ESSAYS in the semiofficial Vatican newspaper call for women to have a greater role in the pulpit, overturning an 800-year-old tradition of male-only preaching. [Correction: The tradition of male-only preachers dates back to the Apostolic beginnings of the Church, when St. Paul condemned the idea of women preachers.]

What a surprise!

— Comments —

Bruce B. writes:

I don’t know a lot about Catholic history but it’s hard to believe that this is an 800-year-old tradition. I would think that it’s a 2000 year old tradition. In one of the ecumenical councils of the 1^st millennium (I don’t remember which one) it was recommended that women not even be allowed to sing in choirs in Churches. (I think the teaching was non-binding on Western Catholics – it was a recommendation).

Do you know enough about history to verify the claim that this is an 800-year-old tradition?

Laura writes:

I was struck by that claim (by Religion News Service) too. As far as I know, women never had any kind of formal preaching role in the Church.

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