No one's addressed that issue in the recent change made by Pope Francis regarding whose feet can be washed on Maundy Thursday, not even Fr. Hunwicke has addressed it. (One Benedictine defender of the change alludes to the question of modesty but believes it to be culture-specific rather than pertaining to a universal norm.) Would Christ or the Apostles have washed the feet of women in their time? If not, why not? Because of cultural norms? Even if that is the case that those norms are particular to a culture, what is their reason? I would argue because of the respect for modesty. A man might wash his mother's feet or his wife's out of necessity, but those of a stranger?
And will women really respect bishops and priests who cater to them in this symbolic gesture of service, which may even be taken as another instance of pedestalizing them? As if there isn't enough white-knighting already in the Latin churches. (See for example the Benedictine defender, who seems to be a sympathizer with feminism.)
No comments:
Post a Comment