Review of Wijngaards’s women’s-ordination primer: helpful, except in its view of gender
In his new book on women’s ordination, John Wijngaards offers a helpful primer on the theology of why women should be ordained. Yet while he rightly calls out arguments against women’s ordination as misogynist, he undercuts the larger cause for ordination justice with his own sexist, transphobic view of gender, which is ultimately harmful to cis women as well.
My Re/Generation peers Kascha, Claire, and I are planning an action supporting ordination justice this Advent, so I jumped at the chance to review John Wijngaards’s What They Don’t Teach You in Catholic College: Women in the Priesthood and the Mind of Christ. As I learn more about the movement for the ordination of women and other marginalized genders within the Catholic Church, I’m both impressed by the witness of those who have been working on this issue since Vatican II — and concerned that they’ve been working on this issue since Vatican II. I was looking forward to learning more about the history and context of the movement.
John Wijngaards, a former priest, has been an advocate for women priests for decades. His book is a compelling introduction to the movement for women’s ordination — and I’m using the words “women’s ordination” instead of “ordination justice” intentionally, for reasons I’ll explain soon. His writing is personal, and inviting. Wijngaards digs into some of the theological arguments about the Bible and the apostles that have been at the center of debate around this issue. However, this is not an academic book; — it’s geared towards a general audience, and Wijngaards is good at distilling complex theological arguments into accessible language.
The core of Wijngaards’s argument is that theological arguments about why only men can be priests are a smokescreen. The only true reason for not ordaining women is misogyny. Wijngaards outlines this clearly and compellingly. I also learned a lot about the history of the movement, information that will be useful to our Re/Generation group as we seek to tell a story that will effectively reach our bishops. Wijngaards also includes a detailed timeline of women’s ordination events, which I found fascinating. It really put things into perspective to see other denominations moving forward with ordaining women as deacons and priests, as meanwhile, the Vatican released one statement after another doubling down on misogyny.
If this were the whole picture, I’d be enthusiastic about recommending Wijngaards’s book, either to someone who wasn’t sure about the question of ordaining women, or to someone who is supportive, but wants to learn more about the theological questions at work. However, one thing gives me major pause, and that’s Wijngaards’s view of gender.
Wijngaards has a few little comments about the differences between men and women throughout the text, like “Man and woman are physically different and this predisposes them to different tasks.” But his views really become clear when, weirdly, he includes an appendix of his musings about the “inborn traits” that make men and women different. Wijngaards writes, “It is doubtful whether a society with more masculine women and more feminine men will be a happier community in which to live,” and “Woman … possesses a body that is structured for motherhood.” It becomes clear that while Wijngaards supports women’s ordination to priesthood, his views are grounded in the same gender essentialism that is the foundation of conservative Catholic theology like Theology of the Body. This is where I have to part ways with him.
As a trans guy engaging with the ordination justice movement, I definitely want to celebrate and lift up women in the church. However, my peers and I also want to create a movement that is widely inclusive. We recognize that it’s not just cis women — women identified as such at birth — who are harmed by the Church’s misogyny; trans people of all genders, and even gender non-conforming cis men, also cannot become priests. And grounding our work in gender stereotypes masquerading as feminism isn’t doing women any favors. If we win ordination on these terms, the real theological issues at play will never be addressed.
With that being said, I think Wijngaards’s book has some valuable insights to offer, but it’s also limited. If you want a quick and accessible overview of the history of the ordination justice movement, check it out — and then join us, as we seek not only to ordain women, but to build a church that can truly be a force for liberation.
