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Developments in Christian Thought > Gender and Theology (1) > Flashcards

Gender and Theology (1) Flashcards

1
Q

What problems does the bible create for women?

A

Regards women as the weaker sex and the cause of social problems, therefore reinforcing the patriarchy

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2
Q

What problems does God create for women?

A
  • God-human relationship causes a master-slave morality,
  • This creates a patriarchy where women are subservient to men
  • Institutionalised Church reinforces the master-slave, male-female relationship
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3
Q

Who was Rosemary Radford Ruether?

A
  • Theologian who developed views that sought to transform all human relationships with each other and nature
  • She also helped found the women church
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4
Q

How does Ruether believe we should understand Christian theology as an oppressive patriarchy?

A
  • To understand it this way we must go back to times when this was not the case
  • She observes how polytheistic religions are less sexist and patriarchal then monotheistic ones
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5
Q

What does strict monotheism cause according to Ruether?

A
  • It reinforces a patriarchal hierarchy where the male God exerts authority over nature and the world
  • Justifies male superiority over women as men consider this to be a God given hierarchy of nature
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6
Q

Quote Isaiah 42:14 and explain how Ruether argues for theology not always being an oppressive patriarchy?

A

“Now I will cry out like a woman in labour”
- Despite Judaism being monotheistic it retained respect for the Goddess of life, God is depicted as a mother Goddess going through the pain of childbirth
- Christianity developed out of this, showing how at its core it was not an oppressive patriarchy but has rather developed into one

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7
Q

What is the femaleness of God retained in according to Ruether?

A
  • In the notion of wisdom, the divine source of knowledge and life
  • Hebrew word for wisdom is Hokhmah and Greek is Sophia
  • Both of these are feminine terms
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8
Q

Quote OT book ‘The Wisdom of Soloman’ and expand on how this explains Ruethers notion of God as the female wisdom principle?

A

“her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things”
- In this OT book she (wisdom) is described as a ‘reflection of his eternal light’ and as King Solomon’s bride - he wished for wisdom

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9
Q

How does Ruether argue for the feminine aspect of God through incarnation? (Quote)

A
  • Jesus as divine wisdom explained the relationship with God and his teaching
  • “Christ… wisdom of God” - 1 Corinthians
  • Johns Gospel also calls Christ ‘eternal wisdom’
  • Shows the female wisdom principle is retained in incarnation
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10
Q

How does Ruether argue for the feminine aspect of God through the Trinity?

A
  • God as Trinity has no female/male division
  • The son is wisdom/logos, the Holy Spirit is wisdom/Sophia
  • Trinity is a gender inclusive spiritual experience
  • Through this Ruether argues that there is enough biblical support to challenge the male monotheism and reshape Church thinking and reorganisation
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11
Q

What apophatic assumption should language about God be based on according to Ruether?

A
  • Apophatic assumption that God is beyond language and therefore beyond gender, God is infinite whilst we are finite
  • Theologians use gendered male language to emphasise Gods transcendence and female gendered language to focus on Gods immanence
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12
Q

What is feminist theology claiming according to Ruether?

A
  • God/ess is as much he/she as much as they are not he/she
  • Feminist theology is not exclusively claiming using female gendered language, it is warning against only using male patriarchal terms
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13
Q

What key question does Ruether propose in Chapter 5 of her ‘Sexism and God Talk’?

A

Can a male saviour save women?
- Christianity has attempted to exclude ‘non-Christian’ elements when in actual fact that is what led to a male-centred patriarchal version

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14
Q

How does Ruether argue that women cannot be saved through Jesus Christ ?

A
  • Jesus Christ was not only a male but also ‘logos’; the word of God
  • He is considered the perfect example of what it means to be a human and that means being a male
  • Therefore women have to adapt themselves to a male mindset to be saved
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15
Q

How does Ruether argue that women cannot be saved through a male God due to the Roman Empire?

A
  • 380AD the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as their official religion and Jesus was the triumphed ‘king’ who would bring the new kingdom
  • This allowed the Church to justify only having male officials who could represent Christ and his organisation
  • Women could only be saved through men
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16
Q

How does the Catholic Church contribute to the idea of women being unable to saved unless they are like man? (Quote the Pope)

A
  • Catholic Church still do not ordain women to the ministry
  • Used Aquinas’ teaching that women are ‘misbegotten’ or distorted men as justification for why God is ‘Logos’
  • “natural resemblance” - The Pope has said that there must be resemblance between Christ and his minister, and therefore women cannot be ordained
17
Q

How does Ruether argue women can be saved through Jesus’ role as a messiah?

A
  • Jesus’ role as a messiah challenged the warrior King expectation of his day
  • His teaching on the Kingdom of God was not about any sort of worldly power but rather gaining justice and dignity for the marginalised
  • The kingdom is about restoring and healing all human relationships
18
Q

How does Ruether argue that the death and resurrection of Christ represents how women can be saved?

A
  • The death and resurrection of Christ shows the basic human experience of nature, the cycle of death in the old year and birth in the new
  • In the ancient world this represents the death of the God of vegetation who raised to a new life by the Goddess
  • Ruether argues this story does not undermine Christianity but gives it power and validity as it is so deeply ingrained in the human psyche
19
Q

How does Ruether argue women can be saved through the Holy Spirit?

A
  • Argues the Holy Spirit continues Jesus’ work by healing relationships and challenging human institutions which are more concerned with their own power
  • She gives two exampled of communities and teachers who did not conform to mainstream patriarchal society
  • The Story of Pentecost and The Shakers
20
Q

What is the Story of Pentecost (Ruether arguing women CAN be saved)?

A
  • After Jesus’ ascension the spirit poured out to man and woman as a sign of a new period of history
  • Jesus was seen as less important than the spirit, showing that Gods spiritual presence transforms the world
  • There is no gender related ideas
21
Q

Who were The Shakers (Ruether arguing women CAN be saved)?

A
  • The Shaker sect of Christianity
  • They believe that women are receptive to the Holy Spirit and therefore should play essential roles in Christian leadership in preparation for the second coming
22
Q

Quote Ruether on Christ as a liberator?

A
  • “The maleness of Jesus has no ultimate significance” - Ruether
  • Ruether argues that understanding of how Christianity developed allows us to remove patriarchal elements of the NT
  • Allows Jesus to be seen as a liberator who challenges religious, spiritual and social assumptions of BOTH men and women
23
Q

Can Ruether be criticised for overturning Church tradition?

A
  • She can be said to have made Jesus far too political and revolutionary
  • She is also selective about what she includes from the bible
  • E.g the use of Shakers which is outside of mainstream Christianity
24
Q

Does Ruether compromise Gods sovereignty?

A
  • Ruether can be said to compromise Gods unity and sovereignty by including terms such as ‘Godess’ which are outside of Christianity
25
Q

How does Ruether undermine CC teaching on the difference of men and women?

A
  • Undermines CC teaching that men and women are equal but different
  • NT teaches that the natural God-ordained relationship of men and women is different
  • A women vocation is to be the mother
  • Ruether is not accounting for this natural order

Developments in Christian Thought (22 decks)

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