Feminist views on the role of religion

Question 1

What are the two views of Feminists at the beginning of this chapter?

Answer 1

A negative view of the role of religion.
Religion is seen to benefit patriarchy

Question 2

What is the view of the Role of Religion for Feminists?

Answer 2

All religions are part of the patriarchal structure of society and teach women to accept their gender identities and roles. Most religious texts teach women to be subservient to men. Religions reinforce the dominant position of men in society by presenting it as the will of God. Men dominate the power structures of all the major world religions

Question 3

Feminists believe that religion serves to reinforce a patriarchal ideology. List them.

Answer 3

Religious organisations are often headed by men.
1. Armstrong (1993) notes that women are excluded from being a priest in most religions.
2. Places of Worship. Women are often segregated from men and sit behind blinds while men assume the central and more religious spaces of religious buildings.
3. Sacred Texts Largely feature male gods. Stories reinforce stereotypical images of women.
4. Religious Laws Women have less rights that men, such as access to divorce, how many spouses they can marry, decision making, dress code etc

Question 4

Is the Role of Religion changing?

Answer 4

Yes.

This is changing. Many progressive schools within the major religions now accept women as equal to men and give them roles in the power structures of religious institutions. For instance, there are now female Rabbis in some branches of Judaism