Religious Scholar

Women's rights seems like an old issue to many. After all, haven't we had women prime ministers, secretaries of state, bishops, CEOs. But the more backward-looking, intolerant branches of religion--and I like to think that they are in the minority within the traditions they represent--keep bringing the role of women within the religious community to our concerned attention. Here is a recent example:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/15/vatican-declares-womens-ordination-grave-crime

It is fascinating that this off-the-wall pronouncement comes within a document condemning clerical sex abuse. Hmmm, I wonder: if you compared all the sex abuse by female clergy with all the sex abuse by male clergy, which group would have the most offenses? It would almost make more sense to refuse to ordain males, a certain percentage of whom have misused and will continue to misuse their authority by commiting sexual crimes. (Of course, that would be intolerant, too, since most male clergy are not criminals).

The ordination of caring, intelligent, compassionate people is what we need in religious communities. We need leaders who are rational, spiritual, and have a commitment to justice, but who are most of all, people who listen, understand and help solve problems from the personal to the global level. Why is something so simple beyond the imagination of those at the summits of religious power?