Hi Don,

Let me address your first question:

Not at all! Don't project today's role of deacon onto the ancient role of Deaconess. Deaconesses in the Early Church:

• were not ordained
• did not have authority over men, and
• did not teach or preach.

Their role was to assist in the Baptism of women because Baptism was done in the nude and impropriety would prevent a priest from being involved in a Baptism. It's also possible that deaconess simply meant wife of a deacon. Even today, the feminine form of the Greek word for priest (presbytera) is used to refer to a priest's wife in the Greek Orthodox Church.

Even if one were to insist that deaconesses in Sacred Scripture referred to the same order as the Seven Deacons in the book of Acts, there is no evidence that these deacons preached, taught, or had authority over men in the New Testament. Their role was to "serve on tables" and distribute food to the poor (Acts 6:1-2).

Eric

Dear Don,

Let me address your second question:

The teaching of St. Paul, which expresses a tradition that extends from the Pre-Christian Jewish faith and carried forth by Christ (who only conferred Apostleship on men), has been expressed in the Ecclesial realm only.  “Teaching authority” refers almost primarily to the magisterium, and then to the sacerdotal ministry or office which belongs solely to men, as Christ instituted.  So, women “teach” in many areas effectively and proficiently, and insomuch as they serve in the church, in religious education as well.  This is not a contradiction.  We can note the difference in the “defining" of doctrine versus the “explaining" of doctrine.  Anyone can explain what the Church teaches, but only those who belong to the authoritative structure of the church can carry the office of “teacher,” and thereby be included in the respective roles of the magisterium as instituted by Christ.  That office is essentially charged with clarifying the deposit of faith and instructing the faithful.  They have the authority to reprove, admonish, govern, teach and preach, in the context of liturgy particularly, and that is what St. Paul is referring to.

So, we should not get carried away and think there is no place for women to teach in some kind of absolute sense, but understand that the magisterium of the Church has been handed to Apostles, who solely are men, and that office collectively cannot be infringed or deformed by some initiative of man.

Peace,

Bob Kirby