We, The Open Heart Christian Initiative for LGBTQ+ Communities and Minorities, express our deep concern and regret regarding the statement issued by the Standing Committee of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church on November 21, 2025, concerning the ordination of young women as deaconesses in the Diocese of Ottawa, Montreal, and Eastern Canada, and the decision to retract this step by describing it as a “misunderstanding.”
This ordination—regardless of its scope—offered a genuine glimmer of hope for many women who have long been pushed to the margins of liturgical and ecclesial life. It could have marked the beginning of a more just and inclusive path within the Coptic Church. For this reason, we find the reversal deeply troubling and feel compelled to express our position with honesty and clarity:
1. Continued Gender-Based Discrimination
Revoking recognition of the ordination of deaconesses reinforces the exclusion of women from full participation in liturgical and leadership roles within the Church, despite the fact that women have always been integral to Christian witness, ministry, and the life of the Body of Christ. Marginalizing women does not align with their God-given dignity, nor with the Gospel’s call to justice and equality.
The history of discrimination against women within the ecclesial context continues to shape their participation today—whether through inherited ritual assumptions, unclear expectations regarding women’s appearance or “modesty,” restricted access to certain sacred spaces, or barring women from roles available only to men. Women’s participation in the church is also frequently directed toward kitchen work, cleaning, and childcare, as if their natural role were limited to these tasks. We reject this unfair and un-Gospel-like perception, affirming that women’s spiritual, leadership, and teaching gifts are no less valuable than those of men, and that their service should encompass all areas of church life rather than being reduced to domestic or caretaking duties. Such practices, in their current form, do not reflect the spirit of Christian freedom championed by St. Paul, nor the unconditional welcome offered by Christ to both women and men.
2. Yielding to Hardline Voices at the Expense of Pastoral Wisdom
The decision appears to have been made in response to internal pressure and the most restrictive voices, rather than through a thoughtful, pastoral, and forward-looking discernment process. Church leadership is called to guide its people toward broader and deeper understanding—not to retreat out of fear of criticism or controversy.
3. A Setback for Ecumenical Openness and Cooperation
At a time when many traditional churches worldwide are taking genuine steps toward empowering women in ministry and pastoral leadership, this reversal places the Coptic Church in an unnecessarily isolationist position. It weakens opportunities for constructive collaboration with the wider Christian family and limits the Church’s ability to benefit from the rich experiences of other traditions in developing women’s roles theologically and pastorally.
4. Dismissing the Spiritual Experience of the Women Involved
Describing what occurred as an “unintentional mistake” minimizes the depth of the spiritual experience lived by the young women who offered their hearts to serve. Such dismissal inflicts emotional harm and contradicts the pastoral care the Church is called to extend to its daughters.
As we express our disagreement with this decision, we do so not out of hostility toward the Church, but out of sincere and loving concern. Our call is for a Church that is more just, open, and embracing of all its children. The Church is not a closed institution—it is a living Body, continually called to renewal and reform. We affirm that women’s dignity and their right to full participation in the life of the Church are not “modern trends,” but a natural extension of the Gospel message, which uplifted women and entrusted them as the first witnesses of the Resurrection.
We call on the Coptic Church to engage in an honest and courageous dialogue regarding the role of women, and to undertake a fair and transparent review of the policies that marginalize them.
The Church belongs to everyone, and it cannot be truly just as long as half of its Body is denied meaningful participation.
In the love of Christ,
The Open Heart Christian Initiative for LGBTQ+ Communities and Minorities
Saturday 22 November 2025, 13 Hathor 1742 After Martyrs