A History of Women and Ordination: The Ordination of Women in a Medieval Context

During the past fifty years, few issues have been more prominent and disputed in religious circles than has the ordination of women. This has been most acutely felt in the Roman Catholic Church, because the long-standing tradition of the Church has always seen women as incapable of ordination, and contemporary Papal encyclicals continue to support that position. Should such a tradition continue to be an obstacle to a change that is seen as desirable by so many groups? Is the push for this change…