Tag Archives: Orthodox Church

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 Deaconesses with Fr. Peter Heers

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on January 24, 2024

Six years since Fr. Peter Heers and I collaborated in drafting the 2018 Public Statement on Orthodox Deaconesses signed by over 50 other clerics and scholars, we meet again online to talk over the current push for deaconesses, in advance … Continue reading →

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Talking Gender with Dissident Mama

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on December 5, 2023

Shortly after my talk with Fr. Thomas Soroka on Ancient Faith Radio, I had the great pleasure of also talking about gender issues with Rebecca Dillingham for her blog, Dissident Mama. I mentioned our talk and linked to the podcast … Continue reading →

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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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A Public Statement on Deaconesses

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on December 2, 2023

I suppose it’s because I’m in ROCOR that I am not terribly bothered by the push now on in the Greek Archdiocese to make women deaconesses. Many of us in ROCOR tend to assume the Greeks have become unhinged and … 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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Deacons and Deaconesses, with Pictures

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on August 22, 2022

For many Christians, the issue is this simple: The Church once had deaconesses, so it can have them again. The reality, as usual, is rather more complex. History is not tradition; history only becomes tradition when it is handed down.  … Continue reading →

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The Church once had deaconesses. So what?

by Brian Patrick Mitchell Posted on January 18, 2018

For many people, the fact that the Orthodox Church once had deaconesses, somewhere at sometime, is enough to justify having them again. After all, they say, we Orthodox believe in tradition, and deaconesses are part of the tradition. Are they … Continue reading →

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