about this? Do we not really believe in the power of the Eucharist?

King James Against Tobacco

A lesser known fact about King James I of England is that he wrote a treatise in 1604 entitled: A Counterblaste to Tobacco. It is the first anti-tobacco publication. In this work King James makes the case against tobacco and cites the problem of lung irration and even critiques the reality of secondhand smoke and its negative effects.

Declining Birthrates Part Two: Power to the Procreators

Democracy favors childbearing. By divine providence, the selfishness that leads to contraception, abortion, and a general refusal to have children necessarily disqualifies society's "progressive" voices from having a voice in the next generation.

God gives us the ability to literally pro-create new human beings and He entrusts their education and spiritual development to the parents of such children. There is a full article from USA Today on this phenomenon. Below is a sampling of that article.

What's the difference between Seattle and Salt Lake City? There are many differences, of course, but here's one you might not know. In Seattle, there are nearly 45% more dogs than children. In Salt Lake City, there are nearly 19% more kids than dogs.

This curious fact might at first seem trivial, but it reflects a much broader and little-noticed demographic trend that has deep implications for the future of global culture and politics. It's not that people in a progressive city such as Seattle are so much fonder of dogs than are people in a conservative city such as Salt Lake City. It's that progressives are so much less likely to have children.

Biretta tip to the Holy Whapping.

Info Site for the Da Vinci Code

Learn more about the errors in Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code: Provocative answers to the Da Vinci Code.


Da Vinci Code & the Louvre's Erhart Magdalene

Da Vinci Code, Meet Mormonism

George Weigel, NT Wright & Da Vinci Code

Cannes critics left cold at Da Vinci Code pre-screening

The Da Vinci Music Code


Canterbury Tales by Taylor Marshall: May 2006

This site from the American Catholic bishops is also very good: Jesus Decoded.

Anglicanism & the Second Council of Nicea AD 787

Can Anglicans assume that the ruling of the Seventh Ecumenical Council (Nicea II of 787) is simply an optional conclusion to be received or refused? Classical Anglicans (and even the Anglican Non-Jurors) were generally opposed to this last Ecumenical Council prior to the East/West schism. The Council declared:

As the sacred and life-giving cross is everywhere set up as a symbol, so also should the images of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the holy angels, as well as those of the saints and other pious and holy men be embodied in the manufacture of sacred vessels, tapestries, vestments, etc., and exhibited on the walls of churches, in the homes, and in all conspicuous places, by the roadside and everywhere, to be revered by all who might see them.

For the more they are contemplated, the more they move to fervent memory of their prototypes. Therefore, it is proper to accord to them a fervent and reverent veneration (Greek dulia) not, however, the veritable worship (Greek latria) which, according to our faith, belongs to the Divine Being alone — for the honor accorded to the image passes over to its prototype, and whoever adores the image adores in it the reality of what is there represented.

The Holy Fathers of this Council taught that it is permissible for Christians to make images of Christ, our Blessed Mother, and of all the Saints. Moreover, a Christian can piously venerate these holy images, just as it is permissible for a Christian might also venerate the American flag or a picture of a loved one. But the Council is clear that worship or adoration (Greek latria) belongs to the Blessed Trinity alone.

The Council is accepted by Roman Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox. Most Continuuing Anglicans accept it. Historic Anglicanism remained reluctant to accept the Seventh Ecumenical Council not because it approves images of Christ, the Blessed Mother, or the Saints. Rather, the reluctance stems from the fact this Council not only approves of religious images but it also positively exhorts the faithful to show due reverence to sacred images.

The Holy Fathers of Nicea II state that the refusal to accept religious depictions of Christ and the proper veneration of such images is tantamount to denying the Incarnation of Christ because it spurns the humanity of Christ as being not real or incidental to the economy of human redemption. If this is the case, can Catholic Anglicanism exist without embracing this Seventh Ecumenical Council (Nicea II)?

Alice Linsley Explains Why She Left the Episcopal Priesthood

This interview is golden and worth reading. Alice Linsley served as a priest and rector in the Episcopal Church until she came to believe that the Episcopal Church has abandonded catholic order. She has renounced her orders in the Episcopal Church and has written about her journey and her position against women's ordination. I especially found this part interesting:

Question: Where do Evangelicals who support women priests go wrong in your view?

Response: The irony of Evangelicals is that they say they believe in the authority of Scripture but then allow cultural accommodation in their interpretation of Scripture.

I have to agree. I have never understood why those calling themselves "Evangelical" so often look over biblical passages that speak about divorce or women's ordination. These two issues are the most glaring contradictions in the Evangelical worldview - to speak generally, but not absolutely.

Full text of Alice Linsley: Q & A via Pontifications.

Bishop Iker of Fort Worth on the 'Network'

Bishop Iker has made a recent statement on the Anglican Communion Network dioceses and their GenCon2006 plan(s) for this summer:

While there are continuing efforts among the bishops of the Network dioceses to work together and to choose a common path for the future, it must be said that we are not all on the same page. Our dioceses are not the same. They differ in a variety of ways. Even with our common commitment to "upholding and propagating the historic Faith and Order" of the catholic church, we are not of one mind in terms of tactics and strategies. As much as we might hope and pray for a consensus among us as to the best way forward, unanimity is not likely at this point in time – or so it seems.

I am so grateful that Bishop Iker has said something. I am also glad that he is letting us know that "unanimity is not likely at this point in time." It looks like the Network may indeed be the Notwork.

Bishop Iker's full statement on the Network.

Does a Preventive War Qualify as a Just War?

As we know, the global Christian community is generally opposed to America's war with Iraq. Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, and even several Orthodox voices spoke out against America's perceived audacity to launch a "preventive war" against Iraq.

I have misgivings about the war in Iraq, but I am generally supportive of President Bush. Moreover, I have recently learned that according to traditional just war theory, a preventive war does not qualify as a just war. A preventive war would be any war that is waged so as to prevent a future and greater war. But since the future cannot be known and intentions are matters of personal perception, a preventive war is not just.

I guess this begs the question as to whether our current war is preventive or not. I'd love to hear some various perspectives on this issue.

South Dakota Bans Abortion

I hope this is the falling domino that sets off a movement. This is absolutely amazing. Perhaps abortion's legal status will be fought by state resistance.

Full article from Reuters.

Lenten Custom of Laetare Sunday

The fourth Sunday of Lent (often called the "Rose Sunday") is known as Laetare Sunday because of the Introit appointed for it: "Laetare Jerusalem" - "Rejoice, O Jerusalem." It mark the midpoint of Lent and thus is a Sunday of rejoicing and muted celebration.

The English custom is to call it Mothering Sunday, because the laity would gather at the cathedral or "mother" church to make a special offering. In some places it is custom give a rose to one's own mother on this day, an obvious tribute to the "mother theme."

Hosea on Apostate Culture & Abortion

More from Hosea. Hosea prophesies that the Northern Kingdom of Israel (designated biblically as 'Ephraim') will also commit infanticide as a result of their sinking depravity and apostasy from God's will.

So Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer. (Hosea 9:13)

Things have changed very little in 2700 years. When cultures turn from God, they becoming willing to destroy their greatest treasure - their children.

Are Declining Birthrates the Scourge of God?

For Lent, I'm reading through the Major and Minor Prophets. While reading Hosea, I came across this verse:

Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird -- no birth, no pregnancy, no conception! (Hosea 9:11)

One of God's curses is the decline of Israel's birthrate. Repeatedly in the prophets and especially in Hosea, God's curse comes in the form of ceasing to give his people, "wheat, wine, and oil." These three substances are allusions to the sacramental economy and thus designate God's favor for His people. But this is the first time that I noticed that God's curse also involves a decline in birthrate.

We know that European and Russian birthrates are either negative or hardly holding at replacement level. Of course this is a self-inflicted scourge upon society. But we must remember, divine scourges are always self-inflicted. God's Sacraments are being defaced by wacky liturgists and private judgment. Church attendance is at all time lows. Our birthrates are in the gutter. Can it be that God has allowed us to our own devices for a season to show us that we cannot live without Him?

Why Isn't Quo Primum in Effect?

I just read St Pius V's bull Quo Primum. I've always heard that LatinTrad Catholics believe that this bull binds the Church at all times and in all places to the Tridentine Missal and the Roman Canon. So I read it and found this:

"Let all everywhere adopt and observe what has been handed down by the Holy Roman Church, the Mother and Teacher of the other churches, and let Masses not be sung or read according to any other formula than that of this Missal published by Us. This ordinance applies henceforth, now, and forever."

And again:

We grant and concede in perpetuity that, for the chanting or reading of the Mass in any church whatsoever, this Missal is hereafter to be followed absolutely.

Here's my question. There has to be a good answer from Pope John Paul II or even Pope Benedict XVI as to why Quo Primum is not effect perpetually, despite its apparent claim to be so. Anybody, know how Roman canonists explain the Missal of Paul VI?

Full text of St Pius V's Quo Primum.

Ten Books I'd Want on a Deserted Island

{Note: This post was written back when I was still an Anglican clergyman. I'm now a Catholic layman, so the list would be different nowadays...}

Tex has asked me which ten books I'd want with me if I were to be stranded on a deserted island. Here is my list:

1. Holy Bibl

2. American Missal (along with a lifetime supply of hosts and wine)

3. Lord of the Rings Trilogy (bound in one volume - so that only counts as one book)

4. Oxford Dictionary of the Church

5. Latin Breviary

6. Latin Dictionary

7. C.S. Lewis' Great Divorce

8. Single Volume Edition of Shakespeare's Works

9. Photo Album of my family.

10. And of course, my Mac PowerBook G4 with a magic battery that never runs out and Wi-Fi. After all, the PowerBook is a "book."

Papal Ash Wednesday Procession

This is a picture of the Papal Ash Wednesday Procession from last week. Thick smoke and extra points for the un-bleached wax candles.

Article You Should Read about Lent

Check out this article on Lent from Wikipedia. It gives a good summary of the history of Lent.

Is the Pope No Longer the Patriarch of the West?

Great article over at the Holy Whapping over the status of the Holy Father's title of Patriarch of the West. Apparently His Holiness is dropping the title "Patriarch of the West."

Speculation is that this move enables the Holy Father to create new Patriarchates and thus divide up the West for better governance. For example, a Patriarch of Africa, a Patriarch of Asia, a Patriarch of Latin America, etc.

Honestly, I don't like the idea of new Patriarchates. The patristic "pentarchy" was a disaster waiting to happen. Patriarchs enable large scale schism (e.g. the Patriarchate of Alexandria). This arrangement could also allow the new Patriarchs to team together against the Petrine See, for example, when Constantinople, Antioch, and Jerusalem parted ways with Rome.

But heh, Benedict knows a thing or two more than me about all these things - so more power to him. And if the whole scheme works for the reunion of the Eastern Church, go for it!


This is a picture of Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria and All Egypt. He has real, ultimate, patriarchal power! Sorry, I couldn't resist posting his picture.

Seven Reasons Why You Should Go to Confession During Lent

1. Priestly absolution is an awesome gift that Jesus gave us.
Jesus gave us this Sacrament and wants us to enjoy His grace through it. He told His first priests, the Apostles:

Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins are forgiven (John 20:22).

Christ gave us this rite of grace and forgiveness because He loves us. It is a divine gift of mercy and love.

2. You are a sinner.
You are a sinner and you need to examine the sinful patterns of your heart and have a priest give you absolution, counsel, and penance. We are often not honest with our hearts and it takes an objective "physician of souls," to help diagnose you spiritually.

3. Confession is a means of grace.
It is not scary, it is peaceful. We get excited over baptisms, weddings, and ordinations. Why not the remedy for our greatest Christian struggle? Why not be excited about Christ's forgiveness being declared by His appointed deputies - the priests of His Church.

4. You may have committed mortal sin.
There is a such thing as mortal sin:

If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal. (1 John 5:16)

Mortal sin is deadly and it separates our souls from the pure eternal life that exists within the Blessed Trinity. Contrition and priestly absolution restores our hearts to a position of love toward God and our neighbors.

5. Guilt is unpleasant.
Often Satan weighs us down with guilt. Guilt can be a good thing if we transform it into repentance. Of course, Satan hates this and God and the angels love it. So free yourself from guilt and hear a tangible person with spiritual authority say, "I absolve thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

6. Confession unites you more fully to the Church.
When you make your confession to a priest, you acknowledge that you have sinned not only against God, but against every single other Christian because by your sin, you have lessened the universal witness of every single Christian. You have given the non-believer the excuse that "All Christians are hypocrites." When you go to Confession you acknowledge that you have caused every Christian to suffer by your sins.

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. (1 Cor 12:26)

The priest, who represents both God and the Church by his ordination and office receives your repentance and you have the assurance of not only God's forgiveness, but the implicit forgiveness of the entire Church.

7. Receiving the Eucharist becomes even more powerful.
Holy Communion is also one of the Seven Sacraments. When you receive communion you receive the true Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ our Redeemer. When you confess your sins in a sacramental way, you also have a stronger sacramental union with Christ in the Eucharist. Also, if you are living in mortal sin, you should NEVER receive the Eucharist because you blaspheme Christ and set yourself up for greater judgment and eternal damnation!