Can the Catholic Church Ordain Female Deacons?

I explained last week the basic reasons that the Catholic Church can’t ordain female priests.  In response, Tess asks, Joe, what are the Catholic Church’s reasons for not allowing women to be permanent deaconesses? Deaconesses seem much more justifiable both scripturally and by early Tradition. Are different arguments used against them, or the same (ie that the Twelve were… Continue reading Can the Catholic Church Ordain Female Deacons?

Answering Orthodox Objections About the Robber Council

Last week, I wrote a post explaining that the only principle upon which any of us (Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant) can say that the Second Council of Ephesus was a Robber Council, while the other Councils were valid Ecumenical Councils is on the basis of papal approval.  This is true simply as a matter of history —… Continue reading Answering Orthodox Objections About the Robber Council

Catholics, Orthodox, and the Robber Council

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the Second Council of Ephesus, which was expected to be an Ecumenical Council.   Unfortunately, the “council’s” decrees were heretical, and it was immediately denounced by the pope, who nicknamed it the “Robber Council.” This history is important, because it shows that the validity of an Ecumenical Council turns upon… Continue reading Catholics, Orthodox, and the Robber Council

How the “Robber Council” Establishes the Papacy

At least three groups of Christians – Eastern Orthodox, traditional Protestants, and liberal Catholics – assail the papacy by arguing that the Church Councils should be our highest authority, an idea called “concilarism.”  It’s a good argument – after all, Councils can be infallible, they’re part of the Magisterium, and so forth, so don’t Catholics go… Continue reading How the “Robber Council” Establishes the Papacy