Gender And Theology Flashcards

Question

CHALLENGE TO DALY SIMON CHAN Embodied in trinity

Answer 1

-Not as simple as saying 'God is male' Christian idea of fatherhood, as embodied in Trinity, is unique -Daly apparently glosses over focus that God is Heavenly Father and creator of all which means universal fatherhood -Male language doesn't create masculine qualities -E.g Isiah: God as husband with 'deep compassion'

Answer 2

- Alternative reading to Biblical texts and the sexism present in them - Bible supports women's struggles against patriarch

Answer 3

- God is not a 'being' removed from creation, ruling it from outside in manner of patriarchal leader - God is source of being that underlies creation and grounds its nature and future potential for continual transformative renewal

Answer 4

- Argues Christianity has become distorted by patriarchal tradition and is in need of reform - Catholic church's teachings on women's ordination and abortion have been influenced by patriarchy - Patriarchy had Shane Christian thought about God which needs to be challenged

Answer 5

- Although male symbol of messiah in Christianity, not a Davidic Messiah but a self-sacrificing redeeming messiah who is linked to female notion of wisdom - To call him male displaces the female concept of God

Answer 6

- 'Sophia' - Greek for wisdom, personified in ancient world as female form - goddess - Early Christians continue to refer to 'Sophia' as divine wisdom - in scripture, divine wisdom referred to in female terms - God associated with wisdom

Answer 7

- Christianity has merged notion of divine wisdom to notion of messianic king - In process idea of female wisdom has become obscured behind a patriarchal veil of the male Messiah - Jesus

Answer 8

- Divine wisdom closely linked to Jesus and female terms - Messiah therefore isn't simply a male version of God but the incarnation of wisdom - female - Goes as far as to refer to God as 'Gaia' Ancient Greek Goddess of the earth - Balancing male and female in our nature of God 'imago dei'

Answer 9

- Hebrew scripture - Future king in new kingdom - Son of David - Restorer of Israel and autonomous power - Conquering warrior - Due to relationship with God his favour will shine, chosen by God and representative of people

Answer 10

'The Messiah can only be imagined as a male'

Answer 11

- Jesus not traditional warrior as expected - 'He is expected to win not suffer and die' - Attended to the poor, critical of Jewish authorities, warned disciples of lord in over others - 'By becoming a servant of God, one of frees from bondage of human masters'

Answer 12

- You can't rewrite history to give more prominence to women because story shapes Christian identity - 'almighty father' ingrained in Eucharistic prayer - Feminine images are used to describe God 'protecting,comforting'

Answer 13

-Unique to Christianity as most ancient religions had goddess at centre -Many of these were also patriarchal -Using female language does not make it less patriarchal 'Devotion to the goddess Kali in Hinduism has never resulted in better treatment of women' (Why call God father?)

Answer 14

- Daly: Christianity irrevocably patriarchal and misogynistic, must be abandoned - Ruether: Christianity not intrinsically patriarchal and can be 'saved' from patriarchy

Answer 15

Daly: Some churches prohibit women to enter altar, exclusively male priesthood, male authority within church, male messiah Ruether: Divine wisdom female, Jesus spent time with women, women amongst his followers, first to see him rise from dead, CofE ordain women