feminist theories of religion

a patriarchal institution that reflects & perpetuates inequality

• religious organisations

• places of worship

• sacred texts

• religious laws & customs

• mainly male-dominated

• female exclusion from priesthood in orthodox judaism & catholicism

• most founders are male - jesus, buddha, guru nanak

• women are in subordinate positions e.g., priests are senior to nuns

• CofE introduced female vicars/clergy in 1992

• many female anglican ministers

• often segregates the sexes & marginalises women e.g., sat behind screens

• participation may be restricted e.g., muslim women cannot touch qur’an when on period

• does not occur in all places of worship e.g., methodist churches

• largely features male gods

• usually written/interpreted by men

• stories reflect anti-women stereotypes e.g., adam & eve

• stereotypical representations e.g., virgin vs whore

• eastern religions often have positive depictions of women

• virgin mary is widely worshipped

• most followers of religion do not take the texts literally

• may give women fewer rights than men e.g., divorce, dress

• influence on cultural norms leads to unequal treatment

• many religions legitimate traditional domestic role e.g., catholic ban on abortion

• islam - a man can divorce wife by saying it 3x, a woman can’t

• some demand women are respected by men

• catholic church also encourages celibacy which makes sexual control equal between men & women

religion may be used to oppress women but is not the cause of their subordination, rather the result of patriarchal societal influence

much of traditional religion is patriarchal, but there are religious forms of feminism

ways in which women use religion to gain greater freedom & respect

• hijab can be seen as liberating

• british muslims use hijaab to gain approval from family to attend further education

• pentecostal group in colombia - use it to increase power & influence - men’s respect

piety movements where women can further their own interests

conservative movements that support traditional teachings a about women’s role, modest dress prayer & bible study

• pentecostal christians

• evangelical christians

• it is middle-class urban women who are most likely to join who already have liberating resources

• quakers

• unitarians

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religion helps subordinate women as they cannot hold office in organisations

if women were allowed to act as religious leaders, women’s overall status in society would improve

the situation in religious organisations has improved e.g., female vicars

religion is a patriarchal institution existing for the benefit of men

to either challenge religion as it is or to return to religions of the past where religions held women central

ethnocentric - muslim women see the religious dress as liberating

religion teaches one that it is holy to be in poverty

religion helps exploit women as it reinforces traditional gender roles that serves the interests of the ruling class

revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and establishment of a communist state in which religion would disappear as there would be no need for an institution that indoctrinates people

deterministic - assumes religion would disappear with communism