[Conservative til I die]

“First and foremost, God calls women to be priests. Women and men are equally created in the image of God; therefore, the church should embrace the gifts of women in all levels of ministry,”

Equality does not mean same.

“There is no biblical or theological reason to keep women from the priesthood,” continued Barnes. The Vatican states women cannot be priests because in the gospels Jesus chose only male apostles. However, in 1976 the Vatican’s own Pontifical Biblical Commission concluded that there is no scriptural reason to prohibit women’s ordination.

Unfortunately for Barnes, we aren't Protestants and don't believe in sola scriptura. This is assuming she isn't taking the PBC's statements out of context, which may entirely be the case.

Boy, for the talk at the beginning of this article about the WOC proving historically and scripturally the case for female ordination, all we get was a couple of platitudes about Christ's message and an argument from silence (i.e., the Bible doesn't expressly condemn it, so...")

[Dionysiusdecordealcis]

Quoting from the original article: "There is no biblical or theological reason to keep women from the priesthood,” continued Barnes. The Vatican states women cannot be priests because in the gospels Jesus chose only male apostles. However, in 1976 the Vatican’s own Pontifical Biblical Commission concluded that there is no scriptural reason to prohibit women’s ordination.

The PBC has no authority to issue binding doctrinal statements. It has issued some helpful statements on some issues but has been something of a loose cannon in general. It overvalues the historical-critical method and undervalues the classic, patristic spiritual sense of Scripture method. To cite it as if it were speaking for the papacy is disingenuous and dishonest.

The Catholic Theological Society of America issued a statement carefully avoiding actually supporting the ordination of women but trotting out some of the same "biblical and historical" arguments supposedly casting doubt on the refusal to ordain women priests. Anyone interested in a lengthy refutation of the CTSA "biblical and historical" arguments can contact me off-list.