Title: The Eve-Mary Typology and Women in the Orthodox Church: Reconsidering Rhodes
Abstract: Rhodes Symposium It is necessary to establish this Orthodox presentation, which concerns participation of women in life of Orthodox Church, within context of most authoritative and official response on this topic thus far, namely Inter-Orthodox Theological Symposium held in Rhodes, Greece from October 30 to November 7, 1988. Convened by Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, this symposium brought together official representatives from all Orthodox Churches to study topic: The Place of Women in Orthodox Church and Question of Ordination of Women. To date, this historic consultation has been our most official response on subject. Our small group of Orthodox theologians gathered here cannot presume to speak officially beyond Rhodes. We may, however, quite possibly be offering a service to these present bilateral discussions, and perhaps to church more generally, if we focus our attention on conclusions of Rhodes symposium and examine some of implications for us today. symposium was organized by Ecumenical Patriarchate in response to a request from Third Pre-Conciliar Conference held October 28-November 6, 1986 at Chambesy, Switzerland. conference proposed a study of the issue of ordination of women in order to promote relevant Orthodox doctrine in all her dialogues with Christian Churches and confessions proceeding with ordination of fourteen autocephalous and autonomous churches were invited to send official delegates to this important event. In addition to these, there were nearly fifty other theologians invited to participate in symposium. Of total number of official participants, there were eighteen women theologians. Four of these presented major papers. There were also nearly a dozen authorized observers, four of whom were women.1 His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostom Konstantinidis of Myra (now of Ephesus) adeptly presided at Symposium in name of late Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios. As chairman of Patriarchate's Synodical Committee for dialogue with Non-Orthodox Churches, Metropolitan Chrysostom had been serving as a highly respected senior spokesperson for Orthodox Church in ecumenical affairs. ultimate purpose of consultation was to reflect upon a number of issues and to provide church with a statement which would reflect, in a theological and pastoral manner, consensus of Orthodox theologians with regard to place of women in church and questions associated with ordination of women. published report was meant to be a document which could serve regional Orthodox churches and their theologians. At same time, report could provide some guidance for those Orthodox who were involved in multilateral and bilateral dialogues with other Christians. As might be expected, much attention was paid by symposium to express view that Orthodox Church could not envision possibility of ordination of women as presbyters or bishops. According to official Conclusions of consultation, this position was not result of cultural and social factors, but rather is reflective of church's understanding of Christ and of reality of men and women. efforts of this consultation certainly did not intend to exhaust all avenues of theological reflection under consideration. Nevertheless, conclusions of this consultation do provide valuable perspectives and recommendations from a body formally constituted by church. recommendations of symposium therefore cannot be underestimated.2 Regarding ordination of women, Conclusions of symposium may be summarized as follows: All fully initiated members of church constitute People of God (I: 2). All discussion of priesthood in church must be directly related to Christ, who is one and only priest. …
Publication Year: 2002
Publication Date: 2002-07-01
Language: en
Type: article
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