Orthodoxy and Feminism - Abbess Theologia

Orthodox Wisdom

What is feminism? What are the consequences of the movement? What is the role of women in the Church and the world? And what women and the priesthood? Abbess Theologia gives succinct and clear answers to these questions. 0:00 Intro The Feminist Movement 0:14 Causes for the Movement 1:51 The Movement’s Success 3:00 Problems with the Movement Orthodoxy and the Feminist Movement 5:16 Women and the Priesthood 11:36 Feminism and the Holy Mountain 📖 "The Perfection of Women in Christ" by Abbess Theologia https://newromepress.com/perfection-of-women-in-christ/ 📖 "The Disappearing Deaconess: Why the Church Once Had Deaconesses and Then Stopped Having Them" by Dcn. Brian Patrick Mitchell: https://www.amazon.com/Disappearing-Deaconess-Hierarchical-Ordering-Diaconate/dp/099101698X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 📖 "Occult Feminism: The Secret History of Women's Liberation" by Rachel Wilson: https://www.amazon.com/Occult-Feminism-Secret-History-Liberation/dp/B09NGXZKHB 🎥 "The Mother of God Destroys Secularism and Feminism" by Fr. Josiah Trenham: https://youtu.be/J7X1TwsaIN8?si=IOxssrzaT_ZaNGkW 🎧Fr. Josiah's lectures on Contemporary Women Saints https://app.patristicnectar.org/discover/theological-lectures/contemporary-women-saints 🎥 "The Orthodox Deaconess: Partial Acceptance, Complete Abandonment" with Dcn. Brian Patrick Mitchell and Fr. Peter Heers: https://www.youtube.com/live/7nCkRHCXcb4?si=EcatFPOsa7Npr8Rt This is a reading from "The Perfection of Women in Christ" by Abbess Theologia, p. 33-43. Abbess Theologia is the abbess of the Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God at Mikrokastro, Greece The image on the left side of the thumbnail is of recently ordained Deacon Angelic and her bishop, Metropolitan Seraphim of Zimbabwe. It's important to note that she was ordained a deacon, she is not a deaconess as the early Church had, but a Deacon. The Deaconate is part of the priest, and as Abbess Theologia says, echoing Holy Tradition, the priesthood is only for men. Read more: https://ocl.org/bishop-ordains-orthodox-christian-woman-as-deaconess-in-response-to-local-needs-in-africa/ -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Abbess Theologia writes: The problem with the feminist movement was that it went too far. It was not satisfied with the new equity of things. It began to espouse materialistic theories of life. It imagined that the past history of the debasement of women was attributable to the Christian faith, and thus rushed to discard religious life [as an oppressor]. She fought against the indissolubility of marriage, without giving proper consideration to the fact that the legal obligation of a man to care for his family is an important restraining force against divorce. She accepted the idea of cohabitation, without realizing that by doing so she took part in reestablishing the harems of old. And the very worst part of this transformation was the crippling of her own nature. God endowed woman with a hidden river of affection, issuing from deep within her very nature, which is able to reshape the world: to tame it, reconcile and sweeten it, to give and receive love, and elevate it out of its banality. Instead of this, women became ensnared in a relentless vocationalism, competing with men, and steadfastly uncompromising in regard to his unique qualities. She abandoned her duty as nurturer, educator, and guardian, thus allowing herself to become a sterile fountain. Women are not barred from the Priesthood because they are somehow less worthy than men. Indeed, many times unworthy priests transmit the sanctified grace of the Mysteries to holy women! Rather, it is because the woman has a different vocation than the man. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!