Religiosity and social groups Flashcards
IN 2005, _____ church goers were women compared to _____ men
1) 1.8 million
2) 1.3 million
What does Bruce estimate?
Twice as many women as men are involved in sects.
What did HEELAS and WOODHEAD find? (stats)
80% of the Holistic melieu (NAMs) in kendal were female.
Liberal Feminists approach to religion
They seek to remove obstacles that prevent them from positions of authority
Radical feminist approach
They see religion as only benefiting men. They seek to challenge religion altogether or to recapture the controllability of women again ( Greek goddess)
Marxist Fems approach
They believe religion is a drug and it distorts reality. Religion is used to compensate women for their exploitation.
Evidence for the inequality of women within religion (7)
1) Religious scriptures (Bible)
2) being barred from the priesthood
3) the (stained) glass ceiling
4) Patriarchal religious doctrines
5) The veiling of women
6) The portrayal of women as morally polluting and corrupting and as sexual predators
7) Women have fewer rights than men in many religious ways
Religious scriptures
Women are invisible or occupy the subordinate positions to men in sacred texts
e.g. in Christian bible, Eve is formed from a rib taken from a man. God is male, Jesus is male, disciples were male.
The (stained) glass ceiling
Women are often found at the bottom of the career ladder. An invisible barrier of prejudice and discrimination that stops them rising higher up in the hierarchy.
e.g. No female bishops in church of England till 2015
Patriarchal religious Doctrines (+ Sociologists)
WALBY and DE BEAUVOIR suggests that the teachings of many of the worlds religions contain an ideology emphasizing women’s traditional roles as wives and mothers.
The veiling of women ( Sociologist )
ALDRIDGE notes the veiling of women in some Islamic cultures has been interpreted as a powerful symbol of patriarchy, keeping women invisible and anonymous.
The portrayal of women as morally polluting and corrupting and as sexual predators
ALDRIDGE notes that sexual pleasure particularly for women, is disapproved of or commended outright in many religions, sexuality should only be linked to reproduction .
Women have fewer rights than men in many religions
e.g. divorce and how many men they can marry.
3 reasons for gender differences
1) Socialization and gender roles
2) Paid work
3) Women and the new age
Socialization and gender roles ( MILLER and HOFTMAN)
MILLER and HOFTMAN argue women are more religious because they are socialized to be more passive, obedient and caring - Qualities valued by most religions
They also note that women’s gender role (expressive) explain the differences as Women may have more time to attend church or socializing children into religion may be part of their role.
A03 of MILLER and HOFTMANS
Men who possess these qualities are also more likely to be religious
Socialization and gender roles (DAVIE)
DAVIE adds that women closer proximity to birth and death brings them closer to ultimate questions about life that religion is concerned with.
She argues that this fits with how men and women see god. Men are more likely to see god as power and control whereas women tend to see god as love and forgiveness.
AO3 OF GENDER ROLES
Women’s higher levels of religiosity could be due to different age profiles: women live longer than men, and older people are more religious than younger people.
Also, it doesn’t explain the higher levels of religiosity among women who don’t accept traditional feminine roles. Most members of the New Age Movement are female, and very few accept traditional, hegemonic prescriptions of femininit
Paid Work (BRUCE)
BRUCE argues that women’s greater religiosity is a result of their lesser involvement in paid work. (secularised sphere)
