Tag Archives: deaconess

Self-Giving or Other-Enabling? What’s a Husband Supposed to Do?

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on October 28, 2025

This past Saturday I was honored to speak at the second annual meeting of the Orthodox Canon Law Society of North America (OCLSNA) on the campus of Hellenic College near Boston, Massachusetts. I was scheduled to give the same talk … Continue reading →

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New Article: “The Image of God in Male and Female”

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on July 8, 2025

Are men more like God than women are? That is the implication of many arguments against ordaining women as bishops, priests, or deacons. Whether the argument is that priests “icon” Christ in the Divine Liturgy, acting in persona Christi; or … Continue reading →

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Of Subtitles and Menstruation

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on February 10, 2024

Keen customers have noticed that The Disappearing Deaconess appears with different subtitles on different online vendors (Amazon, Alibris, etc.). Is it the same book? It is, except for the subtitle. Some vendors are slow in updating changes in their listings, … Continue reading →

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Were Deaconesses Really Apostolic?

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on February 7, 2024

Those pushing deaconesses on the Orthodox Church rely heavily on the argument that since deaconesses were apostolic there is nothing wrong with them. But there are good reasons for believing deaconesses were not apostolic, and also good reasons for making … Continue reading →

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The Good and the Bad of Ancient Faith’s Deaconess Documentary

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on January 31, 2024

Ancient Faith’s long and long-awaited audio documentary on deaconesses aired last night to the relief of some and the dismay of others. Overall, it turned out better than I expected, with its hosts, Fr. Thomas Soroka and Ancient Faith’s founder … Continue reading →

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The Mein Kampf of Orthodox Feminism

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on January 29, 2024

While in prison for his part in the 1923 Munich “beer hall putsch,” Adolf Hitler wrote a book setting forth his vision of Germany, past, present, and future. Ever since then people have pointed to his book, Mein Kampf (“My … Continue reading →

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Talking Deaconesses with According to John

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on January 27, 2024

Another enjoyable discussion about the push for deaconesses in the Orthodox Church, this time with Fr. Lawrence Farley in British Columbia, Fr. Patrick Ramsey in the UK, and Ioannis Nusias of According to John.

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Talking Points on Deaconesses

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on December 4, 2023

The argument over deaconesses in the Orthodox Church tends to center around past history and present needs, but the history of deaconesses is obscure, easily distorted, and not always relevant. After all, history is not tradition; it only becomes tradition … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Church of Whose Granddaughters?

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on July 31, 2023

How is one to understand a scholar—a theologian no less—who writes a book accusing the Orthodox Church of not living up to its own theology in its treatment of women while ignoring everything in Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition, and the … Continue reading →

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My latest book, just released: The Disappearing Deaconess

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on March 29, 2021

“The whole Church has never had a tradition of having deaconesses, but the whole Church has had a tradition of not having them.” — The Disappearing Deaconess examines not just the history of deaconesses but also patristic teaching on male … Continue reading →

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