FutureChurch is honored to welcome back longtime friend Dr. Phyllis Zagano for a conversation on her latest book, The Vatican and Women Deacons.
The preeminent scholar on the history and theology of the diaconate, Dr. Zagano brings rigorous analysis and rare insider perspective to one of the most pressing ecclesial questions of our time. Drawing on her service on Pope Francis’s 2016 Commission for the Study of the Diaconate of Women, as well as decades of scholarship, she offers a careful examination of the Vatican’s ongoing engagement with the question of women in ordained ministry. The book traces the development of official commissions, theological arguments, and ecclesial discernment processes, illuminating both the complexity of the issue and the possibilities it continues to hold.
At a pivotal moment in the Church’s synodal journey, The Vatican and Women Deacons provides a vital framework for understanding how questions of history, doctrine, and pastoral need intersect. Dr. Zagano’s work invites sustained reflection on the role of women in ministry and the future of the diaconate in a global Church.
Join us for an evening of thoughtful dialogue and critical engagement as we explore the historical foundations, theological implications, and contemporary significance of this ongoing conversation—one that FutureChurch has helped to bring into the mainstream and advance through more than two decades of sustained advocacy, theological engagement, and dialogue.