Women in the Priesthood: A Systematic Analysis in the Light of the Order of Creation and Redemption [Paperback]

Manfred Hauke (Author), David Kipp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1988

Fr. Manfred Hauke This book should become the standard reference in the debate about women's ordination. The author cites copiously from American as well as European sources and presents the feminist position in the words and categories of the leading feminist authors. But, for the first time, the whole question is placed in the comprehensive context of anthropology, biology, psychology, philosophy, and theology. You will find a balanced presentation of the profound consistency of the Catholic Church's teaching and the practice concerning the role of women in the Church and in society. Written in a scholarly, yet very readable manner. "The work was accompanied by an ecumenical concern from the very start, to which I am indebted insofar as I have tried to take due account of the international debate on my topic, including the part played by non-Catholic Christian communities. I have, therefore, placed special value on the biblical foundations of the larger structure of the Catholic Faith, and have proceeded from there in connection with Tradition. I am very glad that an English edition will now be published in the United States, for here the topic of "women in the Church" is discussed with special fervor. On quite a number of pages, the reader will find references to the American situation and citations from American literature." - Manfred Hauke "Undoubtedly the definitive work available on this important topic." - Hans Urs von Balthasar Manfred Hauke, Ph.D., is a German priest who teaches dogmatic theology at the University of Augsburg. He is very conversant with the leading literature on the topic of women priests and has written numerous articles on this and other theological topics.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 497 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Pr (July 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898701651
• ISBN-13: 978-0898701654
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,067,311 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars essential reading, June 17, 2000

By 

matt - See all my reviews

This review is from: Women in the Priesthood: A Systematic Analysis in the Light of the Order of Creation and Redemption (Paperback)

This is a very detailed account of the ordination debate which is balanced, informed by all the current facts, and rooted in historical Christianity. Hauke's masterpiece is so extensive and detailed that it is actullay several books in one. Given the size and material of the book, $25.00 is a steal! While this book is NOT in favor of women's ordination, it is not a polemical tirade nor the all too often congratulatory backslapping and question-begging which accompanies too much of the literature on both sides. Rather, Hauke's book is balanced, fair, and very very well researced. I was going to attempt to write out the table of contents, but it would take too long. I decided to just give the headings. Part One I.The Question of the emancipation of women as a background to the theological debate. II.The controversy about ordination of women in the non-Catholic sphere III.The problem of women in the priesthood as a consequence of the "conciliar upheaval" IV.Characteristics of feminist theology V.The Creation-Theological approach to a resolution of the problem VI.Anthropological Foundations VII.Sexuality and the Image of God:Inquiries based on the study of religion VIII.The relevance of material from anthropology and religious studies to the discussion of the order of redemption IX.The relation between Woman and Man in the biblical account of primal history Part Two:The question of Women in the priesthood against the backgroundof the order of redemption

I.Preparatory aspects of the Old Testament II."Sexual" traits in the Christian image of God III.Mary: Archetype and Mother of the Church IV.The behavior of Christ V.Testimony of Saint Paul VI.The period of the Church Fathers VII.The Middle Ages VIII.A historically conditioned undervaluation of women as the reason for their exclusion from the Priesthood? IX.The result of this work and the degree of theological certainty Conclusion Notes Index

Other books of interest include Hauke's "God or Goddess?", Louis Bouyer's "Women in the Church", "Deaconesses", by Martimort, Women and the Priesthood" Kreeft and Hildebrand, "The Female Diaconate: An Historical Perspective" by Ellen Gvosdev, Karl Stern's "The Flight from Woman", "The Church and Woman" ed. Moll. An Eastern Orthodox view can be found in the anthology "Women and the Priesthood", ed. Hopko. An excellent analysis of God, gender, and language is found in "Speaking the Christian God", ed.Alvin Kimmel, jr.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading, July 10, 2003

By 

matt (the reading room) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Women in the Priesthood: A Systematic Analysis in the Light of the Order of Creation and Redemption (Paperback)

I strongly disagree with the review that found this book to be a piece of pseudo-scholarship. I do not believe all of Hauke's arguments, but to dump on the book as if its only worth is found in its being an example of false theology and reasoning is going too far. It is, rather, a highly developed apologia for a male only priesthood.

Concerning his point about deaconesses. It is certainly true, as Huake readily admits, that deaconesses have provided a liturgical function in relation to other women at times of baptism and anointing, or the visiting of sick women with the Eucharist during a time in history when it would have been looked down upon had a man gone into the house of a woman without others present; not that this is part of a further argument that since such social taboos are not as strong these day that it means the female deaconate has no relevance or role.
Concerning the point about subordination, Hauke is not playing with words in the least. He is merely extending, or applying, the traditional way of understanding the Trinity to the relation between the sexes. I would recommend Giles' "The Trinity and Subordinationalism" for anyone interested in this subject in particular. Christ is equal to the Father, but still subordinate. In the same way, the deacon is equal to the priest, but in the function of the liturgical setting, he or she is subordinate. It is a question of taxis, order, not worth. How many Christians would believe that Christ thinks to Himself, "I am so sick of being subordinate to the Father" while the Holy Spirit is just moping in the corner about being the forgotten Person of the Trinity? If you deny the distinction between subordination and worth, then that would be the ultimate conlusion.

A final point: There is no doubt that women and men together form the divine image as a communion of love, which God is. However, the liturgical function of presiding over the consecration of the Eucharist is of a different order. This is actually unrelated to the New Testament passages and the exegesis that is so sharply criticized. This is not what Paul or Luke we talking about. They are not talking about priests in this sense. Moreover, nowhere in the tradition (except in some heretical circles whose other theology was very screwed up) do we ever find a woman act as priest during the Eucharist. Never. While Hauke may go too far in some of his analyses, the common tradition would support what I have said.

This does NOT mean that the Church should never ordain women to the priesthood (which Hauke is totally against). After all, the role of deacon itself is in many respects an afterthought for logistical reasons. But let's be honest about history. The role of deacon quickly changed from waiting on tables to a highly developed liturgical function. Women were never priests and never consecrated the bread and wine. Never. Perhaps it is a matter of clarifying terms such as priest and deacon.
Other books of interest include Hauke's "God or Goddess?", Louis Bouyer's "Women in the Church", "Deaconesses", by Martimort, Women and the Priesthood" Kreeft and Hildebrand, "The Female Diaconate: An Historical Perspective" by Ellen Gvosdev, Karl Stern's "The Flight from Woman", "The Church and Woman" ed. Moll. An Eastern Orthodox view can be found in the anthology "Women and the Priesthood", ed. Hopko. An excellent analysis of God, gender, and language is found in "Speaking the Christian God", ed.Alvin Kimmel, jr.

Enjoy!

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed and Magisterial, August 29, 2003

By 

Oswald Sobrino (Traverse City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Women in the Priesthood: A Systematic Analysis in the Light of the Order of Creation and Redemption (Paperback)

German Catholic theologian Manfred Hauke has written a highly detailed look at the issues raised by those who seek the ordination of women in the Catholic Church. He concludes that such ordination is contrary to Scripture and Tradition. This book was written before the Pope's declaration in 1994 that the Church had no authority to ordain women. Hauke's work provides scholarly support for that papal declaration. The first half of the book gives extensive background on the philosophical and theological dimensions in different world religions of the masculine and the feminine. Only after setting forth this detailed background does Hauke give his detailed discussion of the Catholic view. In my opinion, his most significant insight concerns his exegesis of St. Paul's ban against women speaking in church in 1 Corinthians 14. Hauke concludes that this ban is aimed not at speaking in general during the liturgy, but at engaging in official public instruction during the liturgy. Hauke points out that Paul characterizes this ban as an authoritative "command of the Lord." Hauke reasonably infers that this ban on women engaging in formal instruction in the divine liturgy necessarily points to the non-ordination of women given that this type of public liturgical instruction is precisely a major function of the ordained.

Even more persuasive, in my view, is Hauke's analysis of those medieval theologians who focused on the Incarnation of Christ as a male as an underpinning for the ban on women's ordination. Hauke shows that the Tradition against women priests is, ultimately, not based on assumptions of inferiority or on some sort of patriarchal oppression, but rather is based on a deeply rooted and scriptural theology of complementarity which views the feminine as fundamentally receptive and the male as fundamentally transcendent. In my opinion, no supporter of women's ordination who fails to address and respond to Hauke's detailed scholarly study can be taken seriously.