Christianity,Gender and Sexuality

Question 1

What is liberal theology?

Answer 1

an approach that aimed to analyse the Bible and Chrisitan teaching using modern thought informed by reason and science

Question 2

What is Biblical criticism?

Answer 2

studying the Bible using a range of different approaches to come to a fuller understanding.

Question 3

Key features of Biblical criticism (3)

Answer 3

1. examines the original languages the scripture wrote
2. looks at the form of each piece of writing (e.g. a letter or liturgical material) in order to find the context in which it should be understood
3. examines the background to each passage of scripture

Question 4

Why may literal biblical criticism face challenges?

Answer 4

some felt that treating the Bible as an ordinary text that could be analysed this way was wrong

Question 5

Biblical passage indicating SUPPORTR for gender equality – Romans 16:1-2

Answer 5

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae.”

Question 6

Biblical passage indicating SUPPORT for gender equality – Galatians 3:26-28

Answer 6

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all in Christ Jesus”

Question 7

Biblical passages AGAINST gender equality – Ephesians 5:22-23

Answer 7

“Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church…”

Question 8

Biblical passages AGAINST gender equality – 1 Corinthians 14:34-35

Answer 8

“Women should remain silent in the churches… for is is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church”

Question 9

What are Christian Egalitarians?

Answer 9

those who believe that men and women should be permitted equal roles in the Church

Question 10

What are Christian Complementarians

Answer 10

those who believe that men and women are equal but different, so their roles in the church are different and should complement one another

Question 11

What is the catholic view on gender roles

Answer 11

equal but different

Question 12

What is apostolic succession

Answer 12

the passing on of authority from one generation to the next by the laying on the hands at ordination, going back to the apostles

Question 13

Apostolic succession - the contribution of women to the Church

Answer 13

1. the ordination of women in Early Church was limited to minority sects and was condemned
2. the Church follows Christ himself in choosing only men for his ministry
   whilst other churches ordain women after the Reformation, this does not follow the historical tradition of the church as a whole
3. Jesus chose only men to be his ‘12’, Jesus showed a high view of women but excludes them from leadership in the Church

Question 14

what are the three different strands within feminist theology

Answer 14

1. Liberal
2. Biblical
3. Radical

Question 15

liberal strand of feminist theology

Question 16

biblical strand of feminist theology

Question 17

radical strand of feminist theology

Question 18

who is Daphne Hampson

Question 19

Why does Hampson hold that Christianity is not true

Answer 19

why does Hampson hold that Christianity is not moral

Question 20

Define irredmaly sexist

Question 21

s Rosemary Radford Ruether

Question 22

What kind of parallel does Ruether see between Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels and feminism today

Question 23

what is androgynous

Question 24

why does Ruether see Jesus as androgynous