Ordaining Women as Priests: Religious vs. Sexist Explanations for Clerical Attitudes

Scriptural and theological beliefs alone are unable to account for the current opposition to women priests in the Church of England. Rather, an unwillingness to accept the priesthood of women emerges as a specific example of a more pervasive conservative sex role ideology. Religion is employed as a channel to communicate the opposition. One way this operates is through the set of arguments advanced to support one's position on female ordination. In discussing the results of questionnaire and interview data among a clerical sample in England, the relationship between religion and sex role ideology is further explored. As well, the contribution of Christian symbolism toward accounting for the current position of women in the Anglican Church is considered.