NO WOMEN IN HOLY ORDERS?
The women deacons of the Early Church

by John Wijngaards

Canterbury Press, November 2002; format: 216x 135mm Price: £ 9.99; binding: PB; ISBN:1-85311-507-X

• Part One. The Argument
• Part Two. The Texts (50 - 1000 AD)

How to Order

From the cover of the book:

* "Wijngaards combines accurate historical inquiry, text analysis and interpretation of fact with a highly sophisticated theological competence and - last not least - an acute common sense. The text reads like a thriller. Rare indeed are theological books like this, which blend scientific research and common plausibility, personal insight and church-political relevance."

Prof. Dr. Peter Hünermann, University of Tübingen, Germany. Former president Catholic Theological Association of Europe.

* "Debate continues about the nature and function of ordained ministry in the Catholic Church. This study clarifies some of the basics with regard to the first-millennium diaconate, in which both women and men had an equivalent part. If there is to be an ordained ministry, women ought to be included. John Wijngaards’ study can be a jumping off point for reconnecting ministry in its entirety."

Dr. Mary Hunt, Maryland, USA. Co-director, Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual.

* "This is an exceptionally engaging and readible book, written with great empathy for the historical background. Wijngaards has also rendered a great service by translating the original sources and presenting them in an easily accessible format. A valuable contribution to the academic and church-political discussions."

Prof. Dr. Peter Hofrichter. University of Salzburg, Austria. President of the Institute of Church History and Patrology.

* "This is an important and captivating study. Wijngaards guides the reader step by step on an exciting trail of historical research. The evidence he presents from the historical sources result in an unmistakable and incontrovertible conclusion: women ministered in the early Church as sacramentally ordained deacons. He has enriched his book by a precious - and colourful - documentation of ancient texts, which otherwise lie outside easy access for many. The book is lively in presentation, detailed in academic underpinnning and, theologically, extremely relevant to the question of ministry today."

Prof. Dr. René van Eyden. University of Utrecht, the Netherlands. Chair of Theology and Feminist Research.

* “John Wijngaards’ contributions to the subject of women’s ordination have been exceptionably valuable, not only because of the solidly Catholic nature of his theology, but also because of his objective and exhaustive exploration of the theme. He believes in hiding nothing and in enabling the reader to make up her or his own mind. His classic work, The Ordination of Women in the Catholic Church: Unmasking a Cuckoo’s Egg Tradition (DLT), is the best book I know of to date on the subject – clear-headed, well-informed, fair, logical, and thoroughly Catholic. His new book exhibits the same method of comprehensive openness, as well as being extremely readable.”

Margaret Hebblethwaite BA MA, author of many theological and spiritual books; associate editor of The Tablet

Reviews

Read here

• Reviews
• John Wijngaards’ publication list.

How to Order

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