Christianity - gender and sexuality

Question 1

What does the key term ‘Androgynous’ ?

Answer 1

Masculine and Feminin features in apperance

Question 2

What is the difference between Egalitarians and Complementarians?

Answer 2

Firstly they both think that men and women should be equal

Egalitarians = Same roles in the church

Complementrarians = Roles in the church are different

This is used in the New Testament as a response on the issue of gender

Question 3

What is one quote we can use to support the changes to views on women in the 19th century?

Answer 3

“God has given to women a graceful form and attitude, winning manners, persuasive speech”

Question 4

What does the key term liberal theology, remember we can use this when talking about biblical criticisms?

Answer 4

Liberal theology - An approach to biblical scholarship and theological thinking that aimed to analyse the Bible and Christian teaching using modern thought informed by reason and science

Question 5

What are the views of Barth who remember opposed liberal biblical criticisms?

Answer 5

• He argued that the Christian message in the Bible is not a development of Enlightenment values
• It was wrong to say that human reason can be used to judge scripture, in fact scripture is the judge of human reason
• Barth’s work lies behind the approach to scripture taken by Conservative Evangelicals

Question 6

What are two biblical quotes that support and go against Gender Equality?

Answer 6

Support
“ She has been the benefactor of many people”
“nor id there male and female, for you are all one in Christ”

Against
“Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands”
“Women should remain silent in the church”

We should also remember Augustine’s view that women are ‘The devil’s gateway’

Question 7

When talking about The Protestant view of gender what is

The priesthood of all believers?

Answer 7

The Priesthood of all believers - The Protestant idea that all human beings can have direct communication with God on their own account, without the need for priests

The main view is that all are equal before God and there is no need for Gods’ grace to be mediated through a priest

Question 8

What are the three strands within feminist theology?

Answer 8

1) Liberal - presents the patriarchal system as illogical, denying women the fundamental right to equality with men
2) Biblical - looks to the idea of God as loving and caring - qualities associated with women. It also points to women within the accounts of the life and teaching of Jesus
3) Radical - moved beyond Christianity, which seeks to find ways to speak to God which are true to our present day ways of thinking, which will be gender exclusive

Question 9

What does the term ‘irredeemably sexist’ mean?

Answer 9

Irredeemably sexist - the term used to describe the view that Christianity is inevitably sexist, so that it is illogical to be both Christian and a Feminist

This view is supported by Daphne Hampson

Question 10

What is a key quote of Paul that supports Celibacy?

Answer 10

“But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion”

This implies it is better to control sexual urges and live a life of celibacy

Question 11

Around the time of the Reformation how did the views on celibacy and marriage change?

Answer 11

• The balance shifted against celibacy, and in favour of marriage

For protestant reformers, marriage was seen as not a sacrament but a ‘worldly thing ….. that belongs to the realm of the government ( this is how Luther described this)

Question 12

What is a key date and act that is important to know with the social change with homosexuality?

Answer 12

• The legislation of homosexuality was soon followed by the formation of the Lesbian and Gay Christian movement in the UK in 1961

Question 13

What text can we use to oppose the ordination of women, and what are some key quotes from these texts?

Answer 13

1 Timothy 2:8-15
“I do not permit a woman to teach or assume authority over a man, she must be quiet”
“it was the woman who deceived and became a sinner”

Question 14

What does the term General Synod mean?

Answer 14

General Synod = The governing and decision making body of the COE

Question 15

Who was Hildegarde of Bingen ?

Answer 15

• She was an abess ( leader of nuns) whos views for her day were very progressive

Therefore even though in the Medieval times and the Protestant reformation that was dominated by men and women playing a supplementary role there were many exceptions to that

Question 16

Which denominations are in support and against celibacy?

Answer 16

FOR
- Romantic Catholic Church, Orthodox church

AGAINST
- Protestant evangelicals

Question 17

What does reuther state about about how Jesus can be seen as both female and male?

Answer 17

• Jesus exemplifies the female traits of healing and caring, as well as the male traits of power and authority

Question 18

What is the name of the woman who was ordained in 1944 due to the shortages of men due to the war?

Answer 18

-Florence Li Tim-Oi

Question 19

Key dates
When was;
- The first attempt at discussing female ordination
- When General Synod agreed that women could be ordained as deacons
- Florence Li Tim Oi ordained?
- The Lesbian and Gay Christian movement in the UK
- The Wolfeden report

Answer 19

• 1920
• 1981
• 1944
• 1961
• 1957

Question 20

When talking about the responses to the New testament on the issue of gender does Nautural Law take a Complementarian view or an egalitarian view ?

Answer 20

• Complementarian

It suggests that people should act in away that reflects their inherent nature

Question 21

What are the different responses to the New Testament texts on the issue of gender?

Answer 21

• Egalitarians vs Complementarians
• Natural Law
• Early Church
• Apostolic Succession
• The Protestant view ; the priesthood of all believers

Question 22

What key event within Christianity is Biblical criticisms linked to ?

Answer 22

• The protestant reformation

This is because following the reformation Proteestant Christians were able to study the Bibleintheir own languages and form their own opinions about its meaning

Question 23

Who is someone who commented in the early church regarding the issues of gender?

Answer 23

• Pope Gelasius I

He opposed women taking part in the celebration of the Eucharist

Question 24

What are three major things that change in the 19th century concerning women?

Answer 24

• Emphasis on education - 1870 Education Act
• More Women rights and feminism grew among the middle-class
• Following industrial revolution more and more women were being employed away from the home

Question 25

When talking about marriage and other issues it is said over the past 300 years religion has moved into ……?

Answer 25

• Religion has moved into the private sphere

This is in part due to the protestant reformation promoted the idea that each individual had a different relationship with God, so religious belief and practice become matters of personal choice and commitment

Question 26

What are some biblical quotes that clearly are against homosexuality?

Answer 26

“Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable”
(Leviticus)

“They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads”