Women and the Church

This article covers many of the topics we've covered on the Among Women podcast. Take a few moments to read it.

Here's a snippet:

Feminism has concentrated on equality and power in its quest for justice for women.  Because men and women complement each other, equality should not mean ‘exactly the same.’  Human dignity is the foundation for equality, and equality is enhanced by collaboration.  Kierkegaard said that, “Femininity is a lynchpin of human life; once it is uprooted, the consequence are disastrous.  In fact, experience proved that [radical] feminism benefits men and harms women.” (Kierkegaard, Either-Or, p ii, 260-1).

Pope John Paul II said that the “dignity and balance of human life depends at every moment of history and in every place upon who man will be for women, and who women will be for men.” (TOB 43:7).  In a letter to women, he wrote about the ‘genius of women’ and thanked them for all their contributions to society as mothers, sisters, and workers in the Lond’s vineyard.  Women are made for relationships, they possess great beauty, and have a deep element of mystery.  Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) said that women’s natural role was to “To cherish, guard, protect, nourish, and advance growth.”  Every woman is called to be a bride in some form or another. 

The author also lists a good reading list:


The Privilege of Being a Woman by Alice von Hildebrand
Theology of His/Her Body by Jason Evert
Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church by CDF/Joseph Ratzinger
Letter to Women by Pope John Paul the Great.
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis by Pope John Paul the Great.
Charter of the Rights of the family.
Apostolic Letter Proclaiming Co-Patronesses of Europe by Pope John Paul the Great.
Bible Women Speak to Us Today by Mary Jensen.
Elucidations by Hans Urs von Balthasar.