Thanks Man ;0)

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, both Jew and Christians recognized prophetesses as channels of the Voice of God (or the Gods, depending on which era you look at.

Exempli grati:

Ex. 15:20, "And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances."

Judg. 4:4, "And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time."

Judg. 4:14, "And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men went after him.
v, 15, "And the Lord dikscomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot and fled away on his feet.
v. 16, "But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left."

2Kings 22:14, So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harbas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

2 Chr. 34:20, "And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,
v. 21, "Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book.
v. 22, "And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and hey spake to her to that effect."

Is. 8:3, " And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare a son. Then said the Lord unto me, Call his name Mahershalhashbaz." (the name means "hasten the spoil, rush on the prey")

Luke 2:36, "And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;
v.37, "And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
v. 38, And she, coming in that instant gave thanks also unto the Lord, and spake of him [Jesus] to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem."

Acts 21:8, "And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
v.9, "And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy."

These are a few of the texts that show prophetesses were known and respected in Judah and in Israel and in the early Christian church. I have omitted a few references that speak accusingly of some prophetesses as they are mentioned as giving false prophecies, so they don't count. It is worth noticing that kings didn't hesitate to consult a prophetess, that Deborah, called a prophetess was also a judge in Israel and advised the chief military commander on when to attack.

So far as I can tell, it seems it was the Roman Catholic Church who decided that women were not permitted to utter prophesy, since they claimed the priesthood as an exclusively male office. Women who prophesied were often burned as witches, as was Jeanne d'Arc, who was later canonized as St. Joan of Arc. Mother Church has many evils to answer for, and perhaps in another four hundred years, they might get around to an official apology.

With love under will,

Bob, Adastra,
The Wizzard of Jacksonville