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Icon of a deaconess
Icon of a deaconess

Deaconess (and also deacon) comes from a Greek word diakonos (διακονος). Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions This Greek word means a servant or helper and occurs frequently in the Christian New Testament of the Bible and is sometimes applied to Christ himself. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " Deaconesses trace their roots from the time of Jesus Christ through the 13th century. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Evidence for the presence of ordained female deacons in the early Christian period in portions of the Eastern Church, is “clear and unambiguous" according to religious scholar Valerie Karras. Early Christianity is commonly defined as the Christianity of the three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus ( c The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Deaconesses existed from the early through the middle Byzantine periods in Constantinople and Jerusalem; although the office may not have been in existence throughout the Europe churches. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. The female diaconate in the Byzantine Church of the early and middle Byzantine periods was recognized as one of the major orders of clergy. Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. [1] A modern resurgence of the office began in the early nineteenth century in both Europe and North America. Deaconesses are present in many countries of the world at the present time, not, however, in the Roman Catholic Church, in which it is held that ordained ministry is restricted to men. [2]

Contents

Early Christian Period

Evidence from the early 2nd century, within a letter from Pliny of Bithynia to the emperor Trajan, attests to the role of the deaconesses. Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo (61/63 - ca Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, commonly known as Trajan ( September 18 53 &ndash August 9 117) was a Roman Emperor who Pliny refers to “two maid-servants” as deaconesses whom he tortures to find out more about the Christians. This reinforces the existence the office of the deaconesses in parts of the eastern Roman Empire. In addition, within the Didascalia of the Apostles, further mention of the female deacons is found. Didascalia Apostolorum (or just Didascalia is the title of a treatise which presents itself as being written by the Apostles at the time of the Council of Jerusalem ( however Within the book, there are claims that Mary Magdalene was indeed a deaconess who also served Jesus Christ. Saint Mary Magdalen or Mary Magdalene is described both in the canonical New Testament and in the New Testament apocrypha, as a devoted Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " The word diakonein translated as minister, is used in the New Testament to describe Mary Magdalene, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward, Susanna and others that provided for Jesus, as a service group . However, it is more commonly believed that the institution of the deaconesses began in the 3rd century around the time the Didascalia was actually written . It is the first document that specifically discusses the role of the deacons and the deaconesses in the 3rd century, in the region of Syria. In it the author asks the bishop to take the deacons and deaconesses as “workers for justice”, denoting their prominent place in the church hierarchy. [3] The office gradually developed, and was recognized by the Church and during this time period, the church ordained women deacons along with male deacons whom both acted in various leadership roles, including bishop, elder and deacon. [4]

Later in the fourth century, the deaconesses were mentioned in the Council of Nicea in 325 which implies their clerical, ordained status. The First Council of Nicaea, held in Nicaea in Bithynia (present-day İznik in Turkey) convoked by the Roman Emperor Constantine Olympias, one of the closest friends and supporters of the archbishop of Constantinople, John Chrysostom, was known as a wealthy and influential deaconess during the 5th century. This article refers to the Christian saint For other uses of the name see Chrysostomos. [1] Even Justinian's legislation regarding clergy at the great imperial churches of Hagia Sophia and Blachernae in the mid-sixth century included female deacons. Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya Αγία Σοφία " Holy Wisdom " Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia) is a former patriarchal Basilica, later He also included female deacons among the clergy whose numbers he regulated for the Great Church of Hagia Sophia, listing male and female deacons together, and later specifying one hundred male and forty female deacons. Furthermore, from the luminal period of the eighth century, the Barberini Codex, containing a liturgical manual, provides an ordination rite for a female deacon which is virtually identical to the male deacons' rite. The Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis ( Latin for "Little Book of the Medicinal Herbs of the Indians" is an Aztec herbal Manuscript A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies The deaconesses continued to exist after the middle Byzantine period predominantly in the capital city as well as many monastic communities. Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one Evidence of continuing liturgical and pastoral roles is provided by Constantine Porphyrogenitus' 10th century manual of ceremonies (De Ceremoniis), which refers to a special area for deaconesses in the Hagia Sophia. A pastor is an official person within a Protestant group of people and related to the positions of Priest or Bishop within the Anglican, Roman Catholic Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" ( Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Ζ΄ Πορφυρογέννητος De Ceremoniis (full title De caerimoniis aulae Byzantinae, also spelled caeremoniis, cerimoniis) is the [1]

Pauline text

The Apostle Paul is sometimes described as an early misogynist by some modern commentators. Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and Misogyny (mɪˈsɒdʒɪni is hatred (or contemptof women Misogyny is parallel to Misandry — the hatred of men On the other hand, it is claimed by some that through him that some of the most prominent evidence of the leadership roles and importance of the deaconesses are found. The first clear mention is in the salutation of Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians. A salutation is a Greeting, in particular a formal greeting used in a letter. The Epistle to the Philippians (or simply Philippians) is a Book included in the New Testament of the Bible. [5] Later, Paul reveals the actual qualifications of these ordained females (I Tim 3:8-13). The First Epistle to Timothy is one of three letters in New Testament of the Bible often grouped together as the Pastoral Epistles.

The women likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things…for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith in Christ Jesus. Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) [3] (New Revised Standard Version. Zondervan : Grand Rapids, MI, 1993)

How does this square against the later passage of (I Tim 3:12):

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. The First Epistle to Timothy is one of three letters in New Testament of the Bible often grouped together as the Pastoral Epistles. King James Version

It is through this verse the female leaders are reminded of their role in the diaconate and confirmed in their active participation in the offices of the church. Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions Several deaconesses are specifically commended who took part in the Jesus movement alongside himself. Two of these women are Priscilla and Phoebe of the church in Cenchreae. Priscilla and Aquila were a First Century Jewish Christian couple described in the New Testament Phoebe ( Koine Greek) was a Christian woman mentioned by the Apostle Paul in Romans 161 He describes both of these women as ‘helpers of many’ and ‘servants of the church whose business in Rome warranted the support of all the saints’ (Rom 16:1-2) . The Epistle of St Paul the Apostle to the Romans is one of the letters of the New Testament canon of the Christian Bible. [5] He continues to describe Phoebe, “our sister Phoebe a diakonos of the church of Cenchreae”. Then he adds “she has been a helper of many and of myself as well”. When Paul describes her role and his in the congregation, he uses the Greek verb meaning ‘to be at the head of, to rule, to direct’. In addition, Paul also speaks of other female deacons such as Mary, Tryphaena, Typhosa and Persis whom he writes ‘worked hard in the Lord’ (v. 12) and ‘workers in the Lord’ (v. 12). The contribution of these women is described by the same verb, χοπίάω, used to describe ‘toil’ and ‘labour’ (Matthew 11. The Gospel of Matthew (Gk Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον is one of the four Canonical gospels in the New Testament and is a Synoptic gospel 28; John 4. The Gospel of John (literally According to John; Greek, Κατὰ Ἰωάννην Kata Iōannēn) is the fourth Gospel in the canon 6). Moreover, Paul uses this verb to describe his own work for the Lord and other apostolic labours. In addition, Mary’s labour described as ‘among you’ or ‘for your benefit’ (v. 6) suggest a recognized role of ministry within the church . [6] The church at Philippi is another example of early female leadership where women both founded and controlled the church’s ministry. Philippi (in Greek / Philippoi) was a city in eastern Macedonia, in northern Ancient Greece, founded by Philip II in 356 In Paul’s letter to the Philippian church, he addresses the three female leaders, Euodia, Syntyche and a third, for which he uses the affectionate term, syzugē to mean “mate”. Syntyche, in the New Testament, was a female member of the church at Philippi, whom Paul of Tarsus beseeches to be of one mind with Euodia ( (Phil. The Epistle to the Philippians (or simply Philippians) is a Book included in the New Testament of the Bible. 4:1-3). [7] Through the Pauline epistles it is clear that deaconesses exercised important roles identified and recognized as central within the office of the church. The Pauline epistles, Epistles of Paul, or Letters of Paul, are the thirteen New Testament books which have the name Paul (Παῦλος as the first It appears in Paul's writings that there is no gender-specific working in the churches, as well. Paul identified women who labor in spreading the gospel as equal in rank to himself and was familiar with submitting to women. This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament Paul made clear in his letters that women had governing functions in the churches. [8]

Women as Deaconesses

Two types of monastic women were typically ordained to the diaconate in the early and middle Byzantine period. Abbesses and nuns with liturgical functions, as well as the wives of men who were being raised to the episcopacy. An abbess ( Latin abbatissa fem form of abbas Abbot) is the female superior, or Mother Superior, of an Abbey A Nun is a Woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life Episcopal polity is a form of church governance which is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a Bishop (Greek There was a strong association of deaconess with abbess starting in the late fourth century or early fifth century in the East, and occurred in the medieval period in the Latin as well as the Byzantine Church. [1] Principally, these women lived in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, where the office of deaconesses was most often found. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial [3] There is literary evidence of a female diaconate particularly in Constantinople, and archaeological evidence of deaconesses in a number of other areas in the Empire, particularly Asia Minor. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS [1] One example of a deaconess from Constantinople during the post-Constantine period was Olympias; a well educated woman who after being widowed devoted her life to the church and was ordained a deaconess. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS She supported the church with gifts of land, money and her wealth which was typical during this period. Macrina born in 330, the eldest sister of Basil and Gregory of Nussa, was also a well known deaconess who founded her own monastic community. Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great (c 330 – January 1, 379) (Άγιος Βασίλειος ο Μέγας Latin Gregory of Nyssa ( Greek: Άγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης Latin: Gregorius Nyssenus; Arabic: غريغوريوس النيصي Melania born in Rome in 383, also founded monastic communities and provided hospices for pilgrims. Saint Melania the Younger (also Melanie (c383 – 439 is a Christian saint who lived during the reign of emperor Flavius Augustus Honorius, son of Theodosius I A pilgrim is one who undertakes a Pilgrimage, literally 'far afield' [3] Deaconesses, like these wealthy women, were supporters of the church. In many cases they founded religious communities which welcomed all unmarried women, whether virgins or widows. WIDOW is a full-length Album recorded by British rock band Ritual released in 1983 Deaconesses are often mistaken as being only widows or wives of deacons; and it is sometimes described that they came out of an order of widows. Minor church offices developed about the same time as the diaconate in response to the needs of growing churches. Widows, however, were elderly women of the congregation in need of economic help and social support due to their situation. This concept is mentioned in the first Acts 6:1 and 9:39-41 and 1 Timothy 5. The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. The First Epistle to Timothy is one of three letters in New Testament of the Bible often grouped together as the Pastoral Epistles. These widows had no specific duties compared to that of the deaconess. In the Apostolic Constitutions deaconesses were recognized as having power over the widows in the church. The widows were cautioned to obey “deaconesses with piety, reverence and fear. ” [3] In the first four centuries of the church, widows were recognized members of the church who shared some similar functions of a deaconess; yet did not share the same responsibilities or importance.

Role in the Church

The deaconesses had both liturgical and pastoral functions within the church. [1] These women also ministered to other women in a variety of ways, including instructing catechumens, assisting with women’s baptisms and welcoming women into the church services. In Ecclesiology, a catechumen (ˌkætəˈkjuːmən from Latin catechumenus, Greek κατηχουμενος, instructed is one receiving instruction In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted They also mediated between members of the church, and they cared for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the imprisoned and the persecuted. A prison, penitentiary, or correctional facility is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned and usually deprived of a range of Religious persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group of individuals as a response to their religious beliefs of affiliations. [4] They were sent to women who were housebound due to illness or childbirth. Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a Human Pregnancy or They performed the important sacramental duty of conducting the physical anointing and baptism of nude women. A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active Ordination to the diaconate was also appropriate for those responsible for the women’s choir, a liturgical duty. For the musical composition see Chorale. A choir, chorale, or chorus is a Musical ensemble of Singers Evidence in the Vita Sanctae Macrinae (or Life of St. Macrina) shows that Lampadia was responsible for the women's choir. Some believe that they were also presiders of the Eucharist, but this practice was always seen as aberrant and invalid. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those [9]

Art

Episcopa Theodora (Church of Santa Prassede)
Episcopa Theodora (Church of Santa Prassede)

Some examples of Christian art reflect the leadership roles of deaconesses including administering the Lord’s Supper, teaching, baptizing, caring for the physical needs of the congregation and leading the public in prayers. Christian art is Art produced in an attempt to illustrate supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity. [7] Women were illustrated in early Christian art in various ministerial roles; although traces of female leaders in some art was later covered up to depict men. The fresco in the Catacombs of Priscilla is one example of the conspiracy to deny women’s involvement in the Eucharist. Fresco (plural either frescos or frescoes) is any of several related Painting types done on Plaster on walls or The first Burial galleries to be referred to as catacombs lie beneath San Sebastiano fuori le mura, in Rome. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those [4] Another example involves the chapel of St. Zeno in the Church of St. Praxida in Rome. Zeno of Verona, Italian: Zenone da Verona (about 300 – 371 or 380 was either an early Christian Bishop of Verona or Martyr Santa Prassede is a Basilica in Rome, located near the major basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. An inscription denoting a woman in the mosaic as, “Episcopa Theodora” was altered by dropping the feminine –ra ending, thereby transforming into a masculine name. Episcopa Theodora is the inscription on a 9th century Mosaic in the St Because episcopa is the feminine form of the Greek word for bishop or overseer, the inscription suggests that Theodora was a woman bishop; however these memorials to great holy women were hidden or destroyed to further glorify the role of Christian men. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight [7]

Decline of the female Diaconate

After the 4th century the role of the deaconesses changed drastically. It appeared that the amount of involvement with the community and the focus on individual spirituality[9] did not allow the deaconess to define her own office. Social attitudes promoted during the 4th and 5th centuries councils which structured the organization and defined roles within the Roman Church resulted in a patriarchal church. Patriarchy is the structuring of Society on the basis of Family units where fathers have primary responsibility for the welfare of hence authority over [8] With Christianity recognized as the state religion by Constantine, leadership roles for women within the church diminished. Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine During the rule of Constantine, as Christianity became more institutionalized; leadership roles for women decreased as they became subordinate to males within the church organization. [3] It was during the fifth and sixth centuries in the western part of the Roman Empire that the role of deaconess became less favorable. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Councils of Orange in 441 and Orléans in 533 directly targeted the role of the deaconesses in the church by the male-dominated hierarchy which forbade their ordination. The Councils of Orange (or the Synods of Orange) comprised two Synods held at Orange France. By at least the ninth or tenth century only nuns were ordained as female deacons. Evidence of female diaconal ordination itself is less conclusive for the ninth through early twelfth centuries than for previous eras. There is enough of a historical record to indicate that the female diaconate continued to exist as an ordained order in Constantinople and Jerusalem for most if not all of this period. In the Byzantine Church, the female diaconate decline began sometime during the iconoclastic period with the vanishing of the ordained order for women in the twelfth century. Iconoclasm, Greek for "image-breaking" is the deliberate destruction within a culture of the culture's own religious Icons and other symbols or monuments It is probable the decline started in the late seventh century with the introduction into the Byzantine Church of severe liturgical restrictions on menstruating women. The menstrual cycle is a recurring cycle of physiologic changes that occurs in reproductive-age Females Overt menstruation (where there is blood flow from the By the eleventh century, the Byzantine Church had developed a theology of ritual impurity associated with menstruation and childbirth. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective Ritual purification is a feature of many Religions The aim of these Rituals is to remove specifically defined uncleanliness prior to a particular type The dichotomy between Alexandrian and Antiochian attitudes about menstruation and other bodily functions was a method of restricting leadership roles of women in the church. A dichotomy is any splitting of a whole into exactly two non-overlapping parts Dionysius and his later successor, Timothy, had similar restriction on women receiving the Eucharist or entering the church during menses. For other uses of "Timothy" see Timothy (disambiguation. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Thus, “the impurity of their menstrual periods dictated their separation from the divine and holy sanctuary". [1] By the end of the medieval period the role of the deacons decreased into mere preparation for priesthood, with only liturgical roles. In the 12th and 13th century deaconesses have completely disappeared in the Europe Christian church. By the eleventh century they have ceased to exist in the eastern Mediterranean Christian churches. [3]

Modern history

The modern deaconess movement began in Germany in 1836 when Theodor Fliedner and his wife Friedericke Munster opened the first deaconess motherhouse in Kaiserswerth on the Rhine. Theodor Fliedner was a minister and founder of Lutheran Deaconess training Kaiserswerth is one of the oldest parts of the City of Düsseldorf, it is in the north of the city and next to the river Rhine. Fifty years later, there were over 5000 deaconesses in Europe. In 1884, John Lankenau, a business owner, brought 7 sisters from Germany to run the German hospital in Philadelphia. Other deaconesses soon followed and began ministries in several United States cities with large Lutheran populations. By the 1963 formation of the Lutheran Church in America, there were three main centers for deaconess work: Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Omaha. The Lutheran Church in America (LCA was a US Lutheran church body that existed from 1962 to 1987 These three sisterhoods combined and form what became the Deaconess Community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America or ELCA. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois.

The spiritual revival in the Americas and Europe of the nineteenth century brought rapid social change. Women who began to seek new roles for themselves turned to deaconess service. For women with a calling to serve God, this was a socially acceptable role at that time. Allowed to function as lay ministers or servants and not ordained clergy, women filled the traditional societal role of caregivers and teachers for various churches.

Denominations

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Karras, Valerie A. (June 2004). "Female Deacons in the Byzantine Church". Church History 73 (2): 272-316. ISSN 0009-6407. An International Standard Serial Number ( ISSN) is a unique eight-digit number used to identify a print or electronic Periodical publication.  
  2. ^ (2003) Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Edition. Doubelday, paragraph 1577. ISBN 0385508190.  “Only a baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination. " The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry. The college of bishops, with whom the priests are united in the priesthood, makes the college of the twelve an ever-present and ever-active reality until Christ's return. The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason the ordination of women is not possible. ” 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Olsen, Jeannine E. (1992). One ministry many roles: deacons and deaconesses through the centuries, Concordia scholarship today. St Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 22, 25, 27, 29, 41, 53, 58, 60, 70. ISBN 0570045967.  
  4. ^ a b c Grenz, Stanley J. ; Kjesbo, Denise Muir (1995). Women in the church : a biblical theology of women in ministry. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 39. ISBN 0830818626.  
  5. ^ a b Jewette, Paul King (1980). The Ordination of Women: An Essay on the Office of Christian Ministry. Grand Rapids, Mich: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 70, 72. ISBN 0802818501.  
  6. ^ France, R. T. (1997). Women in the Church’s Ministry. Grand Rapids, Mich: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 25, 85, 88. ISBN 0802841724.  
  7. ^ a b c Torjesen, Karen Jo (1993). When women were priests : women's leadership in the early church and the scandal of their subordination in the rise of Christianity. San Francisco: Harper, 10, 16. ISBN 0060686618.  
  8. ^ a b Schottroff, Luise (1993). Let The Oppressed Go Free: Feminist Perspectives on the New Testament, Gender and the biblical tradition. Louisville, Ky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 35, 36. ISBN 0664254268.  
  9. ^ a b Swan, Laura (2001). The forgotten desert mothers : sayings, lives, and stories of early Christian women. New York: Paulist Press, 106. ISBN 0809140160.  

External links

Dictionary

deaconess

-noun

  1. A female deacon.
  2. A female servant in the early Christian church.
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