Orthodox move for women deacons is ‘revitalization’ not ‘innovation’

Appearing in the National Catholic Reporter

Nov 30, 2017
by James Dearie

Orthodox liturgical theologians are voicing support for the decision of Patriarch Theodoros II and the Greek Orthodox Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria to reinstate the order of deaconesses.

“We respectfully support the decision of the Patriarchate of Alexandria to restore the female diaconate, thus giving flesh to an idea that has been discussed and studied by pastors and theologians for decades,” nine theologians from theology schools and seminaries of the United States and Greece said in a statement dated Oct. 31.

The reinstitution of the female diaconate does not constitute an innovation, as some would have us believe,” the theologians said, “but the revitalization of a once functional, vibrant, and effectual ministry,” the theologians said.

Theodoros, pope and patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, consecrated five women to the diaconate last February in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, primarily to assist in missionary churches.

Modern Orthodox scholarship acknowledges the existence of a female diaconate in the early church, with many tracing it back to a woman named Phoebe mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans. However, “it really fell out of existence in the late Byzantine period,” said Carrie Frederick Frost, an Orthodox theologian who sits on the board of the St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess, an organization that provides education about and promotes the female diaconate in the Orthodox Church.

“Every now and again there has been one … but, for the most part, the past few hundred years have not seen deaconesses,” Frost told NCR in a Nov. 20 interview.

For several decades, Orthodox patriarchs have discussed the possibility of bringing the order back. A 1988 Pan-Orthodox Consultation at Rhodes, Greece, produced the document “The Place of Women in the Orthodox Church,” which stated that the “apostolic order of deaconesses should be revived.”

Little had been done to advance the cause until Theodoros’ surprise move earlier this year.

Reports indicate, however, that Theodoros did not ordain the women in the traditional manner, with the laying of hands at the altar, but “consecrated” them on the side.

Frost says that the ceremony appeared to be a “blending” of the ordination of deacons and the blessing of those entering the subdiaconate, the highest minor order in the Orthodox Church, possibly to deflect pressure from parts of the church that are resistant to the idea of conferring major orders on women.

“There’s an allegiance to tradition that sometimes gets lived out as resistance to change,” Frost said. Many Orthodox are wary of breaking with tradition, she said, and see the decline in other churches’ membership as evidence that the way of the past is the way of the future for the Orthodox Church.

“They see [the female diaconate] as a slippery slope,” she said. “It’s a fear about capitulating to what is perceived to be the secular world at large, in that doing things differently in the Orthodox Church, even if it were a return to something that was historically the case, like the female diaconate, that that would be a capitulation to secular pressures about modernity and change.”

For this reason, the Patriarchate of Alexandria’s decision could have a large impact. Orthodox bishops do not answer directly to a pope or head patriarch, and could technically start ordaining women as deacons, but probably will not as long as it appears that such a move would cause conflict. In a church very concerned with precedent, the patriarchate “really gave us an example of a local church … making that decision internally,” said Frost.

Ultimately, she said, the question of female deacons is a question of the needs of the modern church, many of which she believes female deacons could help meet, citing ministry to women as an important example.
Related: Orthodox Church debate over women deacons moves one step closer to reality

“I don’t want to pigeonhole them into woman-to-woman ministry, but I think that is something they would give the church that the church does not have right now,” Frost said.

She also notes that in the case of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the women were chosen “to help with missionary work. The church is growing gangbusters in Africa right now; there aren’t enough priests, there aren’t enough people on the ground … and they desire to deputize these women to teach, catechize and lead services.”

The revitalization of a female order of deacons in the Orthodox Church could influence the work of Pope Francis’ commission studying the possibility of female deacons in the Roman Catholic Church, which has traditionally recognized the validity of Orthodox sacraments.

“I’m sure that there’s a whole lot of conversation going on in the Holy See right now with regard to Catholic-Orthodox relations on this question,” William Ditewig, a theologian, Catholic deacon and former head of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for the Diaconate, told NCR.

While both churches are considering the possibility of women in the diaconate, the move in the Orthodox Church should not be seen as a step toward women in the priesthood. “There’s no movement [in favor of female priestly ordination],” Frost said of the Orthodox Church.

“In the Orthodox Church, the diaconate is a ministry on a different level than that of bishops and [priests],” Orthodox Fr. Steven Tsichlis told NCR. “One can be ordained to the diaconate and remain a deacon for one’s entire life; the diaconate should not be seen merely as a step to the priesthood and episcopacy in Orthodoxy — although it sometimes is today.”

“It’s about the vocation,” said Ditewig. The diaconate “is not a lower-case priesthood. This is a vocation in its own right.”

https://www.ncronline.org/news/theology/orthodox-move-women-deacons-called-revitalization-not-innovation

Deacons, Women and the Call to Serve

A special web round-table discussion sponsored by America Media and the Fordham Center on Religion and Culture includes panelist George Demacopoulos, theologian and founding co-director of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University.

 

 

 

Full transcripts and videos available here

2017 Conference to be Held in Irvine, California

Join St Phoebe Center

A 2017 Pan-Orthodox Conference hosted by the St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess will be held October 6 & 7, 2017 at Saint Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church, Irvine, California, where Rev. Fr. Steven Tsichlis is rector.

The theme of the conference is “Renewing the Male and Female Diaconate in the Orthodox Church”.

The keynote address will be given by Rev. Dr. John Chryssagivis, Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Throne, who will speak on the theology, history, and purpose of the diaconate (male and female).

As more details become available they will be posted here and on our Facebook page.

Orthodox Women in the Healing Ministries Resource

Women in Healing Ministries-logo-FINALVisit the website of Orthodox Women in the Healing Ministries and learn about the important work of this group.

As part of their mission, ‘the founders have defined all women as persons who “minister to others,” including priest’s wives, teachers, students, mothers and the like…”

Listen to the talks “Toward a Spirituality of Care” by Fr. Silviu Nicolae Bunta, Ph.D during their October 2015 retreat. These are found on the Ancient Faith Ministries website, where you will find other talks on the vital roles women play in ministry.

 

 

Conference Presentation Materials Now Available

Conference Press Release

Opening Service Homily
by Dr. Ioana Popa Chirieac

Calls for the Rejuvenation of the Female Diaconate in the Modern Era
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The Tradition of the Female Deacon in the Eastern Churches (PowerPoint PDF)
Valerie Karras, ThD, PhD and Caren Stayer, PhD
(find the audio file of this presentation on our main conference page)
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Spiritual Direction (Presentation Transcript)
Sister Rebecca Cown, New Skete Monastery

Ministries of the Word (Presentation Transcript)
Professor Susan Ashbrook Harvey

Parish Administration & Outreach (Presentation Transcript)
AnnMarie Mecera

Chaplaincy (Presentation Transcript)
Clio Pavlantos, MA, CMA, MDiv, BCC (Provisional)

(find the audio file of these presentations on our main conference page)
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Rejuvenating the Diaconate: Opportunities, Challenges & Steps (Presentation Outline)
by Teva Regule PhD (candidate)

(find the audio file of this Fr. Steven Tsichlis’ presentation on our main conference page)