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Bible Encyclopedias
Incapacity
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or in the ecclesiastical sense, is absolute unfitness for ordination. Thus women (Genesis 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:12; 1 Corinthians 14:34-35) and unbaptized persons are incapacitated from ordination. Baptism is essential to church membership, and therefore the basis of further advancement in the Church: "Cum baptismus sit fundamentum omnium sacramentorum ante susceptionem baptismi non suscipiatur aliud sacramentum" (c. 60, Song of Solomon 1 qu. 1, Capit. Theodori Canterb.); also c. 1, 10:De presbytero non baptizato (3, 43); c. 3, 10, eod. (Innocent III a. 1206); c. 2, De cognatione spirituali in 6 (4, 3) Bonifacii VIII. So the early Church declared that he who has not received in due form the baptism of water is not a member of the visible church, and cannot therefore be ordained. The Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325, in c. 19 (c. 52, Song of Solomon 1, qu. 1), directs that the clergy of the Paulinists who did not perform baptism regularly) and of other sects were to be rebaptized and ordained on their return to the Catholic Church, and that such persons as had been previously ordained, but not baptized, should at once receive baptism, and then be reordained (c. 112, dist. 4, De consecr. [Leo a. 4581; c. 60, Song of Solomon 1, qu. 1; comp. Capit. lib. 6. c. 94, and other quoted passages), although, according to the decision of pope Innocent II (c. 2, 10:De presb. non bapt.; c. 34,151, dist. 4:De consecr.),the subordination of a baptized priest ordained by an unbaptized did not necessarily follow. (See IRREGULARITY).
The incapacity of women for ordination was believed to be so fully authorized by the passages above cited from the Bible that it was never questioned by the Church. God had made woman subject to the rule of man; she could therefore not instruct a congregation likely to be composed also of men (Cone. Carthag. 4, a. 378, c. 36 in c. 29; dist. 23:c. 20; dist. 4, De consecr.). It is from this point of view that Tertullian regards this question when he says (De velandis virginibss, c. 8): "Non permittitur mulieri in ecclesia loqui, sed non docere, nec tingere, nec offerre, nec allius virilis muneris nedum sacerdotalis officiis sortem ubi vindicare." Ina like strain argue Augustine (c. 17, can. 33, qu. 5) and others. The early Church therefore declared that no woman should be ordained presbytera (vidua) (Conc. Laodic. a. 372, c. 11 in c. 19, dist. 32), nor diacona, or diaconissa (Concil. Arausicanum 1, a. 441, can. 26; Epaonense, a. 517, can. 21; Aurelianense 2, a. 533, can. 18 [ed. Brunc. 2, 126, 170, 187]; compare c. 23, can. 27, qu. 1, Novella Justiiniani 6:cap. 5); though educated and pious, they are not to teach in the congregations (Conc. Carthag. 4, a. 378, c. 36 in c. 29, dist. 23; c. 20, dist. 4:De consecr.). Abbesses were not to bless the nuns, to hear confessions, or to preach in public (c. 10, 10, Deponit. et remiss. [5, 38] Innocent III a. 1210). The Evangelical Church teaches the necessity of baptism (Augsb. Conf. art. 9, etc.), and also that "the female sex was not ordained by God to rule, either in the Church, or in secular positions where a specially strong understanding and good counsel are requisite. But they are ordered to take care of their household, and to see after it diligently" (Luther, in Walch's Werke, 2, 1006). The ground which the Reformers took on this question was up to our day approved by the Protestant churches at large. Among the Friends, however, no such distinction has ever been recognized. Indeed, the tendency of the present age is to abolish the rule altogether, and females in several instances have actually been installed as pastors in this country, while in other cases their ability in the pulpit has been freely acknowledged even among evangelical denominations. Yet even this hardly satisfies the advocates of "women's rights" (q.v.). See Herzog, Real- Encyklop. 6:617. (J. H. W.)
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Incapacity'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/i/incapacity.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
