The Beginnings of the Institution of Deaconesses in the Latin Church in Historical and Canonical Terms

Abstract

The issues related to the broadly understood diaconate of women, in the context of appearing favorable opinion for its return, it stimulates the Catholic Church at once vivid interest. Perhaps this is the result of well conducted theological reflection on the place of women in the structure of theological and canonical Church. The continued today by theologians and canonists study has as its objective to define the reasons for the establishment of deaconesses in the second century, its nature and objectives. Although synthetic-analytical method allows to reconstruct the general process of evolution, which has traveled the diaconate of women from the apostolic times until its development in the fourth century, however, at the present state of research can not be fully demonstrate the existence of a theological and canonical continuity of this process. The reasons for the difficulties lie in the fragmentation of the preserved sources, the specifics of cultural context of antiquity and in modern context marked by the so-called „feminist theology“. Continuing research may in the future prove the existence of such continuity, especially if it were discovered new sources. The defining of the nature of the ancient deaconesses in the future will help to correct in accordance with the apostolic tradition, confering to a women the place, that would correspond to their dignity, in the community of the Church.