It’s welcome news, though it is short of any goal favoured by feminists, whether Orthodox or Catholic. Patriarch Theodoros II and the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria have decided to reinstate the order of deaconesses in the Greek Orthodox Church. Granted, this is not a full acknowledgement of the equality of women and men, but it is a step in the right direction. And it’s a step from which the Catholic Church can learn. Indeed, Pope Francis expressed interest in this prospect in 2016, when he appointed a committee to study the matter. (It’s not clear where that committee is today in its deliberations).
According to NCR’s reporting, the Greek Orthodox Church is expanding rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa and is in need of clergy in many locations. By the same token, the Catholic Church could use more clergy in many parts of the world. But even if church membership were static in either denomination, this move is both desirable and necessary because it is a move toward gender justice.
