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Wealth
The amount of money and possessions someone had
The teachings of Jesus encourage Christians to not strive for material wealth.
Some believe we should be voluntarily poor and others say God wants to bless followers with wealth.
Mark 10:17-27
“You know the Ten Commandments (…) you shall not defraud” “go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven”
“it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God”
-Jesus and the man were Jewish > believed that you should follow Mosaic Law (10 commandments)
-Traditionally in Judaism, wealth is seen as divine favour and Judaism urges those with wealth to be generous, but Jesus is going beyond the usual approach and telling him to give up everything and join Jesus movement.
-Some use the reference to ‘defraud’ (not a ten commandment) as evidence that it was specific to the guy
OR JC is encouraging we don’t follow the legalistic approach going beyond ten com (in goodsam the people ignored him due to this approach) (to the word) and interpret it (wealth can encourage this)
-Some believe the camel is a reference to a Jerusalaen gap camels had to squeeze through
Matthew 6:25-34
-Argues against seeking material wealth as God will provide
-We should prioritise God’s kingdom
“Look at the birds of the air […] your Heavenly Father feeds them”
“So do not worry saying ‘What shall we eat?’ Or ‘what shall we drink?’ Or ‘what shall we wear?’ […] but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”
Luke 12:33-34
-CONTEXT just before there is a parable about a rich fool (realises his mistakes in death) this passage encourages the opposite
-Depicts the spiritual world as being more significant
-Spiritual wealth cannot be taken from you in the same way (thieves can access earthly wealth)
-Physical wealth is finite and thus valueless
-You can be overly focused on the earth
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor […] a treasure in heaven that will never fail.where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”
1 Timothy 6:10
-‘love of money root of evil’ was a common saying
-Part of the Pastoral Epistles which focus on heretical teachings+dangers of lax morality>devotion to gospels+JC
-Paul stresses desire to keep Church with true faith
-Money is not inherently evil but may lead to Greed (motivates bad actions)
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Stewardship
-In ancient times, a steward was a person with the job of taking care of a house.
-A view that wealth should be managed and taken care of.
The extreme of large wealth and greed is bad, BUT God did give the resources of the earth for us to make use of (ascetic rejected)
SCRIPTUAL SUPPORT
-The Bible contains a theme eg God has made humans stewards of the earth and its resources.
Genesis 1 God then created humans in his image to ‘have dominion … over every living thing’ anthropocentric view promoting humans dominion- may be interpreted as stewardship, God put man ‘into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and to keep it’ (Genesis 2:15) creation is said to belong to God, not us: ‘The Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it’ (Psalm 24)
O+NTest are clear in their condemnation of greed.
-Bauckham argues Genesis 1 is 'the basis on which the whole discussion of stewardship ultimately rests'
-However, others say that the term steward is never actually used, and is only an interpretation!
-Does not encourage voluntary poverty but managing wealth wisely
Key principles for stewardship over wealth
1. God created the world, it belongs to him, but humans oversee it ("The Earth is the Lord's")
2. The material world must be 'good' because it was created by God> we shouldn't avoid managing it. - (asceticism bad?)
3. 8th commandment: 'do not covet' (desire), meaning we are able to have private ownership meaning stewardship applies to individuals and groups: possessions are not wrong
4. Stewardship/management involves giving to the poor as God is a defender of those in need.
5.A tithe (10% of income) act of stewardship
Prosperity Gospel
-View that Christians can expect to be blessed with wealth and good health if they make active declarations of faith, pay tithes (annual proportion of earnings, typically 10%) and give to religious causes.
-Television evangelists (like Kenneth Copeland) made the movement popular among Protestant, Pentecostal and charismatic churches.
-The prosperity Gospel is popular in economically deprived areas because it offers a sense of hope for mobility
-Sometimes called the ‘Word–Faith’ movement due to teaching that Christians need to actively proclaim/confess that they have health and wealth, even if they don’t, to demonstrate faith > for God to provide them.
SCRIPTUAL SUPPORT
-God’s initial covenant with the Jews when freeing the Jews from Egypt he would bring them “to a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8).
promised material goods and resources in return for following his commandments.
Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find”
James 4:3 “You do not have, because you do not ask”
Word of Faith Movement
-Evangelical Healing movement + New thought movement + Prosperity Gospel
-Christians should expect to be healthy and wealthy BUT not enough to believe the Bible says must claim/confession
-To get the wealth you have to sow the seeds e.g. giving (this ultimately means giving to the televangelists who end up beign very rich- potential issue with this view)
-They need to actively proclaim they have wealth even if they don't- this demonstrates faith in God that he will provide health and wealth for you and then he actually will.
Amos 5:11
-Having greed that oppresses the poor is wrong and striving for wealth over anything else
-The love of money can encourage selfishness (taking money from the poor for themselves)
"You levy a straw tax on the poor and impose a tax on their grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.”
Asceticism
-The refraining from available 'earthly' pleasures to attain a spiritual goal. The world and wealth can distract us from God's path so we need discipline
SCRIPTUAL SUPPORT
-St Paul in Acts (only direct mention)
"And herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men"
intends to work on himself and his mind, not corrupted by temptation and greed
-Jesus in Mark (served as an ascetic model)
"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
40 days in the desert
INFLUENCE
-In the early Christian history there were heresies e.g. Manichaeism (see the world as conflict between good and evil and the soul released through asceticism)
or Montanism (asceticism and imminent end of the world-belief in both)
some renounced marriage, having a home, property and practiced extreme forms of fasting eg The ‘Desert Fathers’ inspired by Jesus’ fasting in the desert.
-In the Middle Ages it became more violent (self-flaggelation) as they focused on JC's suffering > unlike clear cut Stewardship there are many interpretations
-Most people today see the world as a place to pursue happiness.
Dangers of wealth
-Has negative impacts
eg exploitation, environmental impacts
JC TAUGHT ITS NEG IMPACTS ON THE SOUL
-Mark 10:17-25. JC “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle”
-Traditional Judaism regarded wealth as a divine blessing generosity + charity cultivated BUT JC has a more extreme philosophy
-Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money us the root of all kinds of evil”
-Should value treasure in heaven, earthly posessions are spiritually inhibiting > addictive ways people can become obsessed with money which can prevent a focus on spiritual life and ethical living.
-Luke 12:33-34 “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”
-It shows a lack of faith to worry about these things God provides.
-Matthew 6:25-34. “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.”
Bonhoeffer
-Nazi Germany context (Christian, saved Jews, spoke out)
-Believed in the cost of discipleship, when JC says 'take up [the] cross' he means being a disciple and making sacrifices (which is what he did in nazi Germany)
-Taking up the cross means making sacrifice to follow jesus not necessarily giving up everything
-He calls the sacrifices costly grace
WEALTH
Should Christians follow the Ascetic model
-JC encouraged us to give up material wealth (“eye of the needle” “sell everythig you have”)- renunciation of wealth compat
BUT
Arguably just saying it is harder with wealth, he encourages charity which requires wealth
advice may be specific to that man because the 10 coms were failing him
BUT
Final statement seems generalised about all wealthy people- wealth is spiritually corrupting making salvation harder.
> It is only those who have been spiritually corrupted by wealth that should take the drastic steps of asceticism
JC only fasted for 40 days (not permenant)
Asceticism distracts from helping the poor and oppressed and spreading the faith (fast for 40 days then returned to helping) >these goals are better served by stewardship
his lifestyle was partially out of necessity
Prosperity gospel ignores teachings on the dangers of wealth, Asceticism ignores teachings on helping others stewardship takes both into account
People are different some have more issues with greed and asceticism is justified
Examples of Asceticism
-Popular with early Christians many renounces marriage, homes, fasted (eg John Baptist)
-Desert fathers- took it further than Origen (who lived in voluntary poverty).
They renounced an increasingly worldly church to focus on a simple life of prayer and devotion in remote locations.
They thought the 40 days in the wilderness and john the Baptist were models to live by.
-Antony of Egypt- 'father of all monks'.
Lived a solitary ascetic lifestyle in the Egyptian desert for 20 years.
Some disciples came to live near him so he emerged from isolation to teach them to be their leader. They were the first monastic community with him as the leader
-Simeon stylites: lived ontop of a pilar for 37 years in Syria.
-In the Middle Ages it became more violent (self-flaggelation) as they focused on JC's suffering > unlike clear cut Stewardship there are many interpretations
-Most people today see the world as a place to pursue happiness.
-In the early Christian history there were heresies e.g. Manichaeism (see the world as conflict between good and evil and the soul released through asceticism)
or Montanism (asceticism and imminent end of the world-belief in both) BUT still people who were embracing the world and getting married.
Christians believe that God is separate from the world so it needs to be taken care of BUT debate about what+how much discipline
Manichaeism
see the world as conflict between good and evil and the soul released through asceticism
covetousness
Extreme greed for material wealth
The bible is against this
But the existence of this suggests it is good to have (though we should defo strive for spiritual over physical)k
Wealth as a sign of god
YES
-declaring one's faith means a Christian today has a way to fulfil their part of the covenant (promise between Jews and God, faith > prosperity)
-There is biblical support
-Some view it as remaining compatible despite Blomberg’s claim as if we combine the importance of faith in JC and the covenant
-Some people misuse the doctrine, it is not exploitative.
NO
-Conflict with the teachings/example of Jesus who showed the spiritual corruption of money (‘eye of the needle’)
-Asceticism is compatible Jesus is a model, gave up early possessions, ‘deny themselves, take up their cross’
-It is unbiblical [Blomberg]. Jesus made new promises with the new covenant, he is clear on promising heaven not with material wealth.
-They exploit those in need for financial gain and promise wealth in return which they have no stand in doing.
Unbiblical:
-Craig Blomberg- the covenant between God and the Jews for material well being didn’t depend on personal faith, It was made to the entire group if they followed God’s commandments.
The Christian view changed it to fit better with the prosperity Gospel (all humans who have faith in Jesus)
-The new Christian covenant promised followers of JC eternal life in heaven NOT WEALTH
(Prosperity Gospel fits with neither Jewish nor Christian requirements)
-Conflict with the teachings/example of Jesus who showed the spiritual corruption of money (‘eye of the needle’)
Exploitative:
-Televangelists are criticised for exploiting the faith of their audience for their financial gain
(encourge donations promising a return from God)
-Prosperity Gospel is most popular with the poor due to their economic desperation.
-Capitalism makes people vulnerable to promises of wealth and are thus susceptible to exploitation- It may not be suitable for today’s society.
BUT isn’t inherently exploitative
Reverse Mission
-Missionary engagement of people from countries that historically have been the recipients of missionaries to countries that have historically been the senders of missionaries.
WHY
-Decline of religion
-Shift towards southern hemisphere
-Growing Pentecostal church due to migration
-Perceptions of other countries of UK as secular
Immigration
Moving to a new location permanently
Migration
A movement from one country or region to another often frequently
refugee
A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape persecution, or natural disaster
asylum seeker
Someone who has migrated to another country in the hope of being recognized as a refugee legally
Pentecostalism (detailed)
-A movement in Christianity emphasising the experience of the worshipper.
-It uses references to the powerful experiences of the early church in Acts 2
-Worship can include singing, dancing, and speaking in tongues.
-Over past decade Church attendance and worship has been in decline
-Huge variations as dif denoms are influenced
BUT
-Caribben + West Africa Pentecostalism Christianity is predominant
-Large Influx of people > surge in new churches been set up (Independent) based on their own at home and an increase in Christian activity in the UK again.
eg
-RCCG is a Nigerian denomination (1952). Has had huge growth. 800 congregations in Britain which supersedes the amount of indigenous Pentecostal churches in the Uk.
Redeemed Christian Church of God
Nigerian Pentecostal denom
Over the last 70 years huge growth
Outnumber indigenous Pentecostal bodies in the UK
RCCG
-RCCG is a Nigerian denomination (1952). Has had huge growth. 800 congregations in Britain which supersedes the amount of indigenous Pentecostal churches in the Uk.
Acts 2
Pentecost
"They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues. as the Spirit enabled them."
Immigrants + Christianity
-Amongst immigrants, Christianity is the largest represented religion (of those that identify with a religion)
-More immigrants come to the UK > more people joining churches.
-They either join and attend churches that exist
in Britain and their country or there are new denominations of churches that have high immigration populations
-Caribben + West Africa Pentecostalism Christianity is predominant
-Large Influx of people > surge in new churches been set up (Independent) based on their own at home and an increase in Christian activity in the UK again.
eg
-RCCG is a Nigerian denomination (1952). Has had huge growth. 800 congregations in Britain which supersedes the amount of indigenous Pentecostal churches in the Uk
-Study of 126 new churches in NE 47 primarily migrants (they bring new forms)
Christian migration to the UK (overcoming challenges)
CHALLENGE
- Some churches may realise they are not effectively welcoming immigrants
-migration causes challenge as it risks losing the sense of community
- Worship differences:
there are clear differences in religious practices e.g. liturgy vs Pentecostal worship.
Worship is diverse > issues also arise where migrants are unfamiliar with practices >cultural Issues and negative feelings about worship
-Social support:
immigrants have their own needs and struggles such as establishing a new home and social network.
may struggle to participate in worship or be comforted due to language barriers.
- Uneven spread of immigration:
large areas without immigrants and so there aren't opportunities for churches to assimilate those from other cultures.
OVERCOME
Churches have while wanting to be open to those who are new to the community.
-Worship differences:
incorporating the other styles of worship e.g. Pentecostal worship, into their worship (charismatic churches).
-Language barriers:
utilising leaflets in various languages to support migrants.
-Social support:
many Churches have responded to this by using leaflets and appointing an 'immigration chaplain' or 'episcopal vicar'
ADVANTAGES
encouraging congregations to respect diversity of practices which promotes good values
allows migrants to find some form of worship that is like what they are used to. episcopal vicar: managing charity, oversee aspects of church life.
"We are all one under Christ Jesus"
Mission
-Travelling to other countries to spread God’s word+convert (eg St Paul)
-Great commission “make disciples of all nations”
-Many are inspired by St Paul who persecuted Christians>heard JC> went on mission
-Christianity has been spread (observable in the rise of Angelican + Methodist churches throughout Brit empire)
-Decline in Uk>reverse mission
Why does reverse migration occur
-Global shift of Christianity towards southern hemisphere
-Growing pentaclism linked with migration
-Decline of Christianity in the UK
-Perceptions of those from majority Christian countries seeing the UK as atheistic and secular
-Come during short term visits (share music, dance in churches to spread faith)
-Some churches come to evangelise and convert others come for school
-International appointment of a leader from a migrant background.
-Churches with high migrant populations reach out to white-British nationals as part of its God-given mission (some churches fund)
Emigration
Individuals leaving their country of origin to settle in another.
Rebecca Catto on reverse missions
-many reverse missionaries report facing cultural challenges including the resistance of secular British nationals to the Christian message.
-There were difficulties adjusting to the new country for the missionaries.
-It does not appear to have been successful.
-Some reverse missionaries have actually decided to focus more on their own nationals in the country and established churches supporting the needs of migrants.
BUT it has caused British church bodies to reflect on the quality of their own outreach
Are reverse missions successful
NO
Rebecca Cato- many reverse missionaries report facing cultural challenges including the resistance of secular British nationals to the Christian message.
-There were difficulties adjusting to the new country for the missionaries, some rather focus on own countries
-It does not appear to have been successful.
YES
-Long standing church bodies have begun to reflect on their own quality of outreach which has the potential to lead to growth.
-Church growth has happened, just not necessarily with traditional, indigenous churches e.g. RCCG
Secularisation Thesis
-The belief that as societies modernise, religion will decline
(We have the ability to experience any culture, broader religious education)
-Clear from decline in church membership (COE reports 20 church closures a year)
(This census shows a huge drop from 72% to 59% associating with Christianity, who has the oldest age profile)
-Decreasing roles of Chu rch in public life
-Loss of personal faith
BUT
-there are a huge percentage of young people (18-34 year olds) who note that they pray occasionally or regularly, so is mission necessary? We have the alpha course and a rise in evangelicals
Is assimilation easy
NEW DENOMS
-Can find churches similar to own (RGCC), with more migration more migrant churches > more aware of issues, help with assimilation
-Lots of migrants in same area
rowth of denoms makes assimilation easy
BUT
-Causes friction and division between indigenous
-Hard to assimilate, staying within culture
-Being around migrants makes assimilation harder
DIFFERENT PRACTICES
-All one in christ, dif in practice allows for diversity (preached by Christianity)
-Familiar features
BUT
-Worship and belief different (Pentecostalism, v formal literary) hard to assimilate
CULTURAL DIF
-Christianity is the story of migration (Abraham, wandering Israelites, Mary+Joesph)
Leviticus 19::34 “the alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you[…] for you were aliens in the land of Egypt”
-Churches higher people to help
-Benefits migrant by helping them learn language
BUT
-Language barrier prevents worship, may lose interest
-Dif social and pastoral
Is the UK a modern mission field
-Christians (evangelicals) view unpractising locations as mission fields- ‘Great Comissioon’
-UK is appealing due to the decline in practicing (v south rise)
BUT
-Unhelpful to view it as such as (pluralism) there are many paths to God (should humanitarian outreach be the priority?)
-UK is officially Christian (influences society+laws, COE) (an athiest would view it as religious, easy to be a practicing christian)
-Christian sentiment may be dormant and may awaken without mission (which Brits seem averse to due to dif in approaches (charismatic))
Assimilation
The process where individuals adopt the cultural traits and norms of a dominant group, often leading to the loss of their own cultural identity.
Congregation
A group of people who gather for religious worship and community.
Conversion
The process of changing one's beliefs, values, or religious affiliation to another.
Denomination
A distinct group or branch within a religion, characterized by specific beliefs, practices, and organizational structure.
Evangelicals
Christians who emphasize the authority of the Bible, personal conversion, and evangelism. They believe in the importance of sharing the Gospel and strive to live according to biblical teachings.
Evangalise
To spread religious beliefs and convert others to a particular faith through preaching, teaching, and sharing the message of salvation.
Independent churches
Christian churches that are not affiliated with any larger denominational organization. They have autonomy in their governance and decision-making processes.
Liturgical
"Liturgical" refers to a form of worship that follows a set order or ritual. It often includes prayers, readings, and ceremonies performed in a specific sequence.
eg RCC
Non-liturgical
Informal worsip style without a set liturgy or ritual. Allows for spontaneous prayers, contemporary music, and creative expressions of faith.
Emphasizes personal connection with God and community engagement.
eg Evangelical and Pentecostal churches.
Pastoral care
Providing emotional and spiritual support to individuals in need, often within a religious context.
Helps promote overall well-being and resilience, addressing both practical and spiritual aspects of life.
Pentecostal
A Christian movement that emphasizes the experience of the Holy Spirit, including speaking in tongues and spiritual gifts.
Secular
Secular: Relating to or advocating for a non-religious or non-spiritual worldview. It refers to the separation of religion and government, and the belief in the importance of reason and evidence-based thinking.
Feminist Theology
Examines the patriarchal biases in the Scripture and tradition
Looks at the ways religion has contributed to women's oppression
Reuther on Feminist Theology
-Focuses on the reformation of Christianity (especially the language, rituals and 4) 2 theology of Christianity and a commitment to the wellbeing of women)
-Maintains that there is something more authentic in Christianity than sexism
-Jesus and the Bible can be interpreted in a feminist way and therefore Christianity has the potential to be compatible with feminism.
-Christianity can be viewed as sexist BECAUSE of patriarchalisation.
-Blames the sin of idolatry for imago dei (males are closer to God) + redemption by Christ
-Cites 1976 Vatican (which claims male genitalia is essential prerequisite to represent Christ) as evid for gender stereotyping
-Our societies def of maleness+femaleness is based on reproductive roles+manifest dif culturally defined traits BUT our nature is androgynous
Golden Thread + Scriptural support of it
Theme of liberation in Christianity
Eg freeing Jews in Exodus and Jesus' treatment of marginalised people, golden rule
RRR argues it means Christianity is redeemable by separating the thread of patriarchy
BUT there is also a thread of sexism
Can’t both be gods authentic vision (incompatible) must be separated
SO the rest is influenced by the patriarchy, the golden thread is how we decipher what should be rejected
The patriarchy is a form of idolatry
Reuther’s golden thread depends on plausible reading of Jesus’ actions is that they were aimed at liberating of women from the unjust social order:
The adulterous woman (John 8) JC is shown to agree with feminists and be against the control of the sexual behaviour of females through violence, imprisoning her within marriage and reproduction
BUT Jesus was against capital punishment for adultery. He still tells the woman not to sin again
Jesus said to Martha (Luke 10) that she should not prepare food in the kitchen but join everyone else to listen to his sermon. This could suggest that Jesus was against the traditional social gender roles where women’s job is to prepare food in the kitchen.
BUT that his teachings/sermon was more important than preparations in the kitchen – but this doesn’t mean that women’s place overall isn’t in the kitchen.
Galatians. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ”. Galatians 3:28.
BUT There are nonpolitical ways of reading these passages, his actions and moral teachings might sometimes appear to challenge social order/structure, but that might just be because he treated everyone as spiritually equal.
RRR on Jesus
-If Christianity is reevaluated Christ saving us is no longer problematic
-JC's portrayal in the gospels > later doctrines change with the influence of patriarchy
-Patriarchy suggests as Messiah Jesus was a warrior RRR messiah is 'expected to win, not suffer and die'
-Jesus instead, served his people, instead of ruling them
-She sees feminist theology as part of the prophetic tradition (they fight against oppression) and JC fitting with it
In the prophetic tradition: Gods defence and vindication of oppressed, critiques dominant systems, new age of no reign of God, critique of the religious ideology
-We should reclaim JC's maleness as unimportant (+possessing a feminine wisdom>gender inclusive) > Sally Mcfague (could have been reincarnated into a fem body, Gods gender is irrelevant)
-If we view him as gender inclusive its reformed
BUT
Daly whether or not he is gender inclusive is irrelevant, he still enforces the patriarchy
Androcentrism
putting men at the center of history+culture
women are outsiders in society
Patriarchalisation
the process whereby misogynistic views take over and dominate
Sexism in scripture (Greek>medieval)
-Greek philosophers had views on women and their inferiority to men which influenced medieval theologians
-Greek philosophers women represent emotional side of humanity which is inferior to the rational nature of men.
-Aristotle characterised women as 'misbegotten males' and should be ruled by those dedicated to reason i.e. men
> Influenced medieval theologists (Aquinas+Augustine) to a male female hierarchy (enforced by sin and the god created natural order)
-Many argue that the ‘decisive step in the patriarchalisation of Christology’ was when Christianity was established as the religion of the Roman Empire.
-Eve, came from man, temptress, responsible for sin entering the world
-Male pronouns for God
-Women are to be subject + follow Mary’s example (gentle, obedient, virginal>against sex)
-Created imago dei (males are closer to God) + redeemed by Christ (RRR sin of idolatry)
Sexism in modern church
-Women excluded from ordination due to inferior mind+soul
(RRR cites 1976 Vatican (which claims male genitalia is essential prerequisite to represent Christ) as evid for gender stereotyping)
-Mulieris Dignitatum Pope John Paul II wrote it to defend the church against sexism (and defend trad gender and divinely designed biological essentialism)
1 Motherhood is a woman’s telos, natrurally disposed to motherhood both physically and mentally, fulfilment for a woman comes from motherhood and virginity
(Womb, natural compassion)
-BUT Feminists view the attempts to embed gender roles in telos as equal to biblical patriarchy in perpetuating male dominance (cultural invention to encourage passivity from women, allows male over rep in public sphere)
Anthropology has found human civilisations with variation in gender roles
-Stare (existentialist) rejected telos on bases that objective telos is impossible because “existence precedes essence”
> psychological argument that humans fear intense freedom and creating purpose
(makes us feel abandoned by god, anguish over responsibilities, and despair over inability to act as we want) > easier to accept objective purpose
2 There are important valued women in Christian history/theology many female saints, JC only possible with VM, holds women in too high a regard to be sexist
Simone de Beauvoir argues Christians value Marty for being a man’s “docile servant” as opposed to for her own merits
Mary Daly takes it further, Mary is portrayed as a passive empty ‘void waiting to be made by the male’.
Mary is a ‘rape victim’ because ‘physical rape is not necessary when the mind/will/spirit has already been invaded’, consent was not given and the power difference would devalue it
Jesus’ mother Mary is indeed put on a pedestal by Christianity, but only to encourage women to become passive, submissive and obedient so that women would all the better become the sexual property of men.
when the catholic church say they like and respect Mary – that’s just like a slave owner saying they like and respect the subservient obedient slaves.
Mary Daly Feminist Theology
-Sexism too embedded for reformation
-Should separate from Church+redefine God > 'if God is male male is God' makes it seem unchallengeable
-The goal of life is free growth+fulfillment BUT patriarchy forces women into 'non-being'
-solution: “God” as a verb. concept of God needed to be castrated + changing the meaning from a noun to a verb (‘be-ing’ rather than ‘a being’)
verbs are beyond the gender+shifts view of universe+structural oppression
> a process that depends on choice and submission for its continued being not fixed, static, the way things are (deflect critique)
-She cites a number of passages, Eve, and the unholy trinity as evidence of its irdeemability
BUT Liberals encourage symbolic readings (understanding it was influenced by Patri context) and view it as reddemable
BUT Daly still influences Christians
Daphne Hampson rejects idea that liberal Christianity is sufficiently divorced from tradition, the sexist paradigms still subconsciously affect them
-Proposes a sisterhood of feminism to replace the church and fulfill traditional spiritual functions, it will be an anti church in which women can heal from the patriarchy that ‘feeds on the bodies and minds of women’ and stunts their growth and superior sPirituality (not confined by patriarchy)
BUT Some argue that Daly is advocating female supremacy, which is just as sexist as male supremacy and ultimately dangerous and anti-feminist because it is not about equality. Her advocation of separation between men and women is also seen as radical, impractical and too similar to segregationism which has been associated throughout history with bigotry.
Daly thought female spirituality was superior because men were stuck in patriarchy and true equality could be achieved, if it ended. She argued that females needed their own space to heal
Arguably segregation is impractical and arguably not worth whatever potential positives it could bring. To many it seems better for men and women to work out their issues together, rather than to separate.
Ordination
When an individual is given a rank within the church
The process isn’t specifically referred to in the bible
Examples of Ranked women in the Bible
Mary Magdalene functions as an apostle
Julia, St Paul “prominent among apostles”
Thecla and Nino were holy women described as apostles
Sexism in scripture
1 Corinthians 14:34 “The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says”.
1 Timothy 2:12 “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one who was deceived, it was the woman … But women will be saved through childbearing”.
Ephesians 5:22-33 ‘Wives, submit to your own husbands as you do the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church”
Eve as the source of sin has been used to oppress women and trigger internalised feelings of guilt and inferiority (recognising this is the first step to liberation)
The unholy trinity of rape, genocide and war are the result of a patriarchal world and legitimised male dominance resulting in the unholy trinity(Christianity is complicit)
They are expressions of phallocentric power against those viewed as objects (nouns) and broken when women are empowered
Eg in Numbers Moses “So kill all the male children. Kill also the women who have slept with a man. Spare the lives only of the young girls who have not slept with a man, and take them for yourselves.”(Numbers 31:17-18).
1 Timothy 3:11
‘In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything’
Possibly deacon wives or women who are deacons (are ordained)
Acts 21:9
‘He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied’
Women can have an individual connection to God and can be prophetesses
Why are the Church against female ordination
-It was rare to find women as leaders (contributed to by Junia being mistranslated as Junius (and reflects its ridiculousness))
WHY
-God chose to be incarnate into a man
-Jesus appointed male apostles
-Ordaining women would destroy the unity of the Church as there has only been the ordination of men
-Scripture is strongly against he leadership of women
BUT
Jesus didn’t restrict his message and taught women
Jesus’ incarnation into a male body is arguable coincidence and doesn’t reflect the nature of God
Women ordination timeline
1970: women’s ordination becoming a standard practice
1988: Mulieris Dignitatum
1992: Church of England passing a vote to ordain women
1993: C of E create an amendment that congregations can opt out of accepting women
1994: 1,500 women are ordained in the C of E. As a result, 470 men left to the RC church in protest.
Mulieris Dignitatum
-on the dignity of women
-letter written in 1988 by Pope John Paul II
-It was a response to the accusation that Christianity was sexist.
-The argument was that men and women had different qualities/abilities which were designed by God. Both are still valuable.
-1 Motherhood is a woman’s telos, natrurally disposed to motherhood both physically and mentally, fulfilment for a woman comes from motherhood and virginity
(Womb, natural compassion)
-BUT Feminists view the attempts to embed gender roles in telos as equal to biblical patriarchy in perpetuating male dominance (cultural invention to encourage passivity from women, allows male over rep in public sphere)
Anthropology has found human civilisations with variation in gender roles
-Stare (existentialist) rejected telos on bases that objective telos is impossible because “existence precedes essence”
> psychological argument that humans fear intense freedom and creating purpose
(makes us feel abandoned by god, anguish over responsibilities, and despair over inability to act as we want) > easier to accept objective purpose
2 There are important valued women in Christian history/theology many female saints, JC only possible with VM, holds women in too high a regard to be sexist
Simone de Beauvoir argues Christians value Marty for being a man’s “docile servant” as opposed to for her own merits
Mary Daly takes it further, Mary is portrayed as a passive empty ‘void waiting to be made by the male’.
Mary is a ‘rape victim’ because ‘physical rape is not necessary when the mind/will/spirit has already been invaded’, consent was not given and the power difference would devalue it
Jesus’ mother Mary is indeed put on a pedestal by Christianity, but only to encourage women to become passive, submissive and obedient so that women would all the better become the sexual property of men.
when the catholic church say they like and respect Mary – that’s just like a slave owner saying they like and respect the subservient obedient slaves.
Note 
Flashcard (100)