The master's thesis explores the position of women in the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), their opportunities for ordination, and their changing role in the institution. The thesis focuses on the German Synodal Path (GSP), which officially began in 2019. The GSP is the german RCC's response to challenges such as mass exodus of its members due to maintaining traditional doctrine, that regards gender roles as well. Emphasis will regard the issue of women's ordination, which has gained strong support in recent years including some of the clergy in the RCC. In 2022, the GSP discussed a proposal for women’s ordination, sparking a debate within the parallel Synod on Synodality, officially initiated by Pope Francis in 2021. I explore how the GSP has contributed to changing the position of women in the RCC, how the Holy See and Catholics have reacted to this initiative. I also analyze the position of women in relation to the Anglican and Lutheran church. Scholarly sources I used confirm the ongoing exclusion of women from priestly and leadership roles within the RCC, rooted in its patriarchal tradition. The initiative advanced by the GSP advocating for the ordination of women and the possibility of women’s priesthood was met with firm opposition from the Holy See and was officially rejected during the Synod on Synodality.
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