Hello all!

[best_pirate]

I just joined the community, and I was so happy to see that it existed!  I'm a liberal Christian... I support gay marriage, believe in freedom of speech and equality, and I believe in the separation of Church and State

Comments

[anubis75]

Welcome.

Anyone know of any places that might want a priestess like me?

Are you very familiar with the Gnostic Tradition? Gnostic has become a catch-all term for many different traditions, some Christian others not so much. Regardless of deity, Gnosticism is chiefly oncerned with having a direct experience with Godhead or as you put it, getting in touch with the divine light inside. Clergy in Gnostic churches isn't meant to be an intermediary between god and the flock, rather they serve as an example to their congregations. I'm an ordained deacon and novice priest in a Thelemic Gnostic Church known as Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica. In our Gnositc Mass both the priest and priestess have roles. The priest represents the active divine masculine and the priestess the receptive devine feminine.
As for more Christian Oriented Gnostic Churches, many that have both priests and priestesses. One that I know of that is more Christian in nature is Ecclasia Gnostica. They draw from the same apostolic succession that we do, but we aren't Christians.

You can find more about Bishop Hoeller's Ecclasia Gnostica here: http://www.gnosis.org/eghome.htm

He's also writrten some fantastic books as well

http://oto-usa.org/egc.html
That's a link to my Gnostic Church.

I wish you all the best on your quest for the divine light!

[thornsandblades]

Sounds like women are still subordinate if the divine feminine is "receptive" while the divine masculine is "active".

Not getting it

[anubis75]

Sounds like women are still subordinate if the divine feminine is "receptive" while the divine masculine is "active".

That's what as known as Old Aeon thinking.
Elementally speaking no,active and receptive does not mean that the devine feminine is subordinate to the Divine masculine, rather it means that an equilibrium is established between the two pairs of opposites. Are you familiar with the 4 elements of the Hermetic Arts? Active or Masculine elements are Fire and Air. Receptive elements are Earth and Water. All 4 elements are necessary for creation and manifestation. Active and receptive does not denote that one is subordinate to the other, they just are. You have to look at it beyond the modern secular humanist point of view.

Re: Not getting it

[thornsandblades]

Not looking at it as a modern secularist but rather as a progressive Christian.

And even in reading the material available it still seemed that only men could hold the highest office.

And, you're right, I probably don't get it. I don't see how receptive when contrasted to active is not a position of subordination.

Re: Not getting it

[anubis75]

I don't see how receptive when contrasted to active is not a position of subordination.

Of course you don't. you're still looking at things literally, and not for the metaphor that they're representing.

And even in reading the material available it still seemed that only men could hold the highest office.

Not so at all. The office of OHO or Grand Master of any Grand Lodge is not an office that only men can hold. Just because a men hold those offices now doesn't mean that a woman couldn't hold one in the future.

Not looking at it as a modern secularist but rather as a progressive Christian.

Call it as you will but your reaction, to the active/receptive concept is a textbook Secular Humanist point of view.

[best_pirate]

Thanks for the input!