Hello all!

[best_pirate]

I just joined the community, and I was so happy to see that it existed!  I'm a liberal Christian... I support gay marriage, believe in freedom of speech and equality, and I believe in the separation of Church and State

Comments

[thornsandblades]

Well, I don't know of any Christian denominations that use the term "priestess," but as an ordained woman myself, I can sympathize. Believe it or not, I was ordained in a Baptist Church that was a part of the Southern Baptist Convention about 4 months before the BF&M (Baptit Faith and Message) of 2000 - the year they explicitly stated that women could not be ordained!

I don't what your particularly doctrinal beliefs are, so its hard to actually suggest any denomination. The church I attend belongs to the Alliance of Baptists, a relatively small Baptist denomination that affirms homosexuals and is active in other matters of social justice.

I'm not currently serving as a minister because I'm working on my PhD in Biblical Studies with an emphasis on the Old Testament. I decided that trying to serve in a ministerial position during this intense time of study would not the best way to be responsible either as a minister or a student (and because past ministerial experience leads me to know that "part-time" ministry never is part time

[best_pirate]

Thanks for the reply. I was raised Catholic, in a very liberal environment (my family differs from the church on several issues). One thing I have always loved about the Catholic Church is the trans-substantiation... the idea of the timelessness of the Eucharist and the one-ness with Christ.

I just graduated from UCSB with a Bachelors in Religious Studies.

That's my background, more or less.

[thornsandblades]

Can I suggest then that you look into the Episcopal Church? There is a lot of controversy going on in the American Episcopal Church because of the stance that leaders have taken to affirm homosexual members, so, from what you've said, you might want to be careful that you find an Episcopal church that is not part of the break away (churches have joined other Anglican Communions who do not accept homosexuality).

I know that the Episcopal church does ordain women, and I believe that currently the highest position within the American Communion is held by a woman. I know that women can be Bishops.

I do not know that any non-Catholic (or Orthodox, but not sure there) Christian denomination affirms transubstantiation, but I do know that many understand that Christ is present in the Eucharist without the elements becoming the actual body and blood of Christ.

[best_pirate]

Yes, I've given Episcopalian ordination serious thought. My grandmother was Episcopal, so I know how similar the two churches can be, and it seems like a good choice to seriously consider.

[anubis75]

Welcome.

Anyone know of any places that might want a priestess like me?

Are you very familiar with the Gnostic Tradition? Gnostic has become a catch-all term for many different traditions, some Christian others not so much. Regardless of deity, Gnosticism is chiefly oncerned with having a direct experience with Godhead or as you put it, getting in touch with the divine light inside. Clergy in Gnostic churches isn't meant to be an intermediary between god and the flock, rather they serve as an example to their congregations. I'm an ordained deacon and novice priest in a Thelemic Gnostic Church known as Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica. In our Gnositc Mass both the priest and priestess have roles. The priest represents the active divine masculine and the priestess the receptive devine feminine

[thornsandblades]

Sounds like women are still subordinate if the divine feminine is "receptive" while the divine masculine is "active".

Not getting it

[anubis75]

Sounds like women are still subordinate if the divine feminine is "receptive" while the divine masculine is "active".

That's what as known as Old Aeon thinking.
Elementally speaking no,active and receptive does not mean that the devine feminine is subordinate to the Divine masculine, rather it means that an equilibrium is established between the two pairs of opposites. Are you familiar with the 4 elements of the Hermetic Arts? Active or Masculine elements are Fire and Air. Receptive elements are Earth and Water. All 4 elements are necessary for creation and manifestation. Active and receptive does not denote that one is subordinate to the other, they just are. You have to look at it beyond the modern secular humanist point of view.

Re: Not getting it

[thornsandblades]

Not looking at it as a modern secularist but rather as a progressive Christian.

And even in reading the material available it still seemed that only men could hold the highest office.

And, you're right, I probably don't get it. I don't see how receptive when contrasted to active is not a position of subordination.

[jandrewm]

Welcome! I've only recently joined myself.

You might be greeted with a flood of "try my denomination" messages... :)

So I can add one to the list: Quakers (Religious Society of Friends). Worth a look?

[best_pirate]

Oh yes! I have been very interested in the Friends for a long time... I'd love to read more about them. I don't know of any meeting houses around here.

[jandrewm]

Some more information on Friends:

General overview of the tradition and lots of links:
http://quaker.org/

A search engine to find the nearest Meeting:
http://quakerfinder.org/

A place to get into the Friendly blogosphere:
http://quakerquaker.org/

[best_pirate]

Thank you!