HW: Women deacons — a biblical contribution

A short reflection on the biblical background to women's ordination as deacons. Written and spoken by Kieran J. O'Mahony OSA

Gentle piano music to close the meditation

Transcript

Dear editor,

Closed doors sometimes do not quite shut as intended and this is the case with the recent report of the Third Commission on the possibility of women deacons (Synthesis 04.12.2025). 

The authors, with integrity, recognise that to exclude women because Jesus was a male is in tension with two key biblical texts. The first is Genesis 1:27 and the second Galatians 3:28. These are not random proof texts but rather foundational for any biblical anthropology. All human beings without distinction are made in the image and likeness of God. The biblical God is gendered, of course, but God has no gender. The teaching of Paul is that there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female. All are children of God in Christ, without distinction (Romans 3:22; 10:12). Jesus, of course, is gendered but when it comes to salvation, it is not his maleness which matters but his humanity. This is apparent from John 1:14. The writer could have written "the Word became male (anēr)” or even “the Word became man (anthrōpos)” but he chose “the Word became flesh (sarx)”, the most generic description. The gender of Jesus is of no significance to the writer of the Fourth Gospel. What is of saving significance is that the Word became human. 

The writers of the report also note, again with integrity, that the issue of ordaining women as deacons cannot be resolved from a purely historical perspective. The sparse and sporadic precedents are of little help here. The question is properly theological. This means the ball has landed in the court of the Magisterium. On the basis of biblical teaching sketched above, it seems more than unsafe to say that a baptised woman cannot represent Jesus. Any setting aside of the biblical teaching would undercut the common understanding of baptism, a foundational sacrament for being Christian in the first place.

Imagine for a moment that women were admitted to the diaconate. What would change? No core doctrine of the Christian faith would be touched: God, Trinity, creation, incarnation, salvation, the gift of the Holy Spirit, even the sacraments, not to mention prayer and spirituality. The social doctrine of the church would gain in credibility. The liturgy and preaching would be enriched by the experience, worldview and wisdom of women. It would be a very beautiful example of the development of doctrine, as proposed by John Henry Newman, now a Doctor of the Church. 

Finally, the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15 is illuminating. In the absence of any teaching from Jesus himself regarding circumcision and the dietary laws, those present took four steps. Firstly, they noticed where the Holy Spirit was ahead of them (Acts 10:1-11:18). Then, they listened to the variety of opinions (Acts 15:7). Not least, they went back to the scriptures (Acts 15:15-18). Eventually they made up their own minds and a new, quite liberal decision emerged (Acts 15:19-20, 28-29). Our current situation is not unlike that. In the absence of any teaching from Jesus on the matter of who may be ordained, why not notice where the Spirit is ahead of us? Why not listen to everyone, in synodal fashion? Why not return to the scriptures? Why not make a new and creative decision?

Let the tennis-loving Leo XIV pick up the ball in his court and serve!

Dr Kieran J. O’Mahony OSA