1.4 Feminist Perspective on Religion Flashcards
How does Mary Daly suggest that religion helps to maintain patriarchy?
Mary Daly Religions maintain the patriarchy by portraying male domination over women. Also as it was men who determined what was included in the bible they re able to control the acceptance the God could b narrative. Daly concludes that there cannot be equality in religion until there is e a women.
In what three main ways are women oppressed by religion?
• Portraying God as a man
• Restricting access for women to top levels of the church.
• Depicting women in religious
texts as bad influences or impure – e.g. Eve causing the fall from grace, Delilah taking Samson’s strength, Mat Magdalene as a prostitute.
How does Woodhead criticize the idea that women are oppressed by religion?
• Woodhead – Women use religion as a way to gain greater freedom and respect. She explains how the Hijab which is seen in west as a form of oppression can also be a form of liberation as it allows them to enter the public sphere without fear of being considered immodest
How does El Saadawi’s criticize the idea that religion is patriarchal?
Suggests that it is not the religions that are patriarchal but the cultures that they appear in. She uses the Islamic religion and Arab culture to show this. In Arab culture men hold all the powerful positions which mean that they are able to interpret the Qur’an to support their views.
How are women tricked by religion according to De Beauvoir?
Religion tricks women into believing that they are equal to men in the eyes of god and will be rewarded for their suffering in the afterlife. She also believes that girls are socialised into worshiping a male god and there fore are encouraged to unconsciously see men as superior.
What examples does Jean Holm give to illustrate that women are 2ndclass believers?
Segregated places of worship, women are often on the periphery of the place of worship where as men hold the central more sacred places. Women are not allowed to read from sacred texts or touch them if
they are menstruating (Islam)
What evidence is there that women are not 2ndclass believers in all religions?
In liberal protestant movements such as the Quakers and the Unitarians, there is a commitment to gender equality. For example 1/3 of Unitarian ministers are female, in the Church of England over 1/5 of the priests are female,
What does Karen Armstrong mean by the stained-glass ceiling?
“Stained Glass Ceiling” means that women are blocked from progressing to the top of the hierarchy.
Women are often blocked from the top positions in mainstream churches. She studied the Church of England and found what she termed the “stained Glass Ceiling”
How does Armstrong summarise women’s legal position in religion/marriage?
The vote to allow female Bishops in the Church of England was strongly opposed by traditionalists who were very vocal in their opposition.
Patriarchy is the source of oppression, not religion
d, El Saadawi does not
believe that female
Islamic doctrine was thus shaped by men and reflected their interests, with
women’s voices being effectively unheard in this procesoppression is caused by Islam
, El Saadawi believes that where religion evolves within patriarchal cultures, men
distort religion to act in their own interests and to help justify their own privilege and the
oppression of women.
El Saadawi concludes that female oppression is not essentially due to religion, but due
to the
patriarchal system that has long been dominant. She is not hostile to religion, but only to the
domination of religion by patriarchal ideology
