Society 1: Gender and Society Flashcards
Christian teaching on the roles of men and women in the family and society -Mulieris Dignitatem 18–19
- importance of women:
–> “Motherhood is the fruit of the marriage”
–> without Mary (mother of God-theotokos), humans wouldn’t be able to have a relationship w/ God bc of her acceptance of pregnancy and Birth of Christ: “the Covenant which God established with the human race through the motherhood of the Mother of God” - written to argue that the church is not sexist - Motherhood is a woman’s telos – needed for their psychological development (of compassion and self-giving)
- complementarity of men+women: diff but equal- “the personal resources of femininity are certainly no less than the resources of masculinity”
- men should value women” “he owes a special debt to the woman”
- does address that womanhood is not enjoyable for everyone: “our thoughts go to all the suffering women in the world”
- has a complete emphasis on motherhood- any other role will be inferior to men
Christian teaching on the roles of men and women in the family and society-Ephesians 5:22–33
- considered partly responsible for the subjugation of women by the church
- “wives be subject to your husbands” BUT also that males should love their wives “as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her”
- equality: “nor is there male or female, for you are all one in Christ”
- discrimination: “it is shameful for a woman to speak in Church”- subordinate to men
- CA: Jesus treated everyone equally, so women should be too
Christian responses to contemporary secular
views about the roles of men and women in the family and society
- CofE adapted: 1992: allow female priests, 2014: women accepted as bishops
- Catholic Church refuse female priests- arguing the priest represents Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist and women can’t represent Christ- Pope Francis said women would “never, ever” become priests
- due to these ^ responses, this has led to changes: AnneWiddecombe converted from CofE to Catholicism, and some Catholics converted to CofE. also the Roman Catholic Women Priests in the US, they split from RCC
the ways in which Christians have adapted and challenged changing attitudes to family and gender, including issues of:
- different types of family
- Pope Francis rejected single sex marriage:
–> “no union that is …closed to the transmission of life can ensure the future of society” –> bc can’t procreate
–> in Amoris Laetitia: “a mother and a father; both are necessary for a child’s…development” - Catholicism: homosexuality condemned– argue that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered”, BUT think that “they must be accepted with respect”
whether or not secular views of gender equality have undermined Christian gender roles/whether or not official Christian teaching should resist current secular views of gender
Yes:
- Pill 1961, sexual liberation for women. no longer tied to biological role of being a mother or wife - could be seen as undermining strict Christian views
- liberal feminism; - (Tong about Mary Wollstonecraft describing women): “[women are] not a slave to her passions, her husband, or her children”
- ‘first wave’ feminism (19th + early 20th C): focus on suffrage
-‘second wave’ (1960s): shift to gaining equality and equal opportunities to that of men
- ‘third wave’ (today): focus on egalitarianism + also intersectionality (race+poverty)— shows how society is accepting that women are equal
No:
- issues w liberal feminism
–> doesn’t address lesbianism
–> doesn’t address racism and classism: a white, middle class issue– e.g. a poor women of colour would consider the opportunity to stay at home and look after children as a privilege
- some aspects of Chr which ‘prove’ to them that gender roles are as they think: McGrath:
–> maleness of God (esp use of male pronouns)
–> nature of sin- tends to be male attributes like pride- women have a lack of this
–> maleness of Christ + fact that only males are proper images of God –> Aquinas calls females ‘Misbegotten males’
arguing that motherhood is liberating in MD
liberating:
- MD: Motherhood through the suffering and ultimate joy of childbearing allows a women to have a special insight into the suffering of Christ. this creates a sense of liberation thatchy are free to celebrate their role as a mother and the fulfilment within it.
- MD- develops your character: “women are more capable that men of paying attention to another person, and that motherhood develops this predisposition even more”
arguing that motherhood is restricting (MD)
- mothers may not find motherhood a satisfying experience
- those who aren’t mothers (by choice or circumstance) could find the arg that motherhood is extremely impt as very offensive bc its saying a woman is only valid if they have conceived + given birth
- those who adopted may feel lessened– did not have the conception exp etc…
- implies women should stick to their gender roles as given by God: MD: “women must not appropriate to themselves male characteristics contrary to their own feminine ‘originality”
Liberal feminism: Ruth Tong
- (about Mary Wollstonecraft describing women): “[women are] not a slave to her passions, her husband, or her children”
Liberal feminism: Simone de Beauvoir
- arguing the ‘otherness’ of women is the root of prejudice– in society we are not considered to be as good as men
- “Humanity is male and man defines woman…She is not regarded as an autonomous being”
- “he is the absolute. She is the other”
changes in liberal feminism
- ‘first wave’ feminism (19th + early 20th C): focus on suffrage
-‘second wave’ (1960s): shift to gaining equality and equal opportunities to that of men - ‘third wave’ (today): focus on egalitarianism + also intersectionality (race+poverty)
Tong’s criticisms of liberal feminism
- doesn’t address lesbianism
- doesn’t address racism and classism: a white, middle class issue– e.g. a poor women of colour would consider the opportunity to stay at home and look after children as a privilege
McGrath: issues for feminists in Christianity
- maleness of God (esp use of male pronouns)
- nature of sin- tends to be male attributes like pride- women have a lack of this
- maleness of Christ + fact that only males are proper images of God –> Aquinas calls females ‘Misbegotten males’
Messer : how Chr has contributed to the patriarchal attitudes + behavs of society
- idea of male dominance. has been legitimised for centuries
- Messer: “they understand the world from a male point of view and fail to pay attention to women’s perspectives”
- this is supported by the church’s justification: scapegoating women for ills of society- like Eve- held responsible for bringing sin into the world for centuries.
+ve Eval: men and women are equal but have diff roles
- MD: although women should not try to develop male traits (implying M+W have diff roles), they still have equal value: giving birth shows creative power of God and also forges a link w/ Jesus in his suffering too.
- MD: w/o women, there would be no man– men “owe a debt” to women for their role as mothers.
- Mary epitomises the model of women - w/o her Jesus wouldn’t be born. she was the reason humanity can hope to reach heaven- solidifies impt of women, esp in playing a part in God’s grace
- although Chr is typically patriarchal- it shows the value in women “Motherhood is the fruit of the marriage”
- complementarity of men+women: diff but equal- “the personal resources of femininity are certainly no less than the resources of masculinity”
-ve Eval: men and women are equal but have diff roles
- assigns motherhood as the only role of women– any other role will be inferior to men– reinforcing gender stereotypes:
–> although MD: “our thoughts go to all the suffering women in the world” — those who aren’t mothers (by choice or circumstance) could still find this v offensive bc only valid as a female if a mother - generalises the desires of women- stating pregnancy is a cause of celebration
- argues that pregnancy is result of “mutual self-giving” - ignores rape
- Genesis: women is “born of man” from Adam’s rib- although a literal interp- shows since beginning of times that men are superior.
- Simone de Beauvoir: - arguing the ‘otherness’ of women is the root of prejudice– in society we are not considered to be as good as men. this can be derived from the Church using women as a scapegoat for issues- e.g. eve blamed for sin
