Grace Thompson
The Catholic Church is the oldest multinational organization in the world, with Catholics living all over the globe due to missions, immigration, diaspora, and conversions. The Church teaches that God is neither man nor woman, and that God is a pure spirit. However, the question of why Christ had to be a male has been a topic of discussion and debate among Catholics and Christians. Some argue that Christ had to be a man to affirm his real humanity, while others suggest that men are more in need of salvation than women. The Church's history and structure have also been influenced by Christ's maleness, with a definitive masculine hierarchy established by Christ himself to protect the Church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Christ's gender | Male |
| Reasoning | To affirm his humanity; to save the whole of human nature; to make the message understandable to mortal men; men are more in need of salvation than women |
| Christ's religion | Catholic |
| Number of male Catholics (as of 2022) | 49,414 |
| Number of female Catholics (as of 2023) | 589,423 |
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What You'll Learn
Jesus Christ's maleness affirms his humanity
Thomas Aquinas, following the axiom known as the "soteriological principle", affirmed Christ's full humanity. He stated that for the whole of human nature to be saved, Christ had to take on everything essential to our humanity. This included a sex, either male or female, as sex is an essential attribute of animal nature, which is integral to human nature.
The apostle John made Jesus' humanity a test of orthodoxy, and the earliest Christians condemned any suggestion that Jesus was not truly a man. John wrote, "every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God" (1 John 4:2). The apostle Paul also emphasised Christ's humanity, writing, "sin came into the world through one man [enos anthropou] and death through sin, and so death spread to all men [pantes anthropous]" (Romans 5:12).
Jesus' maleness is significant because it underscores his real humanity. Maleness and femaleness, while essential to human nature, do not constitute distinct species. Therefore, Christ's salvation extends to the whole of the human race, men and women alike. As the ancient Church author Origen put it, "man would not have been saved entirely if Christ hadn't clothed himself in man entirely".
However, some argue that Jesus' maleness is not the key to his saving work, but rather his humanity is the soteriological component. The Church Fathers never evoked the maleness of Jesus as an argument for regarding women as second-class members of the community of redemption. Instead, they emphasised that Christ, as a human, could represent and redeem humanity.
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Christ's male sexuality
The Catholic Church's position on Christ's gender is that he was both fully human and male. This belief is supported by the biblical foundation found in Hebrews 2:14-17, which states that Christ " [partook] of the same nature as the children of flesh and blood." Thomas Aquinas, a prominent Catholic theologian, affirmed Christ's full humanity and male sexuality by following the "soteriological principle," which states that "what was not assumed was not healed or saved." This suggests that for the salvation of all humanity, Christ had to embody all of human nature, including maleness.
However, some Catholic theologians have questioned the theological significance of Christ's male sexuality. They argue that emphasising Christ's maleness could undermine his divinity and reduce him solely to his human aspect. This view, known as Docetism, or semi-Docetism, challenges the idea that Christ's maleness is essential to his identity.
The Catholic Church has also been criticised for its patriarchal structure, with only men being allowed to hold certain positions of authority, such as priests, bishops, and popes. This exclusion of women from leadership roles has been justified by pointing to Christ's choice of male apostles and the belief that he established a masculine hierarchy for the Church.
Some argue that Christ's maleness was necessary for his role as a saviour. In the traditional Catholic understanding, grace builds upon nature, and the revelation in Genesis provides a way of salvation for both males and females. Additionally, it is suggested that men may have been in greater need of salvation than women, which could explain why God chose to become male.
While the Catholic Church affirms Christ's male sexuality, it is important to note that they also believe in the equality of men and women as members of the same human species. The salvation accomplished by Christ, a man, extends to all humanity, transcending gender distinctions.
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The salvation of men and women
The Catholic Church teaches that God is neither male nor female and is instead a pure spirit. However, the question of why Jesus Christ, as the son of God, came as a male and not a female has been a subject of discussion among Catholics. One theory suggests that men are more in need of salvation than women, aligning with the traditional Catholic understanding that "grace builds on nature without destroying it." This implies that there is a distinct way of salvation for males and females, as revealed in Genesis.
According to Catholic doctrine, Christ's maleness holds theological significance. Thomas Aquinas, a prominent Catholic theologian, followed the soteriological principle, which states, "What was not assumed was not healed or saved." This suggests that for the salvation of all of human nature, Christ had to embody everything essential to our humanity. Thus, Christ's maleness is seen as an affirmation of his true humanity.
The salvation accomplished by Christ, a man, extends to all of humanity, including both men and women. This is because maleness and femaleness, while essential to human nature, do not constitute distinct species. If they did, it would imply that Christ, as a man, could not have saved women. However, as members of the same human species, the salvation brought by Christ is inclusive of all people.
The Catholic Church has been traditionally patriarchal, with priests, bishops, and other leadership roles exclusively held by men. This is based on the belief that Christ established a masculine hierarchy within the Church to protect it from the "gates of hell." While there have been discussions about the ordination of women, the Church has maintained that Christ ordained only men, and this has been a central reason for not ordaining women as priests.
The role of women in the Catholic Church is significant, especially in providing support and witness to Christ's ministry. Mary Magdalene, for instance, played a crucial role in announcing Christ's resurrection to his apostles. Additionally, women have been actively involved in various secular occupations within the Church.
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The ordination of women
The Catholic Church has long held that Christ was both fully human and male. This belief is based on the idea that Christ took on the whole of human nature, including everything essential to humanity, in order to save all of humankind. According to this line of thought, if Christ was not fully male, then men could not be saved by his sacrifice.
However, some feminist theologians have argued that emphasizing Christ's maleness undermines his humanity and collapses his identity into that of a male human, thereby excluding women from salvation. They argue that maleness and femaleness are essential to human nature but do not constitute distinct species, so Christ's maleness does not exclude women from the salvation he accomplished.
In terms of the ordination of women, the Catholic Church has consistently maintained that only men can be ordained as bishops, priests, or deacons. This teaching is based on the belief that Christ ordained only men as his apostles, and that the Church has no authority to confer priestly ordination on women. The Church considers the male priesthood to be an unalterable requirement of God, not merely a matter of policy. Pope John Paul II reaffirmed this position in his 1994 apostolic letter, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, stating that the Church has no authority to ordain women and that this judgment should be held definitively by all the Church's faithful.
Despite this, there have been calls for the ordination of women within the Catholic Church. Some supporters interpret New Testament texts as being specific to certain social and church contexts, and they regard Jesus as setting an example of treating women with respect and including them in important roles. They point to female figures in the Bible such as Phoebe, Junia, and female disciples of Jesus as evidence of the importance of women in the early Church. Dissenting groups advocating for women's ordination include Women's Ordination Worldwide, Catholic Women's Ordination, and Roman Catholic Womenpriests.
In 2016, Pope Francis ordered an official Papal Commission to determine whether the ancient practice of having female deacons (deaconesses) could be reinstated. However, he later omitted discussion of the issue from subsequent documents, and in 2022, he confirmed the finality of the ban on ordaining women as priests, citing his predecessor Pope John Paul II's declaration as the "last word" on the matter.
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The Church's patriarchal structure
The Catholic Church has long been a patriarchal institution, with men holding positions of power and leadership, such as priests, bishops, and popes. This structure is believed to have been established by Christ himself, who chose only men as his apostles and ordained them as leaders of the Church. The Church's patriarchal structure is also rooted in the belief that God reveals himself as masculine and that men and women have distinct gender roles, with men as leaders and providers.
While the Virgin Mary and women apostles like Mary Magdalene played important roles in the life of Jesus, authority within the Church has traditionally been given to men. This is often justified by the argument that Christ took on fully human nature, which includes maleness and femaleness, and that his salvation extends to both men and women. However, critics argue that this does not address the issue of women being excluded from positions of power within the Church.
The patriarchal structure of the Church has been associated with abuse, particularly in the Catholic Church, where there have been thousands of victims of sexual abuse scandals. The power dynamics inherent in patriarchy are believed to contribute to a culture that enables abuse and covers up wrongdoing. Additionally, the Church's teachings that women should submit to their husbands and male authority figures can trap women in abusive relationships and prevent them from leaving.
In recent times, there has been a growing movement towards gender equality within the Church, with increasing recognition that patriarchy can lead to abuse and that women are often the ones doing most of the work in congregations. While some churches still adhere strictly to patriarchal structures, excluding women from voting, leadership positions, and even certain occupations, others are questioning these traditions and advocating for women's ordination and equal representation.
Despite these changes, the Catholic Church's patriarchal structure remains a contentious issue, with some arguing that it is essential to preserving the Church's traditions and protecting it from external threats. However, critics argue that the Church's patriarchal nature is contrary to the modern world and contributes to a culture of abuse and inequality.
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Frequently asked questions
According to Catholic doctrine, Christ had to be a male to save the whole of human nature. This is based on the soteriological principle, which states that "What was not assumed was not healed or saved". Christ had to take on everything essential to humanity, including maleness and femaleness, which are essential to human nature.
Christ was not Catholic. He was Jewish.
According to the Magisterium of the Church, Christ ordained only men as apostles, and this has been the ultimate reason for not ordaining women. Christ established a patriarchal Church, with a definitive structure, order, and masculine hierarchy.
The Catholic Church is considered a patriarchy because it only allows men to be bishops, deacons, and priests. The Church believes that it is continually guided by the Holy Spirit and is protected from falling into doctrinal error when a firm decision on an issue is reached.
