feminist theory of religion Flashcards
what do feminists say?
male-dominated cultures imposed monotheism to justify patriarchal behaviour. ancient civilisations had different attitudes to beliefs
Armstrong
- people worshipped goods of nature, which were associated with females. Polythesistic religions usually include female gods
- Poly to Mono enforces patriarchy
evidence of patriarchy in Monotheism
- religious texts have evidence of patriarchy: New Testament ‘wives be subject to husband’
- in Christianity there are extremes in images of women portrayed to serve patriarchal ideas eg Virgin Mary/ Eve
Simone de Reauvoir
- religion oppresses women and serves as a way of compensating women for their second class status.
- gives women false belief that will be compensated for their suffering on earth by giving sexless heaven
El Sadowi
- religion is not to blame but the patriarchal domination of religion - men wrote scriptures + interpretations were male orientated.
- women practicing medicine classed as witches and were killed as it was male domain (threat)
Rosa of Lima
- extreme devotion to Christ, thought had mystical marriage to him.
- showed love through violent acts like feet in the oven
- made it okay for females to hurt themselves today as she was made a saint for hurting herself
- anorexia, bras- modern day suffering
patriarchal religions
- places of worship
- religious organisations
- sacred texts
- religious laws + customs
- family life
- sexuality + body
how are places of worship patriarchal?
segregate sexes- women participation is restricted eg cannot read sacred texts
how are religious organisations patriarchal?
Armstrong->male dominated eg Orthodox Judaism forbids women becoming priests
how are sacred texts patriarchal?
Abbott + Wallace->feature male doings/male gods. reflect anti-female stereotypes eg Eve
how are religious laws and customs patriarchal?
give women fewer rights than men eg access to divorce, unequal treatment genital mutilation.
how is sexuality and the body patriarchal?
Foucault-> Religion exert power by controlling the human body eg diet, dress (hijab). rules of consummating marriage. women are subjected to more than men
how is family life patriarchal?
women in subservient role eg carer, servicing family member at expense of career.
Swale- evaluation
Creating ceremonies
- Liberal movement encouraged women to participate in services the same way as men eg Rabbis
- Judasiam created ceremonies around women with dance + poetry, rituals made to mark puberty/childbirth.
- female barmitzah
Butler- evaluation
Culture rather than religion
- Muslim women not oppressed by religion its culture- controlling Muslim girls + women as believed future of whole community rests with them.
