AQA religion- gender, sexuality, celibacy, marriage, homosexuality, transgender issues

Where can sexism be seen in the Bible?

Genesis the fall: Eve is made to be Adam's "helper" and is blamed for original sin as she "gave some to her husband, and he ate"

evidence from the fall that eve isn’t only at fault

“God commanded the man… you must not eat from the tree”

how is sexism challenged in Genesis

although “the Lord made a woman from the rib” women are men’s equal as they are needed as a companion/partner (creation of animals weren’t enough)

context of letter of timothy

paul appointed timothy as overseer of ephesus, letter sent to christian community, timothy sorted out false teachings to counter heresy.

“you may instruct people not to teach any different doctrine”

What sexist things does St Paul say about women (Letter of Timothy)

“i also want the women to dress modestly”: both physically and how you carry yourself (appropriate reverence)

“a woman should learn in quietness and full submission”: submit to Christ and stop trying to be the New Roman Woman (don’t speak out)

“it was the woman who… became a sinner. But… will be saved through childbearing”: re-establishing doctrine so New Roman Woman is rejected. Scott M.C Knight believed this was a dig at women who were against marriage & childbirth

When is the Bible not sexist?

Jesus gave blessings to women

Females are Saints, like St Mary

There were female priests, like Priscilla

"Nor is there male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" - St Paul

What is Biblical Criticism?

Biblical criticism is a method of studying the Bible from a non Christian perspective to see the practicalities of it

What is a 'Broad Church'

A Broad Church is a denomination that has many different beliefs and perspectives in it

What positions can females take in the Anglican Church?

Females were approved to be ordained in 1992 and are allowed to be Bishops since 2015

Why would people not want female ordination?

Christ is a male figure, vicars should mimic this

Goes against apostolic succession

Paul said women shouldnt be leaders in church

It would cause devision in the Anglican Church

Why would people want female ordination?

Jesus relates to all; not just men

Paul's opinions don’t fit our society

It would show Jesus' love and acceptance

What groups have been founded that campaign against female ordination?

Anglican groups: Reform, and Forward in Faith

What percentage of Anglican vicars are women?

20%

Why would Anglo-Catholics not want female ordination?

dont fit apostolic succession, they cant be alike to St Peter or Jesus as they are female

Why would Angelican Protestants not want female ordination?

goes against Biblical teachings that females are "helpers" and shoudln’t "have authority over men"

Who believes that Christianity is "irredeemably sexist"?

Daphne Hampson. Jesus is male, which deifies the male, as the Bible lacks strong feminine figures and fails to present feminity in Jesus

why does Daphne Hampson believe feminism & Christianity are incompatible

Bible is rooted in historical baggage. Christianity is a historical religion
“it is bound up with a particular historical person, Jesus Christ”

why does the historical nature of Christianity make it sexist

Jesus is a historical figure (tied to Palestine). Since he is divine his teachings are universal which makes sexist teachings wrong. If you remove Jesus the foundation for Christianity is lost

Daphne quote about women being inferior in the Bible

“the story of Martha and Mary is a story about whether women should cook or whether they may be permitted to sit at the feet of a rabbi”

how does Daphne think we can solve the sexist issue

we don’t need to change language but we need to change our perception of God

What is the Patristic Period?

the early period of Church Fathers in which Jesus was a separate being from the genderless 'Christ' and both sexes could be baptised into the Church

Who believes that Christianity should be reinterpreted to be less sexist?

Rosemary Reuther: Christianity should be reinterpreted to be accepting of both males and females

how does Reuther criticise Hampson

she’s taking a singular experience & universalising it to all of Christianity

what does Reuther say about Christianity being historical

defines history as a continuous linear motion, it’s always evolving. living tradition

how does Karl Barth agree with Reuther’s belief

divine command theory: there is a god, god commands actions, an action is only right if it is commanded through god, this is how we gain theological knowledge

Who spoke about the concept of an Androgynous Christ and refered to Christ as father and mother?

St Julian of Norwich: Jesus is father & mother

traditional Christian view about celibacy

celibacy is more than refusing sexual activity, it’s the deliberate choice to devote yourself to God

what did Jesus & St Paul believe about celibacy

both were celibate

3 quotes from St Paul supporting celibacy

• “I wish all men were as I am”

• “It is good for a man not to have sex with a woman”

• “It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they can’t control themselves they should marry, is better to marry than to burn with passion”

  • thinks that people should stay unmarried so that they can prepare for the second coming of Christ. Recognises that people will still have sexual desires so he compromises & says that they should get married. Shameful/lustful thoughts can only be avoided when sex is done in marriage (acceptable)

why did St Paul believe in celibacy

• his religion was ‘grounded in eschatology’.

• Didn’t believe in sex at all.

• the end of the world was immanent so instead of attracting partners Christians should focus on preparing themselves for the day of judgement so when Christ returns christians are pure

explain how the quote from Pope Benedict supports celibacy

celibacy doesn’t mean “remaining in empty love, rather allowing oneself to be overcome by a passion for God”. celibacy brings a person and even greater feeling of fulfilment & love than sex does, it also brings them closer to God

what do catholics believe about the clergy & celibacy

• they have a choice between sacraments: Holy orders & marriage

• to become a preist means that you have to be celibate because you are fully devoting yourself to the church

quote from the catholic catechism about why priests are celibate

“called to consecrate themselves with undivided heart to the Lord”

• cant divide their heart between their wives (romantic relationships) & the Lord

what does the church of england believe about the clergy & celibacy

• they can get married

• protestant reformation: protestants allows ordained pastors to marry because Martin Luther got married

• a wife may be a source of strength & support for the clergy

how does Genesis suggest that celibacy is wrong

“be fruitful and multiply”

theres a divine command from God to procreate

quote from Genesis about marriage as a sacrament

“they become one flesh”

• marriage is a physical act which causes changes to the souls of the people involved

• allows people to achieve salvation

what do catholics believe about divorce

you can’t divorce because marriage can’t be dissolved in the eyes of God & the church. divorce injures the covenant between yourself & God (less chance of salvation)

“what God has joined together, let no one separate”- Jesus

“marriage is indissoluble”- Catechism

what conditions allows marriage to be annuled (valid marriage never happened)

if there’s evidence that the marriage wasn’t properly sacramental, lack of consent, lack of form

what do protestants believe about divorce

• Henry 8th created the Church of England because the Pope at the time wouldn’t let him get divorced

• don’t see marriage as a sacrament & knows that some marriages fail

UK laws on homosexuality

Wolfenden Report 1957: homosexual acts should no longer be a criminal offence, it’s a private moral matter

• archbishop at the time supported this law “there is a sacred realm of privacy”

Equality Act 2010: sexual orientation is a protected characteristic under legislation

quotes old testament that forbid homosexuality

“do not have sexual relations with a man… that is detestable”

“if a man has sexual relations with a man… they are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads”

story of Sodom & Gommorah- a warning for same-sex relations as the town was destroyed by ‘sulphur and fire’ for acts of sin

how does a modern interpretation of the story of Sodom & Gomorrah counter views on homosexuality

homosexuality as a word didn’t exist when the Bible was written so its thought that this story is a warning for lack of hospitality & rape

• Jesus supports this view: “if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words”

2 quotes from Paul in the New Testament forbidding homosexuality

• “nor man who has sex with men will inherit the kingdom of God”- Corinthians

• “men committed indecent acts with other men and received the due penalty for their perversion”- Romans

why is the New Testament criticised for trying to forbid homosexuality

• different versions of the New Testament have different translations of Paul’s letters so it’s difficult to establish the true meaning of what he was saying isn’t allowed.

  • Mistranslation: ‘malakoi’, being passive. This was bad for men as they were meant to be the providers

• outdated: letters were written over 2000 years ago so they have to be understood in the context they were written in (most likely forbidding pederasty)

2 quotes from the catholic catechism forbidding homosexuality

• “under no circumstances can they be approved”

• “tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered”

forbids homosexual acts because they aren’t procreative. believes that 2 men can’t marry to become 1 flesh because of gender complementarity

2 Pope Francis (more progressive) quotes supporting LBGTQ+ people

“if a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?”

“homosexual people have a right to be in a family… they are children of God”

what denomination allows same-sex marriage & why

Quakers: focuses on celebrating ‘committed relationships’

“it is the nature and the quality of the relationship that matters”

UK statistic of transgender stats

0.5% of 16+ people don’t think that their gender is the same as the sex that they were identified with at birth

what does genesis suggest about gender

“male and female he created them”

God created 2 genders & their roles intentionally, its part of God’s plan to be male & female humans

Jehovah’s witness belief on gender reassignment surgery

a form of mutilation

they are expected to “live in accord with their original biology”

church of england belief about transgender people in the church

pastoral guidance 2018: clergy should be “creative & sensitive” when approached by transgender people who want to mark that transition in the church

transgender people should be presented with gifts (eg: the Bible) that have their new name on it

“the church of england welcomes and encourages the unconditional affirmation of transgender people”

catholic view on changing gender

• goes against God’s omnipotence as Creator

• “before i formed you in the womb i knew you” “male and female he created them” God intentionally created & designed you

are passages on Eunch’s helpful for transgender issues

yes because scripture doesn’t address transgender issues

passages refer to men who can’t procreate

“there were eunuch’s who were born that way… the one who can accept this should accept it”

• you should accept people the way they are & not judge them

how do transgender issues question the nature of god

challenges omnipotence, suggests God made a mistake in the creation of your body (so also challenges omniscience & His perfection)