Are there any female pastors?

That was a question from my mother. She thought there were only male ones.

My reply was, "Hey mom, you know one. Our friend Maria is a pastor."

I then added, "Eva, the Danish woman we met on Cheung Chau, she is a pastor too."

But my mom didn't look very convinced. And Maria and  Eva do not fit into the stereotype of a local female evangelist/pastor. Their mini-skirt and sleeveless clothes will surely caused many (not just a few) eyebrows raised. They are also not those submissive and self-effacing type of women.

You know what, they have inspired me that being a woman in a church doesn't mean that you have to be soft and quiet and feminine in the wrong way. You can also preach with the confidence that you are a child of God.

The question of whether I will be a pastor has been raised not too infrequently recently. It probably has a lot to do with my upcoming graduation from the seminary. I know the model answer would be "Let's see how God will lead me," But I'm not usually satisfied with any "correct" answers.

The Pope is currently making his state visit to Britain. I have been surprised by the word "state". Maybe I am being rebellious or politically incorrect or whatever you want to say, but is Vatican a state? I'm interested in the protests that the Pope has aroused in Britain. Those protestors are not necessarily anti-Catholic. Some of them are dissatisfied in how the Catholic Church is dealing with sexual abuse of children by priests; some people ask questions on the role of women in the church.

But don't let us the Protestants get too smug. In practice, there are much fewer women who get ordained. There are still some Protestant churches that deny the right of women to be ordained. Sometimes women can't even preach. They are supposed to serve in Children's church, arranging flowers, playing the piano, or be the pastor's wife.

Am I seeking ordination? No, not at the moment, at least. I don't even think I'll work in a church on a full-time basis.

My European and American friends' view on ordination differs from what we have in the local scene. I'm still thinking what all of these mean. Maybe I really should work my way towards becoming a theologian.