christianity, gender + sexuality Flashcards
What was the 19th century era called?
Enlightenment period
What did men, women + single girls do in the 19th cent?
Men: travelled to work in factories/offices
Wives: stayed at home
Single girls: sent to work in service in wealthy homes
What was believed men + women should do in the 19th cent?
Men: manual+military labour
Woman: weaker; stay at home to educate children
What happened by 1848?
Bedford College+Queen’s College London trained women to become teachers
Where does Paul urges women+men to pray for authority, they might as well live in structures they find themselves in?
Timothy 2:8-15
Who were married women the property of in 19th cent? What did this mean?
Property of their husbands; having made over to him all rights over their own bodies regarding sex
Where were women being increasingly accepted in the 19th cent?
Medical field, charitable work + social welfare
What happened to the women during the First World War?
They’d be increasingly accepted into jobs trad. taken by men
What was liberal theology?
Attempt to show the relevance of religious ideas in modern life
Present Christian faith in a way that was compatible w science + modern thought
What’s the first thing Biblical criticism examines?
Original lang. in which scripture was written to make sure translated words ref. the meaning the authors intended
What’s the second thing Biblical criticism examines?
Looks at the form of each piece of writing to find the context in which it should be understood
What’s the third things Biblical criticism looks at?
Background to each passage of scripture commonly held views of the day
Why did Barth challenge the liberal approach to Biblical criticism?
The Christian message in the Bible isn’t a development of Enlightenment values
It’s wrong to say human reason can be used to judge scripture
What did fundamentalist/liberalism say about Biblical criticism?
God’s word was clear; it’s wrong to study it critically bc it would undermine the straightforward meaning
What did Jesus accept?
Women among his followers as well as social/religious outcasts
Where do women play a significant part? Give 2 examples
New Testament
Mary, mother of Jesus + Mary of Mandala
What does Timothy 2:8-15 say about gender?
Paul urges women+men to pray for authority, they might as well live in structures they find themselves in
What does Natural Law suggest?
Ppl should live in the way that reflects inherent nature
If men+women have diff natures, it follows that they should take diff lives
What is Apostolic Succession?
Bishops of the Church are consecrates in a line of succession that goes unbroken back to the apostles - only men were appointed
What did the ordination the Vatican declared in the 70s?
- Ordination of women in the Early Church was limited to minority sects + condemned
- The Church follows Christ himself in choosing only men for his ministry
What is priesthood of all believers?
The idea that all are equal before God + there’s no need for God’s grace to be mediated through a priest
How were women seen during the Protestant Reformation?
Women were seen to need protection; either within families or by marriage
Secular role of women was seen as equal to those in monastic life
What is ‘the glass ceiling’?
Women are allowed to compete w men at all levels, but in practice there’re mire men than women in senior roles
Why did ppl oppose the ordination of women?
Bc the Church of England didn’t have authority to overturn tradition of male-only ordained ministry in the Apostolic succession
What happened in March 12th 1994?
32 women were ordained as priests in the Church of England
Who was the Church of England’s first female bishop? When?
Libby Lane; 2015
What does the Bishop do?
Ordains priests, + the sacrament of confirmation for those who’ve been prepared to become full members of Church
What did Traditionalists argue?
Ordination performed by women wouldn’t be valid bc she couldn’t continue trad. of male ordination going back to apostles
What did Anglo Christians say?
Insisted they wouldn’t accept the ‘oversight’ of a female bishop or any bishop who consecrated female priests
What do those who follow a conservative view feel today?
Reject ordination of women
Found themselves unable to accept authority of Church
What is the liberal strand of feminist theology?
Presents patriarchal system as illogical
What is the biblical strand of feminist theology?
Looks at God as being loving/carings - qualities attributed to women
What is the radical strand of feminist theology?
Moved beyond Christianity
Seeks to find ways to speak to God that are true to our present ways of thinking
What is Daphne Hampson?
A post Christian theologian
What does Hampson believe about patriarchal baggage?
Christian story that was true in 1st cent. means patriarchal baggage has been brought to the 21st cent.
What are the 2 quotes from Hampson about Christianity?
“Christianity is a patriarchal religion bound to a sexist past”
Its “irredeemably sexist”
What doesn’t Daphne Hampson believe Christianity isn’t true?
Since the Enlightenment we know there isn’t a 1-off event that breaks laws of nature (resurrection)
And there can’t be 1 person who has a diff kind of relationship w God than others
Why doesn’t Hampson think Christianity is moral?
Doesn’t think ppl should refer to a revelation in history or a transcendent God + should take responsibility for themselves
What does Hampson believe about past+present w Christianity?
It’s rooted in the patriarchal context in which it developed + can’t be freed from that context
Bringing Christianity to the present brings the patriarchy to the present
What does Hampson believe Christianity does in terms of men + women?
Makes men look like the norm; women look like secondary or other
What does Rosemary Radford Reuther believe about Christianity?
The message of Christianity is 1 of liberation + it’s a religious culture which can be re-stated in fem. terms
What does Reuther point out Jesus did that shows fem. love?
Sides w oppressed + outcasts incl. women in order to liberate them
What quote show Jesus’ criticism,s of the way rules were used to forbid acts of charity in the Sabbath? Where?
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” - Mark
What does Reuther call Jesus? Why?
Androgynous
He presents fem traits of healing + caring and male traits of power + authority
What is the context of Jesus carrying the punishment?
For sin as part of a scheme based on authority in a patriarchal society dominated by a male view of God
What was the quote from Reuther?
“I believe Christianity can sustain a feminist interpretation”
What did early Christians believe in terms of celibacy?
The end of the world was coming so they should prepare for that, rather than children
What did Paul say about urges during early Christianity where ppl though the end of the world was coming? Where?
“If they cannot control themselves, they should marry, it’s better to marry than burn w passion
-Corinthians
What did the celibate life mean for women in the 4th cent?
Provided an intellectual environment where they could flourish, freed from male domination
What do the Orthodox Church believe about celibacy?
Priests can marry when they’re ordained by can’t marry after ordination
Bishops can’t marry
What did marriage as a sacrament mean in the Church?
Special means of receiving God’s grace
What was marriage in the protestant Reformation?
Encouraged - family was seen as God’s blessing on the union of husband + wife
What does the Roman Catholic teach about marriage?
Sacramental; causes profound change in souls; 2 individuals become ‘one flesh’ in marriage
Divorce isn’t possible
What did the Roman Catholic say about divorcees?
Were excluded from Holy Communion if they remarry bc they’re living a life of sin
What do Protestant Churches say about divorces?
Don’t believe it’s a sacrament so marriage can be dissolved
P would agree it means the couple failed to live up to God’s high standards
What’s an issue raised when Christianity tries to put historical views in context of modern society?
Legal reg. of marriage doesn’t require a religious ceremony, so Christian element can be seen as an ‘optional extra’
When did Churches of all denominations no longer regard homosexuality as a sin?
End of 1950s
What followed the legalisation of homosexuality? When?
Lesbian + Gay Christian Movement in the UK 1961
What do some see God as Creator as affirmation for?
God has made gay men + women, bisexual + transgender ppl
What does Leviticus say about homosexuality?
“Don’t have sexual relations w a man as 1 does w a woman; that’s detestable”
What is a Christian argument against being transgender?
Ppl are made by God so God (doesn’t make mistakes) + gave transgender ppl their body so they should be content w it
What did the Early Church disapprove of? Give example
Surgery that tampers w sexual identity
Eunuchs (men who were castrated) weren’t permitted to be ordained as a priest
What is a Christian argument for being transgender?
God created all in his image; men + women so God’s nature includes men and women; changing gender is just emphasising one aspect of God’s image over another
What does Paul say that can be suggestive of changing gender not mattering?
“There’s no slave nor free; nor is there male or female, you are all one in Christ Jesus”
What does the Church of England say today about homosexuality?
Gay ppl can be ordained if they’re in a stable relationship + don’t engage in homosexual, sexual acts
