A Share in a Priestly Office

I'm not going to bother to get this post all refined, because if I do it will probably never get posted. So, take it for what it is....a few thoughts that I think are meaningful & relevant, but that are not well edited for the level of precision and balance that my perfectionism (or some equally difficult quality) tends to compel me toward.

I'm reading "The Gnostic Gospels" by Elaine Pagels. In the chapter "God the Father/God the Mother" she writes (pg 60):

"Worst of all, from Irenaeus' viewpoint, Marcus invited women to act as priests in celebrating the eucharist with him: he 'hands the cups to women' to offer up the eucharistic prayer, and to pronounce the words of consecration."

And she quotes Tertullian as saying:

"These heretical women - how audacious they are! They have no modesty, they are bold enough to teach , to engage in argument, to enact exorcisms, to undertake cures, and, it may be, even to baptize!"

Wow - I wonder what the experiences of these women were like! Its exciting to have the threads of equality and liberation for women go back this far, while discouraging to find such appalling views related to women as the mainstream of our heritage. (And it still shows of course.) It's remarkable in the face of the fact that the issue seems to have been at hand back in the early days of Christianity, that ordination of women has been very much an issue within my lifetime. (I'm well aware as I say this, that there are those who have a very different perspective on this and who would see me as very misled from God's will for my life and role in saying this. I'm tempted to go on about my experiences in such settings...but that would be a digression.)

But yet another quote brings me to an even more widely reaching issue. The quote from Tertullian, referring to the 'precepts of ecclesiastical discipline concerning women' says:

"It is not permitted for a woman to speak in the church, nor is it permitted for her to teach, nor to baptize, nor to offer [the eucharist], nor to claim for herself a share in any masculine function - not to mention any priestly office."

This makes me wonder, who are we now excluding from a share in priestly office?

Obviously the controversy in so many churches regarding ordination (to various offices) of people who are gay or lesbian comes to mind.
But think further.

• What if the person offering the eucharist next Sunday was a homeless person?
• What if it was a lay person?
• What if it was a child?
• What if it was the person next to you in the pew?
• What if it was you?
• What if it was a Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Baptist...?

Who bears the image of Christ in our midst that we are failing to see, failing to let serve us, or failing to honor and bless?