Feminism Flashcards
Karen Armstrong
‘religion acts as an agent for social control’
-ideological control: shapes ideas, values and attitudes
-repressive control: forces people to carry out actions and makes threats if do not comply- compensation in religious texts/ sanctions
Patterns in religion
(1) women have not always been subordinate
(2) the decline of the mother goddess
(3) the acceptance of monotheism
Women have not always been subordinate
numerous mother goddesses (naked pregnant mother figures)
-symbolise mysteries of life and fertility
The decline of the mother goddess
-these settled agricultural societies were invaded by more male-dominated cultures from Northern hemisphere and the Middle East
-male aggression needed a patriarchal rationale to justify such behaviour so increase in male gods
-important within hierarchy of gods in polytheism
-led to more aggressive spirituality
The acceptance of monotheism
-belief in one god
-originated from King of Abraham- founder of Judaism
-this one God is seen as predominantly male-arising from a patriarchal society
-God is a spirit so gender-neutral BUT monotheistic religions have always insisted masculine language be normative for how God is referred to as this is how He revealed himself in scripture
-But Bible uses female terms sometimes e.g. ‘a mother who comforts her child’
Holy spiritual associated with female functions e.g. comforting, emotional warmth, inspiration
Evidence of patriarchy in society
-religions organisations:
e.g leaders are male dominated and in Orthodox Judaism, women cannot be priests
-places of worship:
segregated seating, women’s participation e.g in reading, preaching is restricted
menstruation, pregnancy, child birth is seen as polluting e.g. in Islam, menstruating women not allowed to touch Qur’an
-sacred texts:
largely feature doings of male gods, prophets etc.
written and interpreted by men
-stories often reflect anti-feminist stereotypes e.g. Eve and humanity’s downfall
-religious laws and customs:
women have fewer rights e.g to divorce, dress codes, decision-making, how many people they may marry
legitimate and regulate women’s traditional domestic and reproductive role e.g. Catholic church bans abortion and artificial contraception
MARY DALY
Christianity= a patriarchal myth
The Christian story eliminates other ‘goddess’ religions
-argues Christianity is rooted in male ‘sado-rituals’ with its ‘torture cross symbolism’, which embodies women hating
-Women see God more as a God of love, comfort and forgiveness
-Men see God, more as a God of power and control
so God has preferred gendered characteristics, according to the sex of the believer, as we make God in our likeness
JEAN HOLM
-Women second-class status is often related to the female sexuality
-Women menstruate and give birth they’re considered to have a great capacity to pollute religious rituals, objects, and places
-Their presence may distract men from their more important roles involving worship
Examples of unequal treatment
-Buddhism: both men and women can have a religious role as monks and nuns, but all monks are seen as senior
-Orthodox Judaism: only men allowed to take part in or ceremonies, and you need 10 men for ceremony to take place
-Islam: in some regions, women are not allowed to enter mosques for worship, and men have made all the legal rulings
-Hinduism: only men can become priests (Brahmans)
-Sikhism: women have inferior positions
Would Karen Armstrong agree or disagree with Jean Holm?
would agree as examples of inequality in religious organisations, places of worship, sacred, texts and religious laws and customs
BUT early religions often placed women at the centre, mother goddesses
BUT CHANGED since the rise in monotheistic religions
Nawal el Saadawi
religion is not the direct cause of the subordination, but the result of patriarchal forms of society coming into existence in the last few thousand years, patriarchy influence and reshaped religion, E.G.with men reinterpreting religion in a patriarchal way.
-The rise in monotheism legitimates men’s power over women
WOODHEAD
criticises feminist explanation
There are religious forms of feminism, which are ways in which women use religion to gain greater freedom and respect
not all religions are patriarchy
e.g. hijab is seen as a sign of liberation rather than oppression
GILLIAT RAY
some young British women choose to wear hijab in order to gain parental approval to enter further education and employment where Muslim women’s presence has been problematic
-hijab is seen as a symbol of liberation when they enter a public sphere, without being condemned as immodest
LIBERAL PROTESTANT ORGANISATIONS
e.g. Quakers and Unitarians
often committed to gender equality and women playing leading roles
-e.g. 1/3 of Unitarian ministers are female
-Church of England has had female priests since 1992 and female bishops since 2015.
-Over a fifth of its priests are female
