Gender and Theology: Rosemary Radford Ruether and Mary Daly

Critical concepts and vocabulary from the lecture on Gender and Theology, focusing on the reformist perspective of Rosemary Radford Ruether and the post-Christian perspective of Mary Daly.

Reformist theology

The theological view held by Rosemary Radford Ruether that parts of the Church distorted by patriarchal traditions should be reformed, including support for female ordination.

Goddess theology

A perspective suggesting polytheistic religions are less patriarchal than monotheism; it argues that ancient Judaism Roots of Christianity maintained the idea of Goddess in worship.

Gaia

The Greek Goddess of Earth, a term used by Ruether to uncover an ancient notion of God and challenge exclusively male terminology.

Hokhmah and Sophia

The Hebrew and Greek terms, respectively, for 'wisdom' used to describe the 'femaleness' of God as a divine source of knowledge and life.

Logos

A male word used in John's Gospel meaning wisdom, used to describe Jesus as the incarnation of divine wisdom.

Shakers

A movement cited by Ruether that places women in priority in Churches because it is believed they are more receptive of the spirit.

Post-Christian theology

The view held by Mary Daly that the Christian framework should be left behind entirely due to its inherent patriarchal values.

The most unholy trinity

Mary Daly's term for the interconnected culture of violence consisting of rape, genocide, and war.

Rapism

A term used by Daly to describe a culture of rape that serves as a symbol of all violent oppression against women in society.

Judges 19

A Bible passage cited by Daly where a host protects a guest from gang rape by giving up the women in the household instead.

Groupthink

A concept Daly links to the idea of 'us' and 'other' within the Church, which she compares to the mindset of the Nazis.

Male mothers

Mary Daly's description of the priesthood as part of a 'men's club' that has trapped women's spirituality.

Transvaluation

A term taken from Nietzsche by Daly meaning the transformation of something by a new set of values, applied to patriarchal values within Christianity.

Be-ing

The active and ongoing process of creativity that Daly argues should replace the noun 'God'.

Quintessence

The highest essence that acts as the life force of the universe, which Daly believes can be rediscovered in nature.