Gender And Theology Flashcards
Why do w9men feel Christianity is the source of female oppression
- the bible as a whole sees women as the weaker sex and promotes patriarchy
- the human god relationship is seen as a master slave relationship which justifies male superiority over women which finishes value of women
Who is Rosemary Radford Reuther
Reuther is a Roman Catholic feminist liberation theologian who believes that feminist insight provides a ample case for reinvorgating Christian spiritualitand praxis
What does Reuther believe we need to do to understand how Christianity developed its oppressive patriarchy
- go back to earlier times where it was not the case
- she notes how polytheistic religions are far less sexist and patriarchal than monotheistic religions
- this is because strict monotheism promotes the idea of a single male god who has authority over the nature and world which then justifies male patriarchy
What is Reuther’s argument
- Judaism, which Christianity is developed form, is not strictly monotheistic and male orientated
- Judaism has respect for nature which is maintained through the idea of the goddess as the source of life for worship and relationship with god
What quote from isiah shows this female aspect of god
“ now I cry out like a woman in labour”
- god is depicted as the goddess going through the pains of childbirth
- this is an analogy for gods suffering love for the Israelites due to their faithlessness
What is the female wisdom principle
The female wisdom principle believes that the femaleness of god is retained in the word wisdom
What is wisdom
A divine source of knowledge and life
In what terms is wisdom presented
Wisdom is presented in female terms- the Greek word for wisdom is Sophia Dan the Hebrew word is hokmah
Where is the idea of wisdom best developed
In the book of Solomons wisdom
- wisdom is described as “the power of gods breath” and a “reflection of his eternal light”
What does this show about Judaism
Judaism is not strictly monotheistic
Where does Reuther propose the femaleness of Christianity is retained
In the incarnation and the trinity
How does the incarnation show femaleness
- early Christian’s saw a connection between reincarnated Jesus and wisdom
- Jesus as divine wisdom explains his relationship with gods and identity on earth and teaching
What quote from St Paul’s shows Jesus as wisdom
“Christ… the wisdom of god”
What about johns gospel
Johns gospel describes Jesus as eternal wisdom
How is the Holy Spirit presented
Holy Spirit is presented in Sophia times as the relation aspect of god
What does this mean
There is no gender division in the holy trinity as Jesus is logos and holy spirit is Sophia
- the trinity is a gender inclusive spiritual experience
What does ruehrer argue about this femaleness of god
Reuther argues there is encourage biblical evidence for the femaleness of god, but Christianity has ignored the female aspect and has promoted strict male monotheism
- ample evidence for reforming christian organisation
What is Reuther’s first argument for why a male savour cannot save women
1) Jesus was historically a man and the word/logos of god as he is the perfect example of a human being.
This would entail being a man to be the perfect human so for a woman to be saved, she would have to deny what she is and adapt to the male mindset
What is Reuther’s second argument
2) - when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, they promoted the idea of Jesus being a triumphal king who would return with this own kigndowm
- this had important implications for women
- the church used this as justficsfiom for only allowing males to become church officials to represent Christ, this means women can on,y be saved through the control of men
What’s the Roman Catholic Churches current view on women
The Roman Catholic Church still reluctant to ordain women into the ministry
- Aquinas idea that women are misbegotten/distorted men is used to justify why women cannot be ordained, hid as logos would not come as a defective woman but as the perfect man
Must be a natural resemblance between Christ and the minister - deceleration inter insignores
What does the decleration inter insigniores say about women
- must be a natural resemblance between Christ and his minister
What does Reuther conclude form the ideas that male cannot save god
Traditional Christianity is too sexist to save women
Who believes that a male saviour can save women
Also Reuther
What does Reuther argue about why women can saved
Ruehrer argues that women can also receive Christian salvation and liberation once its more ancient and radical traditions are rediscovered
What’s the first reason (can save women)
- The death and resurrection of Jesus touches on a basic human experience of nature in the annual cycle of the death of a year and the birth of the new
- in ancient times this idea was represented as the death of the kingly god of vegetation and being raised by the goddess
- this ancient idea doesn’t undermine Christianity but the ancient idea is so deeply rooted in our psyche that it gives the Christian story power and validity
What’s the second reason (male can save women)
- Jesus as messiah challenged the warrior king expectation if the time
Jesus reaching fo the kingdom of god taught us to not focus on worldly power but rather in gaining justice and dignity for the marginalised - the kingdom of god is not just a reward after death but also heals all human relationships
What’s the third reason (make can save women)
- the Holy Spirit is continuing the work of Jesus by healing relationships and challenging institutions who are concerned with power
What examples does ruehrer give of Christian communities who resisited the tendency to change their christologies to conform to modern day patriarchy
- the story of Pentecost
- after Jesus ascension, the spirit was poured onto men and women as a sign of a new period in history
- some Christian communities took this story and believed the historical Jesus was of less important than the Holy Spirit which represents gods presence and works to change the world
Who are the shakers
Shakers are a Christian community which believe women particularly receive the holy spirit and should play essential roles in churches to prepare for Jesus second coming
What did Reuther conclude
Christian movements like shakers have done more than merely feminise god, their notions of salvation can tackle weaknesses of allhumans
- a male saviour in a spirit filled sense can save women
