Christianity - Feminist Theology

what does androcentric mean

centred on men/maleness

what does androgynous mean

combining/transcending male and female

what does misogynistic mean

anti-women/femaleness

what does patriarchy mean

a society where men have the power

what did the 20th century see

feminist movements start to make an impact in theology. traditional views of God, Jesus and the Church and the status and the role of women were challenged

what was Rosemary Radford Ruether’s key claim

Christianity is traditionally androcentric but can be performed

what was Mary Daly’s key claim

Christianity is too androcentric and misogynistic to be reformed

what was the problem with Christianity

traditionally androcentric

what were the traditional views of men/women influenced by

1. Genesis story of Adam and Eve - Eve was created as a ‘helpmate’ and was the temptress who led to the fall of mankind

2. Aristotle’s view of women as ‘misbegotten males’

3. mankind was created by the Father and saved by the Son - implies men = higher

what did this lead to

idolatry - the idolisation and worship of ‘maleness’

what is this her idea of

‘sexism as sin’

what is traditional role models in Christianity for women

Eve - subservient and fallen

Mary - virginal and pure

neither are empowering for women

what does Ruether suggest about the maleness of Christ

irrelevant to issues of salvation - Jesus is in this sense gender neutral

how should Jesus be seen as

the Sophia , the Wisdom of God (gender neutral) rather than the high priest of God (male)

what are male and female roles a product of

socialisation - in reality, both men and women are androgynous

what does society still have

a sexual caste system - fixed ideas of nature and potential of men and women. women are second class citizens

how are feminine characteristics assigned

by patriarchy, and help to sustain the patriarchy

what should women strive for

an androgynous form of life, not ‘feminine’ values

what does Ruether note

that there have been 3 movements which have attempted to liberate women from sexism, but each has failed

1. romanticism

tried to encourage more ‘feminine’ thinking and qualities. but this traps women in sexist Romantic stereotypes

2. Liberalism

looked to move women into traditionally male spaces (professionally and politically). but this turned out to be classist - the upper and middle classes benefitted but working class women did not

3. Marxism

looked to treat men and women equally. but women still ended up subservient

how must Christianity be reformed

we must transform a church disfigured by patriarchal assumptions

what does it offer a new vision for Christianity, rooted in

1. marginalised forms of Christianity which centred more on the power of the female

2. the prophetic tradition - where the prophets called out traditional power structures and spoke out for the vulnerable and oppressed

how does she see both of these

more authentic to the teachings of Jesus

what does she argue and what does this emphasise

there is a ‘golden thread’ that runs through the Bible which can be rediscovered and brought to the fore, emphasising justice and the call to be a new people of liberation

why do we need a ‘feminist hermeneutic’

anything in the Bible, or Church practice, that doesn’t proclaim and affirm the full humanity of both men and women is invalid

why does she argue for female ordination

women must be seen as leaders in Christianity

what does she promote

the setting up of base communities, focused on equality - equal roles and no hierarchy

how is the Church being ‘irredeemably patriarchal’ a problem

male leadership, male images of God, male saviour - all of this excludes women

how is “If God is male, then the male is God” a problem

patriarchy makes a God out of man and places him above women

women are damaged by membership of the church, always seen as subservient and not fully human

means that women cannot flourish while they stay in the church

how is the wrong view of God a problem

God is treated as a noun, not a verb. if we see God as an object, then women is also an object, and is always below Him

why is the objectification a problem

is what leads to the ‘unholy trinity’ - rape, murder, genocide. these are the ‘original sin’

what are women unfairly blamed for

original sin when it is a product of the patriarchy of the church

what does seeing God as a noun lead to

Christolatry (worship of Jesus) and Bibliolatry (worship of the scripture) both are objects of worship

what was the view of McFague towards language

we need to change the language used of God does not solve this issue. we don’t need new nouns for God, we need a new way of conceptualising God as a dynamic force and process of doing and becoming

why does Daly ask to abandon the Bible and exit the church

the Bible is too gender biased to be useful and the Church too patriarchal for redemption

what does she believe women need to form

their own communities of sisterhood, rooted in sisterly support and with no hierarchies or dogmas

what new mindset do women need to have

become ‘Post-Christian’ and anti-church

where is women priests allowed

Protestant churches including the CofE

what Bible teachings say women could be priests

Galatians 3:28 - “In Christ there is no male or female”

Romans 16 - “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church”

Genesis 1 “male and female made at the same time”

why can women carry out all the roles of a priest

the priest only represents Jesus, they are not supposed to be identical to him

what does Ruether say about women being priests

Jesus’ maleness was accidental rather than essential to his nature

how did Jesus have close female followers

certain women are mentioned repeatedly and women are crucial to the resurrection accounts

where are women not allowed to be priests

Catholic and Orthodox churches

what biblical teachings support women not being priests

1 Corinthians 14 - says women should remain silent in Church

1 Timothy - women are told that they must learn in silence and full submission and may not have authority over a man

what happens in a communion service

the priest represents Jesus and as Jesus was male, only a man can represent Jesus adequately

why is leadership only fitting for a man

was man was created first, not woman

why is it important that Jesus only had male disciples

implies he did not think women would be suited

what does the recent Roman Catholic statement, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis say

• the priesthood has always been just for men

• women have a different - but equally important - role (motherhood)

what Bible teachings suggest men and women are equal in Christianity

Galatians 3:28 says “In Christ there is no male or female”

Genesis 1 - male and female made at the same time

list reasons why men and women are equal in Christianity

-female leaders in early Church and now in many Protestant churches. CofE now also has women bishops

Ruether - Jesus is in the prophetic tradition and came to save the oppressed, including women

Jesus was radically pro-women, particularly the picture in the gospel of Luke

list reasons why men and women were not equal in Christianity

-many churches are against female ordination

-women to obey men within marriage, husband ‘the head of wife’

-negative influence of Genesis story of Adam and Eve - Eve was created as a ‘helpmate’ and was the temptress who led to the fall of mankind

how have feminist theologians made an impact on the belief of Christianity

• since the 1970s many Protestant Churches have ordained women

• in 2014, Pope Francis said that he would consider women as deacons

• Church of Sweden recently announced it was moving to gender-neutral language for God

• women’s movements exist within the Catholic and Orthodox Churches

• some churches have feminist discussion groups, support women’s refuges and other feminist causes as part of commitment to bringing social justice