Verna F. Harrison

This article by Verna F. Harrison, an American Orthodox theologian, examines the question of the ordination of women to the priesthood in the Orthodox Church. Taking an analytical and irenic approach, the author reviews the three main Orthodox arguments against such ordination: the argument from tradition, anthropological arguments based on the feminine "nature," and the iconic argument. She argues that arguments drawn from a supposed natural inferiority or subordination of women are theologically indefensible, particularly in light of Cappadocian patristic soteriology and anthropology. By contrast, she considers the argument from liturgical tradition and the iconic argument to be valid when properly understood. The article's main contribution lies in its rereading of the patristic theology of sexual difference, showing that the masculine character of the priest carries a specific allegorical and liturgical significance, without implying any anthropological hierarchy between men and women.